Imagine you are alone on a deserted platform in the dead of night. The station was normally bustling with passengers, and vendors slept for the day. Only a few vagabonds were sleeping on the platform.
It was a busy day for me. In the late afternoon, I got a call from my immediate Boss that the zonal head wanted to meet us. The location of the venue shared with me. I was already exhausted from the merciless summer. I called few colleagues to discuss the meeting, only to find out the venue. After an hour-long journey, I reached the venue. Any one yet to arrive. I washed my face and relieved myself in the restroom. After a lonely wait for half an hour, other colleagues started pouring in. We had a young team. Most team members just passed out of college. In such a tender age, professionalism was a far cry. We huddled and started gossiping about many things. Tea and biscuits arrived.
Our chattering continued until late evening. Around 8 p.m., our zonal manager arrived. He was in a jovial mood. He asked us to untie our collars and relax. In the next two hours, he continued his monologue. Most of this is about corporate politics. We got a packet of Birayani in dinner. We finished around 10.30 p.m. Most of my colleagues quickly departed in their two-wheelers. A few turned pillion riders. I was little bit nervous. After fifteen minutes of waiting, I got a bus and reached Ballygunge station. I ran through the foot bridge and reached the platform. The last local train to Budge Budge was already departed. I was standing on the deserted platform, thinking about my next move.
I saw a couple of taxis standing outside the station. The drivers refused to go to my place at that hour. One of the window of the ticket counter was still open. At this moment, I remembered about one of my friends, who was then residing in a rented room in Sonarpur, a twenty-minute train ride from Ballygunge. I called him. After several rings, he picked up the phone and talked in a sleepy voice. I requested him for shelter for that night. He reluctantly agreed. I rushed to the counter to enquire about the last train. He informed me that the last train for Sonarpur Junction would be in a few minutes.
I boarded the train. In twenty minutes, I reached my destination. The roads were almost vacant in the middle of the night. A few young men were huddling in one corner. I sped through the road to reach my friend place. I called him. He said that the gate of the building was closed and key is with the landlord. I needed to scale up the wall. Somehow I climbed the wall of the building. My clothes get dirty. My friend was annoyed. He offered me a small cot for that night. I kept my bag in one corner of the room. I visited the rest room and fell on the bed.
