Fate ......



Last year's train journey Blr-Tvm :)

Last Saturday I along with Kids got into train from Thiruvalla @ 3:45 pm The expected time to reach Trivandrum was around 6:15 pm. The train was crowded , and luckily we got place to sit as a Lady with her 2 grown up daughters were getting down at the next station and seeing me carrying Ezekiel , she offered me seat saying she is getting down soon. I pushed our bag on the rack on top and managed to sit with kids both on my lap.Then I glanced around – there were 3 Guys sitting opposite seat and all of them were reading rather studying , I looked at the adjacent seats similar seen around 4 guys were studying … Was curious to know what are they all studying for and then saw common 3 letters NET/UGC .. Exam which I had tried cracking 10 years back with absolutely no preparation ! :D

I picked up conversation with the 3 boys sitting opposite to me , 2 of them had just completed their MCom ,and one is teaching in a school. I was surprised to see that Guys so young were seriously into preparing for NET . After few minutes 1 of them had doubt in a question , and he tried to reach out to his friend on the other side , his doubt was what is the meaning of ‘Precise’ and ‘Hamper’, I told them the meaning.Then one of them asked me what I did , I said was working in Technopark till recently, and then he asked me if there are opportunities for Fresher’s. I said yes there are and told him to check out  links for jobs in Technopark, he soon took out his Android mobile and checked for the link.

Through out the journey I observed that none of them spoke a sentence in English and they needed the senior boy (teacher’s) help to comprehend the questions – Finally just before my stop, I wished them luck , then one of them gave me his mail id for me to forward the Technopark link, I smiled at them.

Since I was coming back almost after a week – I thought of having early dinner with kids at the station canteen . Got in there , managed to find a place , ordered our food and then ordered 2 cups of tea – the attendant got us 1 cup of tea and thought I had asked for coffee, he asked me if the order was for coffee – I said no – I had ordered for 2 Tea, (All this talk till here happened in Malayalam) for this he responded in English ‘ No problem , I will get another tea for you soon’ I was surprised to hear his English – No accent, very clear and confident English ! He soon came back with tea , and seeing Eze eating his Idli on his own he exclaimed ‘ Good Boy’ and looking at Esther he said ‘ Do you want anything more? Don’t hesitate to ask me for more’ and then he asked her ‘Do you speak English?’ :) He then sat next to Esther and made bill for what we had ordered – Looking at him I felt he was 50 + probably retired from work, and doing this job after retirement. I asked him where was he working before? He smiled at me and said ‘ Since 1979 I am working here in this canteen’ I was shocked, and said for someone who speaks such good English could have got much better job ! He looked far away and said ‘Fate’. I then asked him , where did he study – he Replied ‘ Chennai- my mother is from Trivandrum hence I am here’ … He sat with us for a minute saying nothing and then quickly stood to take next order ….. And I thought ‘Fate’

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