The Bus Journey

I just love observing people. Especially those to whom I am not connected. Probably this is the reason why I love using public transport with many people. Most of the guys laught when I tell them that I love Mumbai locals. I don't blame them. I guess it is not a normal thinking but I can't help it. I immensely enjoy guessing lives; even if I am wrong. Most of the times, I just observe. Couple of days back I travelled by bus. I enjoyed the 40 minutes ride like anything. I am trying to write what I saw and thought then.

Actually I was coming frm railway station to the college. I took the bus somewhere close to the the railway station, Fortunately, I got a seat. The best part was that I was sitting at a place from where I could see most people. There were about 7-8 people standing as well. The guy closest to me standing somehow reminded me of myself. The way his eyes moved it was easy to predict that he was day dreaming. He had a small bag in his hand which had some detergent company name on it. Some name I have not heard before. He bore a confident look on his face. Something which comes with experience of having dealt with many people professionally and successfully at that. He was wearing formal clothing. Not expensive but smart and ironed. He was not looking at anyone. Busy in himself probably preparing for a meeting mentally. I concluded he should be salesman.

Just infront of him was a small stout guy, a complete contradiction of the tall, lean guy I mentioned before. This man had a very submissive look on his face, so much so that he had an expression of requesting invisibility. He felt satisfied by the fact that no one cared about him. So much so that I thought he wanted to blur in the background. Now this guy was also dressed formally but his shirt was somewhat crumpled. He was empty handed and it looked as if someone had just scolded him. Probably his boss or so i guessed. At this point, our eyes met and it seemed that he became nervously conscious of his existence and after every few minutes he was staring at me from the corner of his eyes.

Just then, a stop came and few people boarded the bus at that stop. For obvious reasons, I remember the two girls who came in. Thanks to the great nation and unnatural preference to women, 1 of them sat and I could not even see her face properly. The other girl was in a red top and jeans. I am not sure about the color perceptiona and behavior patterns but somehow girls in red have always been more attractive for me. She was a good looking girl. Fortunately, as I was hoping she did not find a place to sit and in a minute or so our eyes met. This is classic flirting, Indian style. Both of us passed smile. We were stealing eyes intermittently.I actually forgot what I was doing. In another minute or so I felt bored and started looking outside. Now "Lambi Judaai" started on the radio. I love this song and started humming the tune.

There was a Negro outside. He stepped in. Now this guy was definitely behaving differently. I might have been biased but it definitely seemed to me that he didn't feel connected. In fact it he had a I don't give damn kinda attitute on his face. He was completely preoccupied, for the entire journey. It felt that he was disconnected to the proceedings, surroundings and although he was dressed very casually. You might assume that he came staright from his bed but it felt like he didn't care what was around him and in any case he was there just for a little time. Not only in the bus but also in this geography. In any case, he got off after two stops. Now I started staring outside. Mostly observing houses. I don't remember the name but it was posh colony. Great exteriors, construction and posh cars. Though most houses had make shift arrangements. Sometimes on the roof tops, sometimes balcony but in almost all houses that I saw there was that ubiquitous expression of Indianess. There was some jugaad which reminded me of oneness in sme odd way.

I shifetd my focus again inside the bus. Two house-wives stepped. Friends probably or so they would have claimed if you ask them but apparently both were trying to outdo each in the way they dressed. They were not great looking wore excessive lipstick and I guess some powder or something on face. In fact if you ask me, this futile effort make them look ugly. They were constantly chatting. They both grabbed the opportunity of sitting which they got pretty anyways.

There were few more interesting people. It is really amazing to acknowledge the the fact that no matter how important we think we are, there is so much more beyond one's own self. It is amazing that no matter how complicated we think we are, almost all have similar complex and yet very different lives. How much there is to learn. I was pre-occupied with these thoughts and then I saw one who was actually lookng at me. Observing. I thought that he was trying to analyze me. He was a young guy and jeans and white t-shirt. Probably a college guy. Graduation mostly. He seemed to be having the confidence of a smart guy who knew his ways. Someone who had learnt a lot from life or so he would like to proclaim to the extent of being boastful about it. Then there was this blank guy. Exactly the kind of people I am really jealous of. They never think. They are so happy with the present that future never worries them. This gets to you. Infact I would to steal their secret, use on myself and become carefree for life.

Now my stop was very close. I was mentally preparing to get down but dunno why the bus was taking ages to move from the current stop. There was a young girl waiting at the stop. Not great looking but defintely she tried hard to look good. And it showed. Hair combed carefully and tied to give them some style. Cheap but stylish clothes. Matching lipstick. I think she felt good and comfortable about her looks. She somehow reminded me of Call center people. These guys don't earn a helluva lot but they sure know how to spend. In fact she wore a proud look. Not bad pride but I guess a good one. At least for me. Something like you get when you do a job well.

I was just preoccupied. In fact I didn't even understand what I was thinking. All I could remember is cool wind blowing on my face and I was loving it waiting on the footboard for my step. Another 2 minutes or so My stop came and I got down.