The Pole Star

I’m angry, I’m upset. I want my ‘adhalpad’ (Like Druv, the Pole Star’s, ‘Permanent and indispensable position’ in the sky). I feel like the unfortunate fool who stood near the door in a busy Mumbai local train, being pushed out onto the platform when it wasn’t his destination yet. “Stop, wait, I don’t want to get down here,” he said, but no one heard. So he took the next train. “This time, I’ll go and stand safe at the other end,” he thought.  Little did he know that at the next station, the platform was on his side. And fate was not. He was at the door again, resisting the force that heartlessly pushed him down. The force was stronger and he had arrived - at the wrong place again.  He was a hopeless optimist though. “This is not such a bad place, you know. You could stay here,” said a stranger on the platform. But he just smiled and walked away. He did not want to be there. He wanted to get back on the train; some train. But there was no train. He ran from one platform to the other but there was none. And then just when he was about to give up, one came along. This was his chance to get back to where he wanted to go - his final chance. He didn’t look twice. Like Incy Wincy he climbed inside again. He stood in the middle this time. He looked at the others sitting way inside – playing cards, laughing, reading newspapers, pompous in the seats they had reserved for themselves after years of travelling. He was envious. “I will be there one day,” he dreamt. But something felt wrong. He looked outside. Something was definitely wrong. He looked out again and realized he had boarded the wrong train and was going in the opposite direction. In a few minutes he we would be back on the same platform from where he had started.  He didn’t like it. Who would? But he had no choice. He had to get down.  

One time he had been a novice, one time unfortunate, one time anxious. But what he had always been was an optimist, a smiling one. And that would never change.  And he knew what he wanted was just around the corner. He just didn’t know how far ahead the next cross street would be.  

Well, my story is different. I am glad I didn’t have to sweat my day travelling on a hot day in a crowded train. My day has been more pleasant, more memorable. And for that I thank Him.