An Introvert Flirt!

I checked my name in the reservation list pasted outside my coach. The first seat of the coach was mine. I put my only backpack on the small desk protruded from the wall of the coach. I checked time, still ten minutes to go. What to do? Let’s check my co-passengers. You know! I came out of my coach, standing in front of the list, moved my fingers vertically: M,M,M,F,M,M. Then horizontally  F, 23, Komal.

Earlier in all my journeys I was always accompanied by ladies with wailing kids; as if a very well planned conspiracy by IRCTC. But the vital data ‘23’ suggests that this time my journey won’t be a cacophony; on the contrary it may be an interesting one, only if she was not a victim of child marriage. Just joking. I always wanted to have some story to brag among my friends; the typical journey story with a guy and a girl accidentally sitting beside each other. Alas! These are only creative pieces of some script writers’ imagination. Well, at least till now! This coincidence was meant to be. As Shahrukh Khan said, “When you want something, whole universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” Oh sorry, it was Paulo Coelho.

My thoughts were disrupted by the lead protagonist of this story. Oh gosh! She was beautiful. She entered with a heavy bag and a purse which slipped down to her wrist from her shoulder. As she put the bag on the floor and left the handle, the purse fell down. She bent down to pick the purse; her long, loose, straightened hair shadowed her face. As her right hand picked the purse, her left hand fixed the hair behind her ears. Her ears bore an earring, a circular golden metal with small bell. I was tempted to touch the small bell to check whether it really rings. For me everything was in slow motion; very slow. As I was examining her earring, I sensed she has ceased to move. Then she looked up towards me. Oh Shit! I looked away instantly. I looked outside the glass window, as if I was religiously enjoying the scene at station.

“Excuse me.” She said.

Dhak! My heart beat stopped for a moment. Was she offended? I didn't know. But I wish she had not worn that earring.

“Yes” I replied with an indifferent expression on my face but with a mixed emotions of fear and anxiety within.

“Can you please move your legs for a moment; I want to put my bag below the seat.”

“Thank God” I murmured with exaltation.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing” With this I just stood up and moved away.

Within few minutes, two other passengers arrived. Rest two, I guess, missed their train. The two protagonists of the story were occupying the window seats. The compartment was silent. I had only five to six hours for conversation if any, if I wanted to have even an iota of story. I have always been a poor player in this regard. I was missing two of my friends; Rahul Kumar from engineering college and Rishi Gupta at MBA College. Both of them have an expertise of initiating talks with any girl. I tried to use the luxury of taking talks further. Anyway, I was on my own, and this was going to be MY story! I boosted myself.

I looked at my watch. It had been two hours. Only the other two passengers were talking that too intermittently. Chugging of train was sprinkled with the sound of cracking chips by her glistening lips. With every cracking sound of chips, her ear ring  swung. I was extra alert to listen; does the bell really ring! I looked at her covertly. She was wearing Kurta, Jeans and a few bangles. And yes, a pair of ear rings. The simplicity of carrying her profound beauty was incredible. The more I saw her, the more I admired her. But sheer admiration is not going to help, that too strictly inexpressive admiration. I mustered all my courage and said, “Where are you going? Patna?”

She replied with half a smile, “I guess this non-stop train goes to Patna.”

With this question I got the right to look at her non-covertly for a few seconds. The width of her smile was perfect and only right cheek was used for the purpose. I don’t know who but, I recall, someone said that the side to which smile spreads says a lot about the person. As per his theory, the girl uses her right brain more than her left. Was this some kind of big bang theory? I didn't know. But if I were to believe him, the girl in front of me, was more artistic than logical. Perfect!

I replied, “Oh yes, Of course. The train is on time it will be there by 8 in the morning I guess. ”

“Hmm, I wish so. But after Kanpur it generally delays. I saw data on the internet for last one week. As per that I think it will be delayed by 2 hours.” She said.

Come on, you can’t be logical. You were supposed to be artistic and creative kind of girl. I was expecting an answer like ‘It is not the duration but the journey that matters’. Whatever, I found it the opportune moment for introduction.

“Hi, I am Shwetank” I said with a dilemma, whether to forward my hand for a shake. I restrained.

“Hi I am Komal. So where do you live in Patna?” she asked.

“I don’t. I have some work for a day, after that I will catch a train to Banka? It’s a place near Bhagalpur”

“Hmmm”

With this, conversation ended and I again started looking across the translucent window. And she continued with the remaining chips in her packet. Unable to find any new topic, I engaged myself with my own thoughts.

