By Purnima Narvekar
Translated by Helena Thres
I can only wonder how the fourth seat came into existence. Probably at some point, all the three full seat travelers must have pushed and squished in for someone and it became a hit amongst others too. We should really be grateful to the person who gave birth to this fourth seat. It takes a lot of luck and good fortune to get a fourth seat during peak hours. I am sure my fellow Mumbaikars can relate to this.
Mumbaikars lead a life of continuous running around. It is devastating when you enter the train after all the running and there is no seat available. However, Mumbaikars also never give up, as soon as you enter the train begins the search for a fourth seat. A sight of three thin people brings the utmost joy, and you rush to it immediately because that means you will get a very comfortable fourth seat.
Ladies compartment in our train has a verbal rule book which everyone adheres to. You can claim seats in ladies. However, if there are four people sitting in a seat and you make a claim for the second seat when the person whose seat you have claimed gets up, you will get the fourth seat and everyone scooches one seat in. If someday, a non-traveler enters the train, there is bound to be a fight about one of the unsaid rules.
A lot of people complain about people in the fourth seat as they block the pathway. However, given a chance the same people would fight for the same fourth seat in a crowded train.
Ladies compartment in our train has a verbal rule book which everyone adheres to. You can claim seats in ladies. However, if there are four people sitting in a seat and you make a claim for the second seat when the person whose seat you have claimed gets up, you will get the fourth seat and everyone scooches one seat in. If someday, a non-traveler enters the train, there is bound to be a fight about one of the unsaid rules.
A lot of people complain about people in the fourth seat as they block the pathway. However, given a chance the same people would fight for the same fourth seat in a crowded train.
हेलेना
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Thank you kaki :)
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