Childhood’s Priceless Moments- 2

By vermavkv on November 26, 2023 • ( 6 )

The clock had struck five in the evening as we boarded the passenger train departing from Danapur Station and our destination was Patna. Our eyes were set on a film, “Mother India “ playing at an Elephinston cinema, in Patna barely a mile and a half away from Patna Station.

The excitement was palpable, but our wallets were light, leaving us with no option but to run our way on foot up to the Cinema Hall from the station.

Our little marathon began

Our little marathon began, and our spirits were soaring. In those days, we were fearless runners, unburdened by the weight of the world. We calculated that we could reach the cinema hall before the film started if we sprinted through the streets. And so, the race began, a marathon fueled by youthful enthusiasm.

Despite the unexpected pace we set, it seemed that even our estimations underestimated our agility. We were making excellent time, driven by an inexplicable energy that only childhood possesses.

But, as luck would have it, our anticipated film, “Mother India,” had been swapped for another — something called “Ham Paanch.” The screening times had been altered due to the change in the day of the week.

With no alternative, we found ourselves sitting down for “Ham Paanch.” Our longing for Raj Kumar’s charm had to make way for this new film. The taste of the roasted peanuts we bought didn’t seem quite right anymore.

The crowd outside the cinema hall was bustling.

Anyhow, that unwanted film(Ham Paach) ended and the bustling crowd outside the cinema hall hindered our exit, we discovered that we had missed our train. It was already a quarter past nine.

And, the train time was 9.00 clock. If I missed that train, then of course, the last train from Patna would depart at 11.00 PM in the night

Once again, we were left with no choice but to run. The same marathon that had brought us to the cinema had started at the station, We were lucky as we were seeing our train moving to leave the platform.

A Night at the Station

Our friends managed to board a moving train, but as I attempted to join them, a stranger halted me. “Aren’t you afraid of jumping onto a moving train?” he asked. His words echoed in my ears as the train gradually gained distance.

I finally could not board that train and was left alone on the platform in the night. I anyhow managed to wriggle my way past the stranger and onto Platform Number Two as I would get the last train at 11:00 PM. I found refuge underneath a stall belonging to A.H. Wheeler, a place that usually sold books and magazines but was closed at that hour.

Childhood sleep was deep and undisturbed,

I was exhausted, and the comfort of my temporary hideout coaxed me into slumber. Childhood sleep was deep and undisturbed, and I fell into it like a tired horse.

Awakening suddenly, I noticed a large clock hanging on the wall. It read twelve-fifteen at midnight.. Panic surged through me — had the train already departed? However, I was puzzled by the lack of commotion on the platform.

I approached the tea stall owner nearby and inquired about the Bombay Janata Express. “How late is it?” I asked. His nonchalant reply was a shock to my system: “That train has already left.”

I was grappling with disbelief when I glanced at the faces around me. They seemed unfazed, and I realized that the train had indeed left. My frustration grew, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from my friends who were still on that train. My agony was compounded by the knowledge that they were worried for me, just as I was for them.

Dragging myself away from the platform, I found a spot by the entrance of the railway station, the same place where the movie posters had hung earlier. The clock now read twenty minutes past twelve.

I was overcome by a sensation.

As I sat there, a sensation overcame me. The train had come and gone, but my disappointment paled in comparison to the exhaustion I felt. I was angry at myself for letting my friends down and anxious about the repercussions at home.

What a tragedy I faced that is greater than the tragedy saw in that movie. I reached home the next morning and then At home, I was thrashed and welcomed with a stick, which resulted in Body aches for 2- 3 days.

The memories of those days—of daring escapades and determined sprints—still elicit a smile. Even the thought of my deserved punishment brings a smile, for the trials of youth are some of life’s most cherished recollections..

Please click below for Episode I