Recently I visited Rajasthan. To suit my comfort I opted for travelling by Train. As decision to travel was in haste, I was not prepared at all. I booked the tickets same day. As per new norms of Railways, you can have electronic receipt of ticket, which is considered genuine now. So, for sake of my own convince, I had tickets in electronic format. I boarded train. It was bit late from actual schedule, a usual trait of Indian railways. I took my seat. Made myself comfortable and waited for TTE to come and check my ticket so that I can have an undisturbed sleep. After an hour or so, he came. He was in his late fifties, probably on verge of his retirement. In usual black dress of TTE, with beige colored pullover, or probably it was of crème colour which turned beige because it was not washed in past few months. After checking tickets of my fellow passengers of my compartment, he asked for mine. I took out my phone, in which I was having my ticket, and showed it to him. The very first reaction he gave me was “what is this?” I was surprised, as it was first time it happened to me. I don’t remember last time when I actually bought any physical ticket; I only use e-ticket (after it came into existence of course). Then after some adjustment in his mind, he tried to look into the ticket and was trying to find PNR. I helped him in doing so. Then he asked for my ID proof. I gave my official ID card. He rejected it and asked for another authentic ID card. That very moment I thought of calling my HR and tell them to issue an authentic ID as it was of no use to me there. Luckily I was carrying my PAN card, which was authentic to him. He noted down my PAN card number. After that he mumbled, and with anger said
“People like you think that you are very smart. But you are one the fools who think they are smart.”
I was in shock mode. All the fellow traveller turned around and fixed their “what happened look” on me. I too was surprised. I rechecked my ticket and asked
“Is everything alright sir?”
He replied “where is your ticket”
I told “Just now you checked it”
With more frustration he enquired “I am asking about print out of this ticket.”
Now I realised he was not comfortable with the fact of me being Tech savvy. I felt sorry for him, as the industry I belong to forces me to be tech savvy. And where he belongs to, was an orthodox. Then to calm down his nerve I told him
“Sir, this is a perfectly legal ticket as per government norm”
With further ire “you don’t teach me government norm. I am aware of this”
“Then what is the issue I am unable to understand you.” I enquired.
After a pitiful look on me he tried to explain, which for a moment also led me to think over it. Here is what he explained.
“You youngster don’t realize the significance of certain laid down basic requirements of life.”
I asked him to further elaborate his thesis and prove me wrong, with some logic in it. Then he started
“What if you cell battery goes down or someone steals your phone, you will become without ticket and hence liable to be fined as per law”. His logic was strong and other than agreeing to him I found no other option. I had few logics to counter, but I restrained myself. He continued
“If suppose this train meets an accident, if you don’t have any ticket, how will people identify you. They won’t be looking into you cell phone for tickets.” I was dismayed. Not because of his logic but because of his thinking. How can some people actually become such a pessimist? Just because he do not like something with what other are comfortable with, does not make him authority to ridicule me. To end the conversation I just nodded in unison with him. I just wanted him to leave me alone with my not so pessimistic approach towards life. Just to end conversation with light node I told him “Thank you for giving me such an insight towards life. I am reborn today.”
And to my fellow passengers I told “what if today is the dooms day?” winked and slept with a blissful feeling, thinking to wake up in haven.
To be continued....
