Funny Short Story – Thinking on the feet
Photo credit: dhester from morguefile.com
For the past two years I have been taking the train from Majestic to Whitefield on all Monday morning. There is the Marikuppam Passenger at 7:00 am which I usually count on.
I have routinely been almost late to make it to the train, and when I am early by a few minutes the lines at the ticket counter defeat the purpose for making it early. There have been several instances which have occurred which have sharpened my skills in catching the train.
One among them which stands out is the strategy to buy tickets smartly in intermediate stations the details of which are detailed below to help other novice train commuters. When I realize that the ticket counter lines are too long and it would be impossible to get tickets in the remaining 5 minutes that stand between me and the train, I have just two options. One is to take the next express train at 8 am or to board the train without ticket. Either option do not look attractive, Well not at face value
The second option works quite fine if the duration of ticketless travel is only 10 minutes. In such scenarios I board the train ticket-less at Majestic and stand at the door waiting for Cant Station (the next station) to arrive. That is a 10 minute ride.
The ticket counters at Cant station are usually very sparse and one can get ticket in 2/3 minutes including the sprint run as the train stops from the train bogie to the counter and back. I have managed that stunt quite well for many times as of now and I cant get that timing wrong. Well I had to miss one/two trains in the last two years as learning process and to get the timing right.
Except for one incident though – I dont remember the exact date.
I had just started my sprint at Cant station towards the ticket counter when I was stopped short by a white collared agent. Unfortunately he was a ticket checker, and he wanted me to produce the ticket I mentioned that I was rushing to get one and he brushed me to the side and asked me to wait.
I was getting desperate as the remaining time before the train took off was getting smaller by the second. I was also worried that I may get fined and/or other consequences for ticketless travel. Just as I was musing a solution out of this, I saw another gentleman shoot beside me. He was also apparently in a rush, having just disembarked from the same train and heading towards the ticket counter. He was also stopped and asked for the ticket. The gentleman being more strong brushed aside the white collar person and continued his pursuit. I took the cue and explaining in the course of my run that I was also in similar pursuit, slipped from that spot ,reached the ticket counter got my tickets and got back to the train on time.
Sadly I think I may not have been the first person to innovate this idea.
Nevertheless, lessons learnt, I now do not cut directly through the exit gates, I take the diagonal exit so as not to be caught by white collared folks. And second there are other street smart people who are adept at thinking on the feet.
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