A Little Bit of Perspective

It's funny how as soon as I decided that using public transport more often would be one of my top priority New Year resolutions, an oil PSU strike made petrol pumps run dry. I considered it to be a sign that the powers that be approved of my environmental zeal. However, the approval was a little too resounding for my liking- the powers that be also thought that it would be funny if I had to launch my resolution with a trip to one of the hotels near the international airport (had to drop off a parcel and for complicated and boring reasons, couldn't use a courier). Sewree-Royal Meridien-Sewree sans taxi, rickshaw or car is a three hour trip flat. I found it hard to feel grateful that my aching bones (direct fallout of rediscovering that my legs are actually meant for walking, not balancing pillows while I read and eat on the sofa), crushed ribs (why is it that when you and your backpack are tightly jammed against the train pole, the very generously endowed woman behind you has to get off at the station before yours?) and sunburnt, perspiring face (last year's famous 8 degrees Celsius Mumbai winter feels like it belonged to another Ice Age) were all contributing to the climate change cause. My foul temper was compounded by the appalling frequency of the Harbour Line trains (I hate waiting) and the interminable ticket queues (I especially hate waiting behind other people) and I was ready to weep by the time I was finally in the train on my way home.

Now, I generally never buy anything off the train, but for some reason, a pair of earrings that a 12-13 year old boy was peddling caught my fancy and I asked him how much they cost. He said they'd be 5 bucks and I pulled out a tenner (having exhausted all my change to meet the 'exacting' demands and not risk the rudeness of the ticket clerks). The boy said he didn't have change and for one, horrible moment, I thought I was going to launch into a tirade at him. Fortunately, my better self prevailed and I told him to keep the change. Instead of pocketing it happily, he went all over the compartment until he found someone willing to give him change and then immediately ran back with a five rupee coin. I told him he could keep it, but he was absolutely adamant and kept insisting. He finally pressed it into my hand and got off at the next station. All the time that I was trying to make him keep the money, there was a look of complete bewilderment on his face. He couldn't understand why someone should be trying to force him to keep money that he hadn't earned. And if he had enough pride not to beg, I ought to have had the sense (and sensibility too, come to think of it) to simply have bought another pair of earrings.

I can't wait for my next public transport expedition now- I need to learn more than just environmental lessons.