A hectic weekend and a couple of sad incidents.

Oh, the Indian Railways!
This weekend was rather hectic. My sister and niece were returning from Kerala, after vacation, by the Kerala Express. The train had got caught up in the ravages of cyclone 'Laila' enroute in the Andhra region, giving us some anxious moments and finally, fetched up at the New Delhi Railway station early this morning by 0530h, only 15 hrs late! Thankfully, my sister and us were in touch through our cell phones because getting the accurate 'sitrep' from the railway enquiries was wishful thinking. When will our authorities, sitting on the enquiry portals of the railways/ airports, learn to patiently understand the requirements of people who ask their queries and provide the actual information? And when will the passengers of our national carriers- both the railways and the airways- begin enjoying avenues of entertainment/ information availability through the internet, while travelling? Is one asking for too much?
Tragedy at Mangalore.
The Air India Express crash at Mangalore was a sad and tragic affair. The death of 158 people and the crash of their dreams was a numbing shock. Here's me wishing their near and dear ones all the strength to tide their grief and a sincere prayer for the departed.
A tippler's ignominous drive.
Another tragedy was a brother officer's wife mowing down two passengers travelling in an auto rickshaw and grievously injuring two others, in our backyard near the Gopinath market at Delhi Cantt. The battered auto rickshaw and the Honda City car were a horrific sight. Lt Col Rahul Singh and his wife, Nivedita stay in the nearby Army Battle Honours Mess and one wonders as to why she had to go through this ignominy of driving after consumption of alcohol. She might get away lightly from the dispensation of the law but can she ever forgive herself for having caused agony to so many people, in one unguarded and careless moment of her life?