This morning we waited on the platform while the train pulled in. We scrambled in to find a seat but found instead a plastic ‘thaelee’ and a cloth bag lying on the seats. BING BONG went the warning bells in our head and ‘unclaimed baggage’ drifted through our consciousness.
We stood and panicked for a couple of seconds till we realised we should do something and FAST. So we dialed the number of the helpline (all the while prominently staring right at us while we was being paralyzed by fear).
We must report that the Mumbai Railway Helpline was extremely courteous (without the call-centre type “Hello mey-aam, how may I assist you today” sort of irritating thing). The number was not engaged, we was not subjected to soul-numbing electronic music and the call was answered on the first ring. We explained our situation and where we was and then we got down to wait. No stupid questions were asked and we was assured that they would be right there.Â
A cop turned up in approximately 67 seconds, strode into the compartment, picked up the bags and left. And another cop took the train with us.
We may have been silly and paranoid like we has been accusing Americans of being after 9/11. But today we just was glad that our panic did not paralyze. And mostly we wishes to say…forget what Mumbai Mirror cribs about the Railways. They does their job quickly and they gets it done.
We also needs to mention that this vile man claims to have called us at approximately the same hour and have heard the following message:
User is dead. Please don’t call back!
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Posted in Spectator | Comments (16)
November 21st, 2006 at 5:18 pm
presence of mind is very valuable. glad you retained it. be safe
November 21st, 2006 at 5:24 pm
Geez. Something like that can spook the living daylights outta most of us. But, how the hell can a cop just pick it up and walk off with it? I mean, dont you need a bomb-disposal unit or something like that?
November 21st, 2006 at 8:28 pm
Damn, I always knew I could see the future(ii)! Imagine had you tinkered with those bags, and one of them did turn out to be what you had in mind, and also put in my call in this mix exactly 5 seconds later. Now picture the message- ‘User is dead. Please don’t call back.’ Wow!
PS: future(i) is what actually happens. future(ii) is what could have also happened.
November 22nd, 2006 at 7:28 pm
@ N: Am! Thenk yew…
@ Pensive: We dunnoz…but we wuz glad the thing was off the train!
@ Brad: Hmph…plotting our death, are you? And then you wonder why we don’t flirt with you…
November 22nd, 2006 at 9:50 pm
I don’t plot the future; I just see an alternate one. Now, have I wondered why you don’t flirt with me. May be I did put a comment to that effect.
November 23rd, 2006 at 6:17 pm
the reason why we dont relate well offline is because we value different things
November 23rd, 2006 at 6:36 pm
@ St: What do you value?
November 23rd, 2006 at 7:40 pm
its all there on my site
November 23rd, 2006 at 7:42 pm
integrity, decency, honesty, and some other things
November 24th, 2006 at 2:35 am
Just coz’ we are being exposed to some dialogue over here between you and St, I feel inclined to chip in a, ‘Eh?’
November 24th, 2006 at 9:27 am
sorry brad, we’ll take it offline then
November 24th, 2006 at 1:37 pm
@ St: We value some of those things too. But perhaps we interpret them differently.
@ Brad: St and I know each other offline but we don’t talk much. We was just wondering why. Now shhh..!
November 28th, 2006 at 5:00 pm
User is dead…LOL i always knew i liked Brad’s SOH…
November 29th, 2006 at 10:54 am
@ Rajni: And we thought you was our friend!!! *Horrified expression*
July 11th, 2007 at 1:10 am
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