I'm a frequent traveller to Trichy from Chennai.I take either the Mangalore Mail that leaves at 10 PM or the Rockfort Express which leaves at 10.30 PM.
I'm usually a sound sleeper on trains and I've never had a problem travelling by either train---- until yesterday, that is.
I had had a very tiring week end on 9th and 10th Apr.On 9th, we had an Office Meeting followed by a get -together in a Beach Resort.We had played cricket there and then I got back at 8.30 PM.Sandeep had booked tickets for "The King's Speech" for the 10.30 PM and we got back at 1 AM. Next day, Sudha & I had gone for a Sathyanarayana Pooje followed by a heavy lunch. When we got back, Deepali was at home and we were exchanging a lot of stories including how she met Anil Srivatsa for the first time and their whirlwind romance and wedding.
Immediately thereafter, we had to rush to R K Nagar for a Colony meeting and got back at 9 PM. I packed my luggage for the trip to Trichy and wolfed down by Dinner and left by 9.20 PM.On the way to Egmore Station, I made calls to Malathesh and Sachin. All this is to let you know how frazzled I was and therefore I was really looking forward to settling down in my 1st AC compartment and having a good sleep. My co-passengers were a 12 year old boy accompanied by his 80 year grandmother and they were to get off at Srirangam at 3 AM.My other co-passenger was a business who was getting off at Karur ( after Trichy).
I had a lower berth.The first thing I noticed was that the lower berths were occupied.I soon sent the 12 year old boy upstairs and snuggled down to sleep.
In a few minutes, the Karur businessman was on to a long business call.By the time he finished, I knew all the details of his business.As soon as he finished, the 12 year old got a call.It was from his dad,asking if he had settled down.Our chap said that he had settled down very well, was into the 3rd page of his Tinkle Comics and also wanted to know whether mum, sis, little bro and their Pomeranian had gone to sleep.He then gave the phone to his grandma who said that she had said her prayers and was settling down to sleep.She also wanted to know whether Prabha( d-i-l), Priya( granddaughter) and Parthiban ( grandson) had gone to sleep--- and oh, she had forgotten to ask about Dolly, the little Pomeranian ( a fuff, in Greeshma's words).
Everyone was well and sleeping ( except me!!). Just when the little brat switched off his dad's call, he got another call--- this was from his uncle at Srirangam.Did he and Paati get on the train and were they well settled ? Yes, said our boy, and for good measure asked if Chithi( Aunt), Vignesh and Prabagaran ( his cousins) had all gone to sleep.Chithappa said everyone was asleep ( except me!!). Our brat then said how he looked forward to getting to Srirangam and playing with Vignesh and Prabagaran and whether they still had the cricket bat. I wished the cricket bat was in my compartment and I would have put it to better use.
By now it was 1 AM and everyone in my coach was sleeping except me.
I was just drifting off to sleep when I was woken up by ( you guessed it!!) our 12-year old. He was on the phone to his dad asking what time the train would reach Srirangam. I looked at my watch.It was 2 AM.His dad said he didn't know and asked the boy to ring up Chithappa.Our friend duly rang up Chithappa and was told it would reach by 3 AM.The sadist in me was happy that I wasn't the only one now awake.
At 2.45 AM, the boy rang his Chithappa again and asked whether he ( Chithappa) had reached the station.He then rang up his dad ( in Chennai) and informed him that the train was nearing Srirangam and he had spoken to Chithappa and Chithappa was waiting for him at the station.
I had borne all this patiently till now.I then got up and told the boy to shut up and let others sleep.He kept quiet for some time and then started speaking to his Paati in loud stage whispers.This was worse than his speaking loudly.
I gave up and resigned myself to catching up on my sleep in the Office next day.
I'm usually a sound sleeper on trains and I've never had a problem travelling by either train---- until yesterday, that is.
I had had a very tiring week end on 9th and 10th Apr.On 9th, we had an Office Meeting followed by a get -together in a Beach Resort.We had played cricket there and then I got back at 8.30 PM.Sandeep had booked tickets for "The King's Speech" for the 10.30 PM and we got back at 1 AM. Next day, Sudha & I had gone for a Sathyanarayana Pooje followed by a heavy lunch. When we got back, Deepali was at home and we were exchanging a lot of stories including how she met Anil Srivatsa for the first time and their whirlwind romance and wedding.
Immediately thereafter, we had to rush to R K Nagar for a Colony meeting and got back at 9 PM. I packed my luggage for the trip to Trichy and wolfed down by Dinner and left by 9.20 PM.On the way to Egmore Station, I made calls to Malathesh and Sachin. All this is to let you know how frazzled I was and therefore I was really looking forward to settling down in my 1st AC compartment and having a good sleep. My co-passengers were a 12 year old boy accompanied by his 80 year grandmother and they were to get off at Srirangam at 3 AM.My other co-passenger was a business who was getting off at Karur ( after Trichy).
I had a lower berth.The first thing I noticed was that the lower berths were occupied.I soon sent the 12 year old boy upstairs and snuggled down to sleep.
In a few minutes, the Karur businessman was on to a long business call.By the time he finished, I knew all the details of his business.As soon as he finished, the 12 year old got a call.It was from his dad,asking if he had settled down.Our chap said that he had settled down very well, was into the 3rd page of his Tinkle Comics and also wanted to know whether mum, sis, little bro and their Pomeranian had gone to sleep.He then gave the phone to his grandma who said that she had said her prayers and was settling down to sleep.She also wanted to know whether Prabha( d-i-l), Priya( granddaughter) and Parthiban ( grandson) had gone to sleep--- and oh, she had forgotten to ask about Dolly, the little Pomeranian ( a fuff, in Greeshma's words).
Everyone was well and sleeping ( except me!!). Just when the little brat switched off his dad's call, he got another call--- this was from his uncle at Srirangam.Did he and Paati get on the train and were they well settled ? Yes, said our boy, and for good measure asked if Chithi( Aunt), Vignesh and Prabagaran ( his cousins) had all gone to sleep.Chithappa said everyone was asleep ( except me!!). Our brat then said how he looked forward to getting to Srirangam and playing with Vignesh and Prabagaran and whether they still had the cricket bat. I wished the cricket bat was in my compartment and I would have put it to better use.
By now it was 1 AM and everyone in my coach was sleeping except me.
I was just drifting off to sleep when I was woken up by ( you guessed it!!) our 12-year old. He was on the phone to his dad asking what time the train would reach Srirangam. I looked at my watch.It was 2 AM.His dad said he didn't know and asked the boy to ring up Chithappa.Our friend duly rang up Chithappa and was told it would reach by 3 AM.The sadist in me was happy that I wasn't the only one now awake.
At 2.45 AM, the boy rang his Chithappa again and asked whether he ( Chithappa) had reached the station.He then rang up his dad ( in Chennai) and informed him that the train was nearing Srirangam and he had spoken to Chithappa and Chithappa was waiting for him at the station.
I had borne all this patiently till now.I then got up and told the boy to shut up and let others sleep.He kept quiet for some time and then started speaking to his Paati in loud stage whispers.This was worse than his speaking loudly.
I gave up and resigned myself to catching up on my sleep in the Office next day.
Now I know why u sleep so much during daytime.
ReplyDeleteRavi