The headlines on the front page of the newspaper read: India on a gold rush.
Commonwealth Games continued to dominate these days. And why not?
I thought India is now fast catching up with developed countries.
As I looked away and turned the page, I noticed a young adult of about twenty-five years of age, sitting two bays away from mine in the Second Sitting Class of the Kovai Express on way to Chennai from Erode. I could clearly make him out from this distant: washed fair in complexion and lips of prominent pink in colour. Had he combed his black curly hairs well he would have looked quite handsome.
He wore a navy blue striped trousers and a black-and-white checked half-sleeved shirt. I could tell he would make a software engineer, given his looks.
After taking a bite on a fresh samosa that his mother handed him he seemed to look across at me. As he broke into a smile, pieces of the snack fell off his mouth on his lap. He didn't seem to bother to brush it clean. It was quite disgusting to watch, so I looked away, and in the newspaper.
The second page was full of entertainment news with stills of newly released movies. I thought too many theatres screen Endhiran. I decided to watch the movie some day. I folded the page to the next. Somewhere a temple celebrated a kumbabhishekam. As I held the paper close to look at the picture of the temple, I noticed the fair guy get up and come towards me.
What on earth is he coming for?
He sat opposite to me and tried to read the backside of the newspaper. I folded the paper towards me and looked at him questioningly. The crumbs of snack that he was eating a while ago were still sticking around his mouth. It was disgusting.
He smiled and said,”Paper.”
I tried not to look displeased and replied, “Wait, please.”
He insisted,”Sir, please, I shall read and return.”
I didn't like him. “Oh yes, but wait please, I shall finish and...”
He held on to the paper now and quite appeared to snatch. I was shocked and annoyed. By now others were watching this. In order to dominate the scene I raised my tone,“Look, would you...”
Just then his mother came and put her hand on his shoulder. “Oh, Manu! Come, come, my son. Come with me like a good boy. I'll get ice cream for you.
The guy got up.
"But first say sorry to uncle," his mother held his hand and looked at him. He was tight-lipped and turned away. The mother apologised to me helplessly, "Sorry, sir!" and left.
I nodded and murmured, “It's ok!”
The guy turned and waved at me,”Ta-ta!” as an afterthought.
I waved back, and felt sorry for him, and was unable to concentrate in the newspaper anymore.
