This happened some years ago while I had started working at a moffusil office .I would commute by local train to & from my place of work to my home in a suburb in the city.I had to change the train at a station midway & catch another train to reach the moffusil office.Similarly ,I would change train after having covered more than half the distance.
One day during the monsoons,it rained very heavily after I reached office.All my colleagues were anxious as we feared that we may not be able to reach home if we did not leave office early .As I stayed the farthest from office , I was allowed to leave office soon after lunch hour.I was sure all others in my office were feeling jealous as I was able to escape work while it rained cats & dogs & they slogged at their desks !
I reached the station to take the train on my return journey.All trains were late due to water logging & heavy rains.Thankfully ,it had stopped raining.Many trains arrived & left -they were so full that I was unable to get into any of them.Finally ,I managed to board a train.The train started moving.It picked up speed & I was glad that I would reach home soon.
And I was wrong.The train slowed down just on the outskirts of the station where I would get down & get into another train.The train came to a stop.After some time,people started enquiries about why train had stopped just outside the station.Some said ,there was no signal.Others said many trains were lined up ahead of our train & so on.Nobody was sure about the reason.Some people got down from the train & started walking towards the platform as it was just some distance away.The wait was getting longer by the minute.The train stood there without moving.There were no signs that it would move soon.
More & more passengers got down & started walking towards the platform.Very soon ,only two ladies were left in the compartment besides me.It was one hour since the train had stopped.The other two ladies in the compartment & me were getting irritated .We all decided to get down as we felt ,the train may not move for some more time -maybe an hour or two.Moreover ,if rains started again ,it would get all the more difficult to walk on the tracks.
Very carefully ,we stepped out of the compartment on to the ground -it was ajump.The height at the which the train is from the ground is quite a bit.After we all had landed safely ,we started walking towards the platform .We saw that many people were walking ahead of us & behind us.Many trains had halted on the various tracks.
As we walked ,we came across some drains.We carefully crossed them.There was a big open drain some distance away.As I neared it ,I missed my step & fell into it ! All the people who were walking ahead ,besides & behind me looked shocked ! They were all very decent as nobody laughed at me ! I was completely soaked in the dirty waters of the drain - my head & shoulder were above the water ! I managed to stand still as the drain water was flowing furiously ! I felt awful.I wished if Surf Excel had been added to the drain water ,it would have been wonderful ! The drain water would be clean! Then maybe I would have loved falling into the open drain ! Why me ,anybody & everybody would love taking a dip in the gutter ! But als that was not the case ! One man gave me his hand & I just stared at him.He screamed," A train is coming on the tracks, just next to where you are ! " I froze.I saw that a train was moving on the tracks & the tracks just crossed the open drain where I was standing, all soaked up in filth ! I thrust my hands & he caught one arm & pulled me up - out of the mess .Others stood & helped in case I needed more help.I was out of the filthy gutter.I thanked the kindly gentleman.Some people enquired if I was fine.I said I was & all resumed their walk.I joined them .Soon ,we reached the platform.
I was wet & dirty.I was shivering as I was drenched by the drain water. I was desperate to get home & bathe after being soaked in the gutter.I came out of the platform & took a three wheeler home .I recounted my filthy adventure to my mom.She asked me if I had got hurt.I replied in the negative.Maybe I had -I was unable to recall.I had a bath -wherein I scrubbed & scrubbed .I had a warm dinner & slept away.And very soon ,I was dreaming ! For the rest of the week,I stayed home.
I did not fall sick .I was whole & hearty & am still healthy ! So ,the moral of the story is a dip in the open drain is a must to boost immunity ! And it is cheap too - no charges !
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