Wanderers Stories

I was travelling by train for a journey of 30 hours.

I boarded the train, it was a three tier A.C. compartment, but quite empty as the train had recently been started and very few people knew about it.

This man, about 40 years of age took a seat in front of me and asked me if I was alone. I replied in affirmative and went back to my book. He then told me that he is like my father and I need not worry about travelling alone. I smiled, but did not reply.

Next, he offered me a few pastries he was carrying. I declined because I never eat anything offered by strangers. Anywhere. He got offended and asked me to have at least one. I declined politely, telling him that I was quite full. He told me I was being arrogant. I ignored.

Later, he commented on the book I was reading, and handed me a book, claiming his book was better. I told him not to bother me. He said “I am like your father and you should listen to me, for your own safety”\

Me- “Sir you are not my father. Please stop disturbing me.”

Wanderer

Him- “You are such an arrogant girl.”

I ignored, yet again.

Later I went to a different coach and found a young couple who were travelling to the same place as me. I told them of my predicament and both of them and I went to TC and requested him to provide a seat next to them. He obliged.

At night, when I was sleeping, near the couple's seat, the aforementioned man came there, woke me up and asked me to come back to my seat and that he was worried about me.

I lost it. In a loud voice, I told him that I was going to call the TC and police, if he didn't move. The man and his wife who had helped me also woke up and asked him to leave. He said he was my guardian (the guts on this man!) and was just taking care of me. Only when some other passengers gathered around, did he leave.

I didn't sleep the entire night. Didn't dare to go to the bathroom and sat upright at slightest noise. Later I called home to ask my dad to come pick me up in the morning. The train usually reached in the wee hours of the morning, so I would take a shared rickshaw to reach home. That day, I was scared.

The last I saw him was when my dad was escorting me out of the station.

All crime patrol episodes just flashed in front of my eyes!