February 10, 2008

Bus Stop IIT Gate

Some days are usual and some are unusually usual .That day was like any other normal day, but was a bit unusual in some sorts .It was bitterly cold, windy and strangely pleasant, for normally, non-sunny days are not so pleasant for me. But that particular day was a bit different, in an indifferent way.

The day started normally with the usual huffle-buffle that one has to face in the mornings. The usual getting ready and walking to the bus stop and boarding the bus and fighting for a seat and struggling to survive etc..etc.. But to my surprise, the bus was freakishly empty. Sign of an auspicious day, I thought. I boarded the bus and thanked God. The journey to the Hauz Khas bus depot was amazingly easy and it took me less than the average time it takes to reach there.


I was going to the Hauz Khas bus depot to get my bus pass renewed, which was nearing expiry. The bus dropped me at the depot. I walked in and what I saw was that, the usually crowded bus depot was so deserted that I couldn’t believe if it what was the same depot that I once visited .That was serendipitous. I couldn’t believe what was happening, but I had to believe it anyway. I walked in to the pass office and got my pass made in about 5 minutes, which was again astonishing as the whole affair normally takes longer. So, now my bus pass was there, resting in my bag and I was all puzzled and happy and thanking God, walking to the bus stop, to get back home.


I walked to the terribly overcrowded IIT Gate bus stop, to take my bus back home. The stop was crowded being the peak rush hours. I found a place for myself and stood there waiting. There were no signs of bus even after 5 minutes of waiting and the first thing on my mind was to get back home. It was deeply cold. People at the bus stop, including me, were getting restless. Some were sitting on the railings under the bus stop’s roof. Some were briskly moving here and there, glancing furtively at their watches. Some were vigorously chatting on their cells and some, just standing, giving vague looks. I was the one doing all these things periodically, consciously and unconsciously.

Just then, when all these futile exercises were taking place, I saw a young guy, tall, about 20, coming out of the IIT campus, walking towards the bus stop. He was an average looking guy but was unusually attractive. He sported a baggy baseball jersey ,with a not so baggy cargo. He wore a skullcap and was truly looking like Eminem Marshall. To sum up his looks, he was graceful, well-proportioned and had an athletic stature, and essentially, I couldn’t keep my eyes from roosting on him. I saw him walking towards the bus stop. I gave him a secretive glance and looked away.

 
The traffic was all crawling an the road, as usual, and people were madly blowing horns to clear it off. The air was reeking of obnoxious fuel exhaust and there were people popping their heads out of the car windows. Amidst all this there was a really nice guy standing next to me. I was amazed by the way everything was happening. Everything, so nice and eventful. Queer and unnatural. I smiled, at nothing and returned to the reality. 

We both were standing on the bus stop, he was standing by my side and we didn’t talk. I wanted him to talk. Well, I really wanted him to talk. I was wondering why on this galaxy I ever wanted to talk to him and this never happened before. There was something about him that was responsible for this sudden urge. But I wanted him to start. He stood there, quietly, for sometime, then moved a few steps towards me and rested himself. I stared him and he moved back. But I still wanted to talk. I never made an effort though. After next 15 min , he showed signs of wanting to talk. What a late action time, I thought. But at least he did and that made me feel..feel..feel..well, there's no word for that. But yes, it felt nice. He smiled, cleared his throat and was all set to speak.

I looked at him and just then the bus came and everything was ruined. I was livid. That was outrageous and infuriating!!.…..Oh my god!!!! WHAT A WRONG TIMING…….. I wanted to scream, but I didn’t. Instead, I smiled back at him and was happy that he smiled in repercussion…I boarded the bus and left.

18 comments:

  1. First reaction-- Did that actually happen??!!
    And secondly, i liked how you described the whole situation...very real...

    Keep writing :)

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  2. hmmm,
    i expected much more to have happened but still glad you can depict your slightest feelings so freely.I mean parents are entering blogspot nowadays..
    :-)

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  3. wow a cute encounter described to its best!!!

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  4. ur riting style is very demonstrative...lots f adjectives...nd lots f contradictions....

    it left me wid a bit f thinking 2 do....

    nd...i wud'v missd d bus...agli bus ka wait karti.....he ws gudlooking...and frm IIT....rchng hom 1/2 n hour l8 mite hav gotn me a lot more... he he..

    but..on d whol....i liked ur article...!!

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  5. hey shruti...i cmpltly agree wid aditi ...did that really happen...but n beautiful story with an ugly ending...sorry for that wrd but i really wanted something more to happen...u shud have talked ...shy lady..

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  6. thatzz so cute yaar...:))... n u have written it so well.... but 1 thing u cud hav missed ur bus for sure.... cuhmon it was much better than reachin home ... watsay???

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  7. read it... loved it... plzz ... some more like this.. :)

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  8. haww u shud hav missd d bus...!!! (since he lukd lik he wntd 2 tok..!!)

    others may say tht ur story endd a bit abruptly.. but thts xactly how i lik thes anecdotes 2 b.. not predictable..

    wot an xperience...!

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  9. Nice read :-) M glad i read ur blog... This just reinforces my belief that Delhi busses and bus stops are where sometimes you meet people who make you feel very nice and special. :-)

    I had met one of my best friends in a Blue line bus :-)

    http://priyankas-point.blogspot.com/2006/08/weird-beginning-of-lifelong-friendship.html

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  10. good the bus came! else your blog would have been still gone on...he he

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  11. i loved it! the beginning ws a bit monotonous ad thn suddenly u brought in excitement...and i guess thats y its so unique! good wrk..

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  12. interesting one..with a sort of anti-climax..i really liked the way you started..it was indicative of something auspicious happening..carry one the good workk

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  13. very well described..i really liked it :) dis 1z ur best! ...n hope u meet him again ;)

    keep it up!!

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  14. AnonymousJune 19, 2008

    did you meet him again??

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  15. lol.....

    why dont such things happen to me
    :(

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  16. It's amusing that the smog was so heavy that the guy felt like coughing (what you quite wishfully imagined as his clearing the throat to talk to you) ;)

    Well, doesn't this sound less sorry than thinking that he actually wanted to speak and the bus spoilt the fun? Sometimes, it's good to "choose" the truth.

    BTW, how do you call a guy average-looking if you found him "unusually attractive"? Who are you kidding? :)

    TC.

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  17. Hii!
    I'm done everything you described in that post myself(except, of course, smiling at a guy at a bus stop and WANTING him to talk to me ;) ) and it was very beautifully written. During my school days,I remember getting through with the entire bus pass renewal process in five mins but tht was the day when I bunked school.
    IIT Gate bus stop.. got many memories associated with that area and may be I'll be inspired by your post to put them down some day.

    I must admit though.. the story ended in quite an anti climax!

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