Yet another two hour passed. Silence in the compartment was no longer awkward; it became one of the salient features of the place. Sometimes I wonder why I am unable to be expressive in my opinions. During my classes at MBA College, whole class had to undergo a MBTI test. It is a test which categorizes your personality traits. No wonder my result showed Introvert! But breaking the shackles of introvert-ism was key here. Have I been always like this? 

I looked back into my life, the day when I was in school in class five or six. I was always very silent kind of guy in the class. In my class there was a girl. Of course I won’t name her here. Let her be Aisha. I never talked with her. You know why, ‘the introvert’. I would never forget that day. I was sitting just behind Aisha. Suddenly the voice came.

“Those who have not brought the book. Stand up.” The teacher said in his tyrant voice.

Oh god. I didn't have the book. I looked around. One by one, students were getting up. I had no choice but to stand up. I didn’t fear the punishment; but in front of her, no. Someone please save me; I begged. First-benchers had typical habit of turning around to see who all are going to be punished. I was about to get up. She turned around. I sat again. She sensed my movement.

She said looking at my desk, “Even you have not brought the book?”

I could not speak. You know why, ‘the introvert’. The word ‘even’ used in her speech was really insulting for me at that point of time. I just nodded my head in 'no'. She smiled. Very cleverly she transferred the book from her desk to mine.

And said, “Don’t worry. Sir won’t tell me anything. ”

Yes, I know. She won’t be punished. She was typically excluded from any sorts of punishment. Anyway, I was saved. Shouldn't it be a situation where a guy saves a girl? It was opposite! But the book…

“Excuse me. Can I have that book?”

“What?” I replied.

“I mean the magazine. Can I borrow that, if you are not reading?”

I came to myself. I realized that I was in a train and in front of me was Komal.

“Oh! Sure, why not? It’s ‘India Today’. You like politics.”

“Not fond of. But I am not apolitical.”

Logical, Political… lady you are going away from my perceived characters of you.

After half an hour, the ordered railway food arrived. She had not ordered anything. She took out her lunch box. There were ‘Parathas’ wrapped in aluminum foil, ‘aloo bhujia’ and pickles. It looked tastier than my railway meal. Anyways, I had to do with what I had. I again started to admire the elegance with which she took her food. She took small pieces of Paratha which she easily chewed with subtle and sexy movement of her cheeks, apparently. I counted; literally, she divided one Paratha into eight crumbs. I would have taken that in three or at max four. I looked at my Paratha. Needless to explain, we all have at some point of time eaten that pathetic food.

"Do you want some paratha?" She asked.

Why did she ask me? Probably she had more than she could consume. Or she saw me gazing at her Paratha! I don't know why, but I felt that later was the case. If that's true, then it's bad.

"It's good, at least better than your railway food." She added sensing my pause.

"No no it's ok. What shall you have then?"

"I have many. At least take one."

I picked one. Its taste was really good. But wait, how did she know that I was looking at her food. She never looked at me. Do women really have broader sight as compared to men? I heard that quite a time but never bothered to take it seriously. In that case, am I sure she didn't know while I was looking at her earring when her purse fell on the floor? Am I sure she didn't notice me watching her, so called covertly, when she was enjoying her chips. I don't know how but suddenly I started feeling numb and cold.

"Are you all right?" She asked.

"Yes, I am OK."

It took me time to come to normalcy. It was time to sleep now. We all prepared our bed and soon everyone was fast asleep. I kept on pondering on different moments as spent. The very essence of introvert-ism comes from the complexity of unnecessary thought process. It gives you a good power of imagination. But this imagination weaves a fabric of hypothetical situation which can be tough for even an extrovert to handle. And thus it can be said with a fair degree of accuracy that an introvert is better at handling such situations, if real. I knew this was the end of my story. I guess universe didn't conspired honestly in helping me to achieve what I wanted. I knew the freshly sprouted hopes of friendship would die a nascent death.

“Hey, get up.” A sweet voice woke me up. It was her.

“It’s time... We are in Patna.” She said gently.

I looked around. Train was at station. The other two passengers had left. I looked at my watch. It was 8:30 in the morning. She had already packed her belongings and ready to leave.

“Be quick or you will land up in the yards.” She said with little worry, watching me lazy.

“Thanks” I said.

With this she picked her bag and moved towards exit. She was carrying her heavy bag with great effort. I quickly came out of my blanket and offered her my help.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh! Thank you."

Each one of us held one handle of her bag and moved towards exit. We put her bag on the platform, and then I returned to my seat to collect my bag. There was a great urge in me to say her, ‘Let's meet again (given that I would have been in Patna for the day)’. But I didn't. You know why, ‘the introvert’.