Bus journey

Everytime after I board the highly crowded 'Swargate Sangvi' bus (the one which takes me to office on time and that's why I dare to enter it) my mind shrieks out 'Oh God not again!'. The entire bus journey is a struggle for existence.

The first step of entering the bus is like winning a running race. A sense of victory fills me but it is short lived when I find no space to stand even on my one foot. I try to balance myself on the entrance steps while the bus starts. Here even the moment of inertia fails as I am stuck in the same position until the next few stops. In the same unbalanced awkward position the conductor expects me to buy my ticket and I oblige him by trying to reach out my hand with money from somewhere. People start pushing from behind as more and more start getting inside at each stop and the conductor keeps yelling "pudhe chala" (keep moving forward).

Without an effort on my part I reach somewhere in the middle of the passage (courtesy: the moving crowd behind me) and finally I get some space to breathe. Now the impending crowd pushes from sideways to get out of the bus and in the process I tumble on some sitting passenger and the word 'sorry' instantly comes out of my mouth as if I have been chanting it since my birth. The screeching brakes keep me moving forward and backward (here the moment of inertia works). I wait eagerly for my stop. And then my heart fills with happiness as the bus approaches my destination. And finally I pop out and give a big sigh of relief and thank God for bringing me safely.