It is a long bus journey from Ernakulam to Thodupuzha (Kerala).
A busy Saturday after my classes, I walked towards my stop to board the bus. And since it was a Saturday I was well aware of the traffic and mob I was about to face. However the previous week I observed that the bus at 4:15 is not so crowded.
So I boarded that bus only to see that the bus was fully occupied. I understood my mission. Get ready to stand all the way home.
This experience of standing for 58 km is not something new to me. I have done it before. Hence I wasn't expecting anything good to happen. The bus moved and I found a good spot near the pole and made sure that I'm not going let anything or anyone take that spot from me.
The bus reached Vytilla (a popular bus stand) which lead to more number of people boarding the bus. The bus was basically jam-packed by now. The bus moved and so did the people. as much as anyone might have experienced ,each time the driver applied brake, people moved like waves - front, back and front again.
After an hour into the journey, a man started cracking jokes , then another man joined him and casually people started talking to each other. They began introducing themselves to each other. Their destinations, jobs, family , school and more. Gradually we all started forming a genuine connection. We started speaking about the traffic we were facing , the politics behind traffic and more.
We all were of different ages spanning from 18 till 60. But we spoke as if we were classmates enjoying a free period.
A bus journey of 3 hours(2 actual+1 with traffic) never felt shorter till this day and I was standing all the way! But not even once did I think about reaching home on time. It had been a long long time since I laughed as much as I did that day. And I don't want to complain about even a single second of that entire journey.
It was a fully-packed bus. There was no room to land both your legs on ground simultaneously. There was smoke, dust and sweat all over the place. Some felt thirsty, some were hungry, some felt irritated and some felt angry. It was not an air of ease, joy or chortle. Everyone of them felt uncomfortable in their own ways. But at that space formed a unique air of merry when we were all ready to embrace our discomforts, forget it for a little while and consider conversations over bizarre stares.
At that right moment, I felt how amazing we are as human beings. How distinct and beautiful we are. I appreciate how well we can adapt to a situation and change it for our own good. At that ambience of discomfort, our minds found solace in light-hearted conversations that made us all forget that tiresome journey.
Did the distance double up with traffic ?Yes. Was it difficult to stand for 3 hours ?Yes. Were you tired after that journey ?Yes.
Will you do that particular journey again? Absolutely Yes!!
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