“The train on platform No. 1 is a slow train for Churchgate, stopping at all stations. . . . . . . . . . “

Life is like that – a train which stops on the platform of youth – but for a very short time. So one must make the most of it when one is on it. I was so engrossed in the above thought that I couldn’t even care to notice what station it was. But then those lovely eyes just brushed away my thoughts. Her eyes . . . . . it’s almost impossible to describe them. All the adjectives in all the dictionaries in the world would never suffice to describe that beautiful, GIRL.

My lucky stars seemed brighter than those eyes for a moment – for the only empty seat in that small compartment was by my side! She was quite assured that the seat she had chosen was the safest by far. For at one end was a goggle-eyed middle-aged, over-sized creature who gave her all the possible looks a girl would be scared of. His looks sure foiled his chances. Contrary to his looks was that of an old woman who gave her looks that could kill! The broad smile I gave her was more than sufficient to convince her that the safest place was by my side. Operation Part I successful, Part II begins.

. . . . . Extending my smile to a “Hello”, I christened her Miss Priya, with whom I must have been studying in St. Xavier’s or Jai Hind College. She replied to my hello and said she was from Wilson’s and that her name was Mrignayani. Oh yes! That’s where I had seen her. I was doing my final year at Wilson’s. I grabbed the opportunity and complimented her: “Your name matches your eyes, as does the lovely sari you’ve got on.” She blushed.

After that, things were easy, but the arrival of the trains at Dadar made things difficult. I felt that the slow train had come in too fast, in spite of it being delayed for over ten minutes. .

I caught the train going to Thana and what did I see? .

Another Miss Priya, another smile, another college, another compliment, another blushed cheek, another addition to my existing list of girls with whom I had studied in all the possible colleges of the city. Reshma, Anuradha, Anjali, Sunita . . . . Mrignayani. My train was still prodding along. It was a long journey with many such flirtatious encounters……………………. .

Another Miss Priya, another smile, another college, another compliment, another blushed cheek, another addition to my existing list of girls with whom I had studied in all the possible colleges of the city. Reshma, Anuradha, Anjali, Sunita . . . . Mrignayani. My train was still prodding along. It was a long journey with many such flirtatious encounters……………………. .

However one day I came across another girl.She was simple, attractive, with magnetic eyes and mischievous looks, with a lot of common sense. I felt she was different.

This time, it was my turn to be surprised because I was confronted with a “Hello Sudhir” even before I could use my favourite technique. I cursed my Aunty for not naming me Sudhir. And even before I could reply to her Hello came the query: “We were together in Jai hind, weren’t we? Have you forgotten me?” I tried my best to formulate a name for her. All my concoctions went wrong. Her name was Priya.

I tried my best to recover from these slings and arrows of outrageous fortune and seemed to have remembered her with a jerk of my head “Oh! We were partners in the Physics practicals, of course!” I shot my arrow. It missed the target by a mileand caused disaster. “Of course not! We did our B.A. together, you still don’t remember?” she said demurely. “Oh! Priya, I did not tell you that before doing the B.A. I studied science for one year”. I took on a defensive position but even that was shattered by her. “What’s happened to you, Sudhir, we passed the S.S.C. from the same school and joined the same college in the same year”. The mischief in her eyes deepened and the magnetic charm of the young lass increased.

I was out of gas. The arrows had long been exhausted. Now my shield of defence was also gone. I was fixed, I threw down the sponge of pretence and submitted meekly. The train passed Dadar but I did not get down. My train of search had found its station. My office attendance muster recorded a day’s casual leave. And my list of girl friends included a final entry – Priya. .