Supratim's World

O n weekdays, Ranchi Howrah Express does not have that much rush as it is on weekends, due to its odd timetable. Still, this is the best train to travel in this route. Aparna is already late because of typical traffic of Ranchi. She is almost running to find her compartment. Executive class is always near to the engine and the furthest from platform entry gate. Aparna enters the compartment and then looks at her wristwatch, still she has ten minutes in hand. Finally, she gets rid of hidden anxiety of missing the train by a close margin. Since her childhood, till the time she finally enters inside the train she can’t relax. A hidden anxiety inside her develops as the departure time comes closure. Aparna puts her luggage in the upper racks first, then sits in her designated window seat. Her seat is in the middle of the train and these seats are of face to face sitting arrangement. Rest all are in same direction. Aparna does not like this kind of arrangement, every time she looks straight

T oday Saranya is again late. In Last-minute boss asked to add another seven slides in the presentation. This is the third day in a row she missed the commitment to Tito. Puja only a few days away and still Tito's dresses are pending. This is Tito's sixth Durga puja. Saranya is thinking how fast times fly. Seems like it was yesterday when she was standing alone with Tito on the road. She still feels the anxiety inside her when she remembers those days. It was a Thursday and that year Puja was just five days away. Tito was just three months old, like a small doll. Saranya was feeling something unusual since she was pregnant. Amit was not paying proper attention to her, but she didn’t break her head on it. She was so happy with Tito, her own part of the soul, her own son. Saranya got married when she was barely eighteen. Amit was almost thirty-five at then, but her father found him very suitable groom as he had secured a government job, rest was just insignificant to him. After m