Timely Presence

While leaving for Indore, I told my dad that I am one of the few who always reach places well in advance. I had reached my interview center about 3 hours earlier for the IIMI interview; I had come to Indore about a week early while joining here.... I don't remember instances when I've been late. Maybe I need to change. I'm now here couple of days before the convocation, and it’s not exactly interesting. But starting off early does have its advantages.....

I boarded the Karnataka express day-before-yesterday evening. My peaceful sleep in the night came to a halt when I dreamt of getting my shoes out of the bureau in Indore. Oh my god, I have left the keys back home. Sometimes my memory seems to work better while sleeping!!! A sudden flash of mind suggested that I can call my parents from some station in-between and ask them to send the key through a friend who was coming a day late (Actually, he is on time. It’s just that I am early). A staff of the IRCTC gave the information that the train will stop for 10 minutes in Solapur which will arrive in few minutes.

The time is 6:45. I better have a late breakfast as I might miss Solapur while eating.

The time is 8:15. The train hasn't stopped anywhere in the past 1.5 hours. Have we lost Solapur? Guess I'll have to shift the "late breakfast" to "no breakfast"

8:30: Ah! Solapur at last. I get down as soon as the train stops and ask for a phone. Good grief! No phones in this platform? I keep-on asking the gentlemen in the platform till one guy says "You will miss your train if you go for the phone now. There is a STD booth in the Daund station that will come at 11:00. You can call from there". I get back into my compartment. The anxious wait continues. Will I be able to inform my parents in time?

11:00: Here is Daund. I get down and search for the phone booth. Good news - There is STD facility here. Bad news - the booth is at the other end of the platform. I've been contemplating for some time about taking up running to improve my fitness. But never did I imagine that I'll be running in a platform so hard. Reaching the phone booth, I started dialing my home number in urgency. The call is not going. Well, try again. And again and again till I got frustrated. Then I tried my dad's mobile number. No use, the dreaded "The route to the call center is busy" message is irritating me. Nice time to remember that couple of years back I handled the module that routes calls to announcements!!! Trying my home number again. Wait a sec, I've switched 2 of the digits. Cursing myself, I dial the correct number and pronto it reaches. Message conveyed. What is it that is moving behind me? Oh my train! Time for me to continue running. Yep, nice exercise for a day.

Cursing myself: If only I had remembered to take the key
Pat on the back: Keep up the habit of starting early. Or else, there would have been no one to get the keys after you!!!