Finding a Cellphone!!

Train travel brings with it innumerable experiences to a Mumbaikar!! Each day you learn something new or are intrigued by something you saw in the train... I have used the Thane-VT belt for traveling in 'ladies compartment' to and from work since 1972 (!) and have enough stories to fill a book. But what happened very recently takes the cake.

It was the beginning of a long weekend, end of a very harrowing and busy day for me. Two festivals were happening back-to-back and there was heavy security and police bandobast in all railway stations, junctions etc. The announcement to keep away from stray objects and packages was jarring, yet loud and consistant. I was tired and was heading home. Here is what happened.... read on... Shanta

FINDING A CELLPHONE!!

It was 9.30 pm, I was late from work
Got into the train as it started with a jerk
I rushed inside to get the usual seat,
Then noticed that there was something beneath

A shining mobile phone, with its Bluetooth ‘on’
I stopped short, “shall I ignore and move on?”
That will be easy, to sit elsewhere
And forget that I ever saw something there....

Visions came to me in quick succession
Someone forgot the cell, her valuable possession
If she misses it, she will call, sure that would happen
But if not ?????, my mind ran wild to the other option.....

What if someone had left it behind deliberately?
It is a current topic of high concern, surely?
As so many thoughts rushed within me....
I raised an alarm and consulted other ladies

In the next station, we shouted out loud
A policeman ran in, ‘What is this all about?’
We pointed the cell-phone, left behind in the train
He made a quick phone call – fast working brain!

Two men jumped in, in the following station
They had gloves, serious looks and in a quick motion
Neared the cell, worked on it and looked around
And then told us to relax, we were on safe ground!!

For one minute I thought, “ Did we over-react?”
But the lady nearby said that we deserved a pat
“It is better to be careful and avoid trouble
We need not hold a needle - that would burst the bubble....”

Penned by © Shanta Ramakrishnan

(as written on September 12, 2010)