Atul k

In the beginning of this month I had been to my hometown. the return journey was quite eventful. without judging If my conduct was good or bad I present you the stories.
these are election time in Bihar. the local panchayat elections are going on in full swing. So, there was a crunch situation with regards to Buses to go to Patna.
the journey from Sitamarhi to Muzaffarpur went without a hitch. the onwards journey to Patna was eventful in more than one way.
there was a visible scarcity of Buses in the Bus Stand. I got into one which was full from the very beginning. but, anyway I went to the very last sensing I may get an odd seat there. I saw a boy sitting at one of the 2/2 seats and a bag placed besides him on the other seat. I asked him, Is it your bag? he replied, No! next he told me to remove the bag and take that seat but I didn’t do a thing. the boy who looked rugged and young and of course he was a simpleton, wasted no time in removing the bag and keeping it at the last row. he went on to occupy the window seat and offered me his seat which I happily accepted.
In the meantime, a large number of working folks poured inside the bus and they occupied the last row after removing that baggage. the owner of the bag was no where to be seen. But, when the bus started for the journey another young man came in and came near our seat and demanded to know where his bag was. I didn’t say a word and waited for him to speak. He said it was on the last row. Obviously, he was not impressed. he said he had kept his bag at the window seat at which you are seating. And he demanded that he vacate the seat. but, that guy also didn’t want to loose that seat. so he didn’t buzz an inch. when the demand was persistent the sitting guy replied that the bus conductor offered him his seat. the guy with the bag was sizzling in rage…and uttered bho***K, and went to the conductor. In the mean time the guy sitting next to me was anxious about his seat which he sensed maybe taken away anytime now. I was sitting tight without any expression on my face or otherwise. he may have thought I should give his seat back to him in case he is asked to vacate. I didn’t show any interest in that situation now, n was pretty relaxed in “MY OWN SEAT”.
On the other hand the conductor flatly denied he had anything to with the situation. the guy came back to our seat in a rage of fury and asked that fellow to vacate. So, he had to comply this time around. he looked at me but I didn’t show any emotion or sympathy. I do not know why but that’s what happened… and that simpleton had to travel the whole way without a seat.

SECOND THING

as the bus was jam packed due to the prevailing situation of the scarcity of the buses. Many people were standing in the aisle of the bus. by now we were cruising at an average velocity of nearly 80 or 100 km/h. we were lazing around some were sleeping… but, a large thud was heard and everything went silent, yet the bus was simply running the same way… as I regained consciousness I saw a middle aged man lying on the aisle. I asked what happened, some one told me its “mirgi” in our local lingo (its epilepsy though) and again I asked everyone who was with him. I came to know nobody was with him… HE WAS ALONE THERE JUST LIKE ME…
Someone told me its dangerous if that guy didn’t regain consciousness soon enough he’ll die within 10 to 15 mins.
some one asked for help but nobody cared. I was moved to see that guy and thought how can I let someone die  when that situation could be avereted with just a little care. I cried at the top my voice to stop the bus many times. It had an immediate impact and the conductor rushed at the back of the sitting area. we told him about that guy lying unconscious. the bus stopped and everyone was in attention. SO, somebody who knew how to bring him back to his consciousness sprung into action. He asked for shoe shocks to make him inhale its stale air and he regained consciousness but he resisted and wanted to standup in a fit but people stopped him anyway and forcibly made him sit. at last that guy was in control and we could take a sigh of relief. it was an incredible scene.. that guy was drenched in a pool of sweat from head to toe….

finally, the Bus moved forward…