Third day of FE, I stepped into one of the points for the first time and to my surprise there were no vacant seats. Some were reserved by keeping bags and on the remaining NED’s staff was seated. I stood silently behind the driver’s seat. First week in NED no experience of travelling in a point before and there I was, with no idea of what’s waiting for me.
By the time, more and students got in and the point turned into a honey comb; crowded, buzzing and suffocated but still the conductor was not satisfied and was shouting on the students to get even closer to adjust more students.
To my relief, finally the point started. The fresh air from windows relieved me till the point took its first turn and I suddenly realized that I had nothing to hold on to. The girl behind me fell over me and I fell over the girl next to me. I felt if I was in a ‘roller coaster’ with no seat belts.
In a few minutes we had reached the Point where a girl or two got off; which was a blessing in disguise. For the poor old conductor who could now stand up straight on both feet instead of hanging on to the door half suspended. The driver had to change the route because of a road -jam ahead. Somehow we made it to point B in time but still couldn’t get rid of traffic -jam. I was getting irritated by the noise of sirens and gossips around me ‘Dekha!? Kaha than a main ny k she’s interested in him.’ This was the one of the crispy ones I tried to listen to.
Then started the best part of my trip: ragging. Now the seniors have identified the freshies in the point. Poor boys! The seniors made them do silly things like asking for money and lip gloss from the girls and blah blah blah… This was the most entertaining period of all; listening to all those seniors’ and juniors’ responses I was able to forget the crowd, the suffocation and traffic jam. I said to myself: ’Yar, it ain’t that bad.’
‘Spoken too soon’, some would say because just then we heard firing noise in close proximity. Everyone got frightened, the laughter just vanished, gossips stopped; the point was full and everyone was eager to go back home. The terror in point was frightening me. One of the boys told that some politician has been murdered and there’s probably going to be a strike tomorrow. Ringing phones were creating more panic. We could do nothing to relieve ourselves except praying.
At last, my prayers (or probably my parents’ prayers) were answered and the point after passing many points reached my stop. ’Ah! ’, What a relief!’. But now I’d to carry out the most complicated task: getting off the overflowing point. I just managed to bring myself to the gate but wait! It wasn’t over yet. I had forgotten my bag on the dashboard. The girls at the anterior helped me out. And finally I was lucky to get off the point messed up from head to toe.
After that day I appreciate the patience and courage of girls traveling by points because the trip in NED’s point made me realize: No matter what NEDIANs are the most tolerant of all.
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