Category : Diary/Journal

Sub Category : N/A

I was getting ready for my night journey to home for the Christmas holidays. Waited for this day for more than 20 days. Am really excited and I have a lot to tell to my siblings and friends about my new friend(more than a friend) that I recently got attached to.

The evening zephyr allowed me to glide through the streets to the bus station. It was little crowded as everyone seems to be looking for happy holidays. It will be a ten hour journey from my work to home. So interesting to see lot of strangers, families, children at the same place. Peoples are vibrant in their own ways, relatively the public places gives vibrant feeling to me until I saw the begging peoples. Society's inequality can be seen in every public space.

And I went on to stand under a waiting porch. I don't like booking tickets, to get a comfy seat and sleep well with headphones on. I travel to remember, waited for the bus and it finally came after 20 minutes. The real beauty of the journey, either short or long is the stranger connection. I kind of enjoy seeing so many peoples who make sounds to settle on seats, and children who sings song and one shaky bus.

I got a window seat and a person came to sit near me. Yes the journey partner. I started the smile. Glad he returned back. He's probably in his early 50's I think. 
"Madurai ah sir" I asked him.
"No bro, salem" replied in a low voice.
And I leaned over the window glass to get some view outside. I then turned again to him, 
"You work here" asked curiously. I thought he's at the same age as my father is.
"My daughter is living here, I came to see her." He smiled saying that. 
I wanted to talk more, but he looked tired and I let him relax. He comforts himself to set for a sleep. His journey will take four hours, so I resumed my sight seeing. He started to close his eyes, again we smiled at each other. The connection was so easy and that's the power of being a stranger. Sometimes stranger comforts too. 

After a while, when he was deep in to his sleep his phone alerted. It was a phone call, he was weak in the call. Often saying, "but dear you should stay strong", "oh my god, don't be girl" like these. I was worried and it was clear that her daughter was not in a good life. The dull face of him upsets the enthusiasm of my travel. I really wanted to comfort him but stranger has limits. I smiled at him, but this time he ignored me.

He then continued to close his eyes, but often open his eyes and look outside for a while and finally he fell in sleep. Believing that sleep is the only cure, I saw him sleeping. And after some time, totally asleep, let his whole body rest on me. His head was on my shoulders. He kind of crushing me, but I managed to get my hand out and placed it in the right position for him to sleep better and I adjusted my height to match my shoulders to his head. Atleast I can comfort his sleep, watching our dear ones is one of the beautiful thing. He's no dear to me, but he needs a shoulder now for rest and I gave him one. 

Then some minutes later, I realised that my t-shirt is getting wet on the shoulder part. His tears. I felt that it was pure. The purest of feelings need no words. And he's sleeping now with tears on my shoulders. Am a stranger to him, but I have a shoulder that loves to carry him. Sometimes he wake up and I pretend that I don't care him. I don't want him to know my feel but in a way I help him, warmth him and made him feel better. 

The moment that made my day. Travel to remember.