Onward to Thiruvananthapuram to partake in the ceremony at Thiruvallam, on the occasion of my Ammachi's remembrance day as per the Malayalam calendar. Anto had dropped me at the station by a half past 5 in the morning. On inquiry, the gentleman at the counter had advised me to disembark at Thrissur to board the south bound Kerala express, from New Delhi and gave me the super fast train's base ticket. I was to convert it at the first available opportunity.
At Thrissur, I was told at the information desk that the 'conversion' could be done only by the TTE on board the train. Accordingly, I was seated in one of the reserved coaches and waited for the TTE to fetch up...and waited and waited. Somewhere mid way through the journey and my wait, a 'surprise check squad' had swooped in and on perusal of my ticket advised me to have it converted through the only TTE available on board, sitting in one of the foremost coaches, failing which I should be ready to pay up the penalty. And as I was moving away, he sort of assured(?) me that I might find it difficult to convert my ticket at that point of time!
I met up with the TTE, apprised him about the situation that I was in and he wasted no time in converting my ticket with the necessary endorsement. Armed with it I'd returned to my coach and much to my surprise the 'surprise checkers' didn't even want to see the endorsement after hearing that I'd got it done.
But what happened subsequently, really did stump me. The TTE had followed me to tell the checkers my story and I quote, "This sir is quite an unusual man. A few weeks back he was in a similar situation and had reached Thiruvananthapuram without the conversion. Rather than taking advantage of the situation and going off without paying the additional amount, he'd come to our cabin to state his dilemma and insisted on paying the due sum. A friend of mine had advised him then to drop the idea but he insisted on making the payment".
Tailpiece.
I was thoroughly flustered and embarrassed. For an impartial observer this might have seemed to be a 'contrived attempt' at painting me good because, as a natural fallout, my co-passengers had begun to eye me as a sneaky guy flouting the rules and marauding as a gentleman!
Thank you, Vivek, for endorsing my character! You really didn't have to do it but you did, humbling me in the process and I shall ever remain indebted to you for your kindness!! May only good things happen to you and may you get all that you wish for!!!
At Thrissur, I was told at the information desk that the 'conversion' could be done only by the TTE on board the train. Accordingly, I was seated in one of the reserved coaches and waited for the TTE to fetch up...and waited and waited. Somewhere mid way through the journey and my wait, a 'surprise check squad' had swooped in and on perusal of my ticket advised me to have it converted through the only TTE available on board, sitting in one of the foremost coaches, failing which I should be ready to pay up the penalty. And as I was moving away, he sort of assured(?) me that I might find it difficult to convert my ticket at that point of time!
I met up with the TTE, apprised him about the situation that I was in and he wasted no time in converting my ticket with the necessary endorsement. Armed with it I'd returned to my coach and much to my surprise the 'surprise checkers' didn't even want to see the endorsement after hearing that I'd got it done.
But what happened subsequently, really did stump me. The TTE had followed me to tell the checkers my story and I quote, "This sir is quite an unusual man. A few weeks back he was in a similar situation and had reached Thiruvananthapuram without the conversion. Rather than taking advantage of the situation and going off without paying the additional amount, he'd come to our cabin to state his dilemma and insisted on paying the due sum. A friend of mine had advised him then to drop the idea but he insisted on making the payment".
Tailpiece.
I was thoroughly flustered and embarrassed. For an impartial observer this might have seemed to be a 'contrived attempt' at painting me good because, as a natural fallout, my co-passengers had begun to eye me as a sneaky guy flouting the rules and marauding as a gentleman!
Thank you, Vivek, for endorsing my character! You really didn't have to do it but you did, humbling me in the process and I shall ever remain indebted to you for your kindness!! May only good things happen to you and may you get all that you wish for!!!
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