Commuting can be a bitch

I took the train to office today.

Nothing striking in that. I've been doing that for the last one year, since getting to Bombay. It's the only way you can get around in this lousy, overpopulated place. But today was different. I'd decided that today, I would actually get a seat. Instead of playing ''my elbow is more pointy than yours'' games with the common multitude.

I knew this was going to be tough. The only way one can get a seat on these trains during rush 'hour' (7:30 am to 10:30 pm) is to throw caution, and yourself, to the wind. Just jump in the general direction of the train and fling your arms out, hoping to grab hold of something. Preferably hard, like the door frame. Occasionally all you can get is a guy's shirt tail, but that can do at times too. Provided it's of good quality cotton.

Needless to say, the train being a thundering mass of rusty iron rushing towards you, it goes against the grain to throw yourself anywhere near it. But today I was determined.

The crowds helped. Once I got out in front of the platform, the people behind me left me only two choices. I could either let them push me in front of the train, or I could take the majestic leap. So I took the leap.

It was perfect. The train was a blur of sweeping metal, I was a creature of instant reflexes. My hand grabbed the pole that divides the door frame, my feet were on the train before my brain could register the fact, and in a split second, I was in!

Now, I had gotten so far a couple of times before by fluke and the grace of the rowdy masses on the platform. But once in, I was only too likely to 'freeze up', not sure which seat to take. And since the crowds were only behind me by half a second, this could be disastrous. But today, I was as good as Bush. To take a life altering decision was with me, the work of a second. Before you could yell ''weapons of mass distruction'', I had the best window seat in the compartment. And the crowds weren't even in yet!

Of course, it was the ladies compartment.