One night @ Mumbai - NDLS Rajdhani

Welcome Back Guys!!
I am back in mumbai after an awesome DIWALI.
If you people have ever thought you would realise DIWALI is the only festival in india which has PAN INDIA festivities. But that's out of context to the present topic.

I know the title is inspired by chetan bhagat's novel but the plot is way different. The commonality is investment bankers narrating stories about a night which sets off on a train.

It was 24th of october 2008. I finished my work for the day early ( Stock markets got plundered and Bond Markets hardly had any activity). I was hurrying up to catch my mumbai- delhi rajdhani. I was going back home after 3 long months and was too excited to visit home.
All of my office colleugues wished me a pleasant journey following which my MD giving me the customary DIWALI present. I wished everyone goodbye and left office at 3.10 p.m.

As all finance eccentric's in US my forecast too went amiss and I reached the train station way ahead of schedule at 3.30 p.m.

I was definitely going to delhi but......... I was travelling on an AC 2 -tier 255-waitlisted E-ticket. I used the IVR facility of Indian Raliways to confirm my status. The Electronic Lady politely told me the status has improved to 160-waitlisted. The surge of optimism in me made me to wait until the charts were put up. The optimism came about because of my CONNECTIONS with one HIGH PROFILE railway personnel "Mr. Kurien".

The wait was finally over. The Chart was put up at 4.30 p.m. - 10 minutes before the departure.
But it was really difficult to poush through the crowd and make way to check my status. I was successful in checking my name in 4 of the 10 charts put up but none had my name. After the arduous deed of fighting my way out of Charting Boards I called up my Dad.

" Appa the tickets are not confirmed" ( with a strong sense of being befooled by a Malabari)
Dad replied: " Dont worry beta (son) i will call up Mr. Kurien and ask him"
Dad called a minute later " Beta he is not picking up the phone. Try speaking to any of the TTs there ( which actually meant bribe him to get a seat if you dont get it easily)".

I kept the phone down and hunted for the black-coat-ed guys. Met 2 of them. Both asked me to meet some conductor guy. Before i could figure out who the conductor guy was, my debilitated cell phone rang again. It was dad again.

" Beta get into the train - dont worry - have spoken to Mr. Kurien - Just speak to Mr. P.K. Singh - he is AC 3- tier incharge - he will help you out - take down his number - 9@$#%@#$#*"

Suddenly a qucik reassessment changed my stance on Mr. Kurien from "Short" to "Long".
Meanwhile rajdhani whistled signalling it was TIME TO LEAVE.
I got onto the train releived & convinced CONNECTIONS do work in India.

PART 1 ends ------