City City Bang Bang -Part 2

In my last blog, I had briefed the audience about the ordeal during my journey from Bhilwara to Jaipur en route to my career’s first launch at Bangalore. I explained I how I left my luggage in a bus to Delhi and then followed & boarded the same with great difficulty. Here is the posterior part of the story.

The bus was faring smoothly and hence my natural instinct of diurnal sleep gripped on. I slept for another 3 hrs. Then the bus had a halt at a midway. I took my usual evening tea with some snacks and adjusted the body to bear the long journey’s fatigue. The bus had started at 1.45 pm and it was 5 pm at the midway. I just happened to involved myself in a friendly talk with one of my fellow passengers. Taking a sip of tea, I asked: how long do you think it would take to Delhi? He replied: Can’t say with conviction since the traffic in Delhi is notoriously famous for delaying the arrival. I had the first goose bumps, then and there. Somehow, I tried to summon trust in the almighty and insisted that Rajasthan Roadways are not that bad. And we were again aboard for the journey.

It was twilight transiting into dark and each minute poured anxiety over me. I was much worried whether I would be able to reach the station in time or not. There was already mush traffic in the way and I couldn’t just dare to think of the unwanted, unforeseen but very imminent destiny. The hour, minute and the second hand of my watch, it appeared to me as if, had conspired to give me a really hard time. I asked the driver to move a bit faster but he shrugged off saying that he was helpless. He asked me when my train was scheduled to depart. Knowing that it was 9.30 pm, he said in hopelessness that I better find some alternative way.

I looked at my watch and to my utter disgust, it was 8.30. I was still lurking around Gurgaon. I asked fellow passengers how can now I catch the train. One of them suggested I take metro because that would help me reach there in 40 mins at maximum. But ordeal expressed its’ full ferocity and I came to know that the Metro line linking Gurgaon with New Delhi Railway Station was out of service since last couple of days. Then somebody came out of the crowd and advised to take a Metro Cab. The response came immediately. I got out of bus and ran taking a mighty suitcase, a very heavy big bag and my laptop bag to catch some cab. I walked with great difficulty and learnt why elders advice to take as minimum articles with you as possible while on a journey. Then eventually I hired a cab which gave a liitle solace to my burdened shoulders. After moving through a while, the driver expressed his concerns over catching the train in time since he smelled heavy traffic on the outskirts of the city. I shook my head and pleaded to make it happen by any means. I even promised him double the amount. The distance from Gurgaon to New Delhi station is 25 Kms approximately. I had sufficient time of 1 hr to reach there in time given a mediocre speed of 50 Ks/hr for a cab. But I saw whole Rome burning to flames when a large queue of Cars awaited ours to ring the bell of disappointment. God, it still gives me a shiver.

We tried to crusade through the traffic and making quick moves but all in vain as every corner and every turn confronted us to a new and yet another disheartening traffic jam. Suddenly I found all my fear fading away as I had completely given up on reaching the station in time.

First job and a plethora of hurdles! What a lesson it was turning out to be. It occurred to me then that I struck the Pandora Box open when I ignorantly miscalculated my journey’s duration. That was a big lesson learnt by me that when you are up for your really important things and events, you need to be a bit prudent. I called my dad and expressed my utter distress. He helped me compose myself and said that I needn’t worry as there is always some way out. He called me back to my place and advised to postpone the joining for week. I refused out rightly. I said; this is my first job and I don’t want to disappoint my Boss. He bucked me up and asked to contain myself.

I was left stranded at a station far away from home and which was never a part of my sojourn. Suddenly it came to me that I had a friend in Delhi, Dr. Neeraj. He was preparing for his PG examinations there. I called him up only to be beckoned by him later. I went there taking the wonderful and exemplary Delhi Metro service. I marvelled at the work Mr. E.Shridhran had rendered. I reached my friend’s place, took a sumptuous dinner( I had missed the lunch), and went to sleep after my friend consoled me for the happening.

The next day, I rose with a new high riding on the support my family had given me and went to book an air ticket to Bangalore. Luckily I got a flight late in the night and finally took a great sigh of relief. But now, I was all alarmed and resolved to tread carefully now. The flight was scheduled at 8.30 pm. But I left as early as 4 pm. I reached the airport by 5.30 pm and got the boarding pass done soon. The time arrived; I boarded the flight and relished the maiden flight of my life. Soon I landed up in Bangalore in 2.5 hrs and set onto a new journey of life. The longest and the most craved one. After all, life moves on and so did I because I knew if mistakes turn us down, they also show us a better way out.

Keep learning till life goes on.