My regular school day consists of arriving at Dombivli station on time, i.e. 15 minutes before time, to get the 6:37 fast AC (no Diva halt) train. As usual, a few express train pass from the same platform before my train. I have to get down at Thane and change lines and get a different train, which are all non-AC. Yeah, I agree. It is quite hectic for a 15-year-old short boy.
Around 6:30, an announcement was made about the train being late. This happened in my first week back from the US and I was a bit out of touch with daily train travel.
I panicked. I took my mobile out (which I am not supposed to do on the station) and tracked my train and the next train, and both turned out to be late.
The previous train, 6:18 fast (Diva halt), was also late. I got into that to avoid being late for my school. I called and told my mother about my sudden change of plans. After Diva (from which a lot of people get in), we were packed like sardines. And somehow, I managed to get down at Thane through the mess. It was around 6:52.
Every day, I go in the 6:59 Vashi or 7:04 Panvel trains from Thane. On this day, as usual, I went and sat in the 6:59 Vashi train. The train behind the one I came in was the AC train which was supposed to be ‘late’. It came around 6:56, which meant that I could have gotten the AC train and even a seat, if my luck was good, and still have reached in time for the 6:59 or 7:04.
That day, we made up our minds. If the train is reasonably late, then I would wait for the AC local.
Then, probably in the same week, another such incident happened.
I was before time. The 6:37 AC train is a starting train from Kalyan. For that, there is a 6:17 Kalyan AC train. The problem was that it was late by 20-25 minutes late, which meant that the 6:37 AC was 35-40 minutes. This didn’t fit into my definition of being reasonably late. Also, there was a 6:37 (non-AC) slow train. It was late by 10-15 minutes. I decided to go in that, which was expected to be packed. The next fast train was 10-15 late as well and it would be further packed.
I got into the train. And then I saw the 6:17 AC train pull up. I called my mother to tell her that I got the train. The train goes very slowly, and I got down by holding a random passenger’s hand by mistake. I run and go into the Harbour line train which was about to leave.
On the Thane Creek bridge, I see the 6:37 AC train about to go to Thane, which also meant that could I have reached school on time.
I regretted my wrong decision again. But this is how you learn. Anyways, choosing the train in which I travel in isn’t like choosing between life and death.