The Metro Station

“Have you heard about the guy at the metro station?” asked my 72 years old neighbour, while we were conversing one evening.
“What metro station?” I asked as I shuffled through the stacks of information in my mind for anything related.
“The phase-1 extension metro station. There is a guy sitting there on the bench during evenings, haven’t you ever noticed?” replied my neighbour.
I was sure I didn’t know anything of such kind, “This is my first-time hearing about it, and I haven’t noticed him. So, what does this guy do there?”.
“Apparently nothing, he just sits there on the bench”, replied my neighbour, as his eyes followed a passing car.

I didn’t ask any further questions about this stranger. When I passed by that metro station later a few times, I looked out for the stranger whom my neighbour had mentioned, but there was no such presence there, in fact the station itself was quite barren apart from a few easily countable numbers of people. My neighbour must have made a mistake or must have had a coincidence.

“Did you pass by that station? Did you see him?” asked my neighbour eagerly again one day.
“Yes, I did pass by that station few times while commuting in the metro train, but I have not seen this person you speak of,” I replied feeling a bit sorry to disappoint him. Who knows it could have well been a coincidence in which he saw that stranger more than once sitting there. Our imagination and search for a greater meaning often takes us to interesting conclusions.
“You haven’t looked carefully. Next time, get down from the train and look patiently,” he said before greeting another one of our neighbours.

I forgot about this stranger imaginary or real and life moved on. A few months later, one evening, while returning home, as the train was approaching the station where the stranger had apparently been sighted by my neighbour, I suddenly had a thought of getting down and looking for him. My tired mind had lost its ability to find a reason for not doing it, and hence I got down along with a few passengers.

This station was on an elevated track; hence it was high above the road below. The few passengers who got down went on their way out and there was no one sitting on any bench. What was I thinking getting down and looking for him? I thought as the doors of the metro train closed and the train sped away away leaving a disappointed me behind. But then I noticed something.

On one side of the station was a huge playground and on the other side was a floodplain which had been claimed by trees and bushes. There was continuous flow of breeze passing through due to the elevated location. The Sun was setting towards the direction of the floodplain, I sat down on a bench lost in the beauty of the sunset.. feeling the breeze against my skin. It is one of the best sunsets I have seen in my life. It wasn’t some random person the old man was referring to, it was always about me discovering this sight just as he had once himself like many other people who had taken their time to wait and look around one fine evening.

–

– Written by Anuran Chatterji

Hey, Connect with us:)

• WordPress
• Instagram
• Instagram
• Mail