We all are confused at a point in our lives, what we are to do with it. Only a select few do what they feel is the right thing. Sheel was in a confused state of mind. He wanted to do great things in his life. He wanted to live life to the max. He considered Richard Branson, the Virgin founder as a God. He tried to emulate his god but he lacked certain essential components. He knew that he lacked something but knew not what.
So, one day Sheel took a general ticket and boarded the sleeping class on the Chennai Mail from Mumbai to Pune. He did this to so that he can have the comfort of the second class for the price of the General. The train left Dadar, Mumbai at 11.55 PM and was to reach Pune at 3.30 AM the next day. 4 hours of journey only, bah, what could go wrong? When he boarded the train he noticed that the general class had actually a number of seats vacant unlike the normal case wherein it is filled to its brink. This surprised him but undaunted he still boarded the sleeper class.
Sheel got a very chatty neighbor who went on rambling on about his adventures. The chatty, yet concerned neighbor told him stories of how he had travelled ticket less on many occasions and that such a thing was not possible now-a-days because of how the ticket checkers had become very strict. This led Shell into a frenzy and he went on pondering as to whether he should get on the general class on the next stop. He thought about being righteous and doing what was right and not getting caught with the wrong ticket. So, he got up and went to the end of the train closest to the general compartment in order to align it in the next station- Kalyan. He met a bunch of police officers on the way who appeared very friendly and offered a helping hand. They told that he would not require going to the general bogie and could stay with them for they were also getting down at pune. He considered the help but withdrew when one of them asked for some chai-pani (bribe). He was unfazed that he was taking the right decision and doing the right thing.
Sheel got down in Kalyan and immediately bore witness to the humungous crowd pushing each other to get into the general compartment. Well, skeptical about getting a seat, but yet unshaken he waited to board the last into the bogie. He got no seat but he was brimming with self respect because he had taken the right decision. He kept his head raised high. He was then getting extremely bored and frustrated of the pain that was building up in his legs because of standing for a long time. He took a book and started to read. After a while he got so restless and desperate for relief and sat on the cold metal floor. His ass was freezing but at least he was more comfortable. His raised head started to lower. Eventually it was completely down, resting on his neck. He was very sleepy. Just when he was to go into a trance of a sleep, the train stopped and it ushered in a whole lot more people, construction workers, mostly. They squeezed themselves into whatever gap they could find, leaving absolutely no space for more. He got a strip of space and had to make do with it.
It was harrowing for Sheel and couldn’t bear anymore. Over that he found out that the train was an hour late. That was the last straw. Then and there he decided that he would no more be righteous in his ways for it is those who were not that got the comfort and happiness that life had to offer. Thankfully the train was not late, got down and let off the steam that was building up in his bladder and took a rickshaw towards home. He felt good that he had such an experience was rid of it. It was a freezing night in Pune and as he was headed home he went through the whole drama in his head.
One thing struck him very strong. He was the first to make a mistake and not board the general class in Dadar in the first place. Secondly, he made his decision to be righteous only after he was warned by the friendly co-passenger. So, effectively he was wrong from the start. His righteousness emanated from fear and not morality.
Every fool knows what is right, but only the wise know how to do the right thing.
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