So yday I had a Mumbai moment in the Metro in DC... so after a pretty tiring day I packed up my bags and walked to the Metro station looking forward earnestly to reaching home which was just two stops away....
But lo and behold, the metro station was crowding with people... my first reaction was to flee thinking there had been some disaster and people are all trying to get out of harm's way... why else would there be so many people collected anywhere in DC? Turns out they were commuters just like me...
The train soon arrived and it was packed - just like the Mumbai locals - except there were no commuters sitting on top of the trains or hanging for dear lives from the windows of the trains... it was packed in an orderly fashion - like Sardines packed with lemon juice in a can...
and I started thinking like a mumbaikar trying to mentally devise the best strategy for getting into the train after outwitting my co-commuters... my thots were quick....so if I squeeze out this gentleman in front of me I could probably get my foot into the door and then I could hang on to the umbrella of the lady right next to the door and transport myself to my destination... only to discard such thoughts abruptly when I realised that I would probably be sent to jail for such disorderly behaviour.... and everyone around me were so dignified about it.... no one screamed, tugged or pulled at anyone.... and as quietly as the train arrived, the train left... and like everyone else I waited for the next train to arrive which arrived in the next 6 minutes and I reached my destination safe and sound .....
infact there was a lady with a broken foot in the train and all of us accomodated her to the extent possible - now I wonder what would have happened if she was in the "general" compartment of the 6:30 Virar local of Mumbai.... her foot would have probably been separated from her body by now and would have been passed around and then finally passed on to her by well wishers at Virar.... It all adds to the gaiety and gala of Mumbai locals.....
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