Ramu was a poor migrant daily wages worker, he had come from the scorched hinterlands of Bihar to try his luck in the melting, ever assimilating pot of Mumbai. The city offered hope for everyone in the country and thousands of people, like Ramu flooded the rail terminals in all their glory. He landed a job as a peon in a diamond export centre, After managing to rent a room in a slum, so small that he could touch the adjacent walls by stretching his small arms.
A lonely deity, in a wooden frame decorated his wall.
He and his wife barely, eked out a living.
He used to work as a watchman in the neighbouring building during nights to boost his paltry income. His sleep was compensated in a hour long train journey to the office.
He was burning the candle at both ends.
A responsibility was entrusted to him by his boss one day, he had to carry the unpolished diamonds to the polishing centre and get them back the next day. A small incentive was on the cards for him, Ramu lapped the opportunity with both hands. He was an ordinary man who aroused the least suspicions and hence would never be robbed, was the thinking of his boss.
His modus operandi was simple, he bought a new 3 storeyed tiffin to carry his food along with the unpolished diamonds. He used to keep the tiffin in a cloth bag under the seat of the train and sleep in a state of bliss.
It was a turbulent time for Mumbai,that year. A series of bomb blasts had rocked the city and awakened the citizens from their complacent slumber. A state of paranoia gripped the to and fro commuters, travelling daily for their livelihood.
That day, a snoopy commuter was checking under the seats for suspicious parcels and he found this huge tiffin under Ramu's seat. He immediately went berserk and started alerting his fellow commuters who rushed to see the supposed explosive, lurking inside the tiffin.
Ramu was in his dream world, happily thinking about his extra bonus by working as a diamond courier. He would buy a new sari for his wife and maybe, a movie in a mall which his wife wished about, all the time. He also thought of buying a tri-cycle for his son.
Tears of joy would follow soon.
The wheels of fortune were finally turning for him.
Meanwhile,the worked up crowd became highly agitated and not able to locate the owner of this huge tiffin, came up with a brilliant idea. The train was going fast over the creek, they just took it and flung it out of the train with all their might. The deep waters in the creek would defuse the bomb! Smiles and Backslaps passed on, through the entire compartment.
A major disaster was averted!
Ramu was oblivious to this whole commotion, as his destination neared, he woke up yawning, rubbing his tired sleep deprived eyes and was surprised to see his tiffin gone.His neighbour thanked the almighty for saving their lives.
He was the only sad person in the overjoyed compartment.
As realisation of events dawned, he cried his heart out. His diamonds were gone forever.His employees would brand him as a thief and put him behind bars. He cursed his sleep.
The tiffin was gone forever.
The precious rough diamonds, back to their place of origin-Mother Earth at the bottom of the Sea, via the creek.
Ramu hurriedly packed his bags, he boarded the train to his place of origin-Bihar!
He tilled the arid lands, achingly in despair.
A lonely deity, in a wooden frame decorated his wall.
He and his wife barely, eked out a living.
He used to work as a watchman in the neighbouring building during nights to boost his paltry income. His sleep was compensated in a hour long train journey to the office.
He was burning the candle at both ends.
A responsibility was entrusted to him by his boss one day, he had to carry the unpolished diamonds to the polishing centre and get them back the next day. A small incentive was on the cards for him, Ramu lapped the opportunity with both hands. He was an ordinary man who aroused the least suspicions and hence would never be robbed, was the thinking of his boss.
His modus operandi was simple, he bought a new 3 storeyed tiffin to carry his food along with the unpolished diamonds. He used to keep the tiffin in a cloth bag under the seat of the train and sleep in a state of bliss.
It was a turbulent time for Mumbai,that year. A series of bomb blasts had rocked the city and awakened the citizens from their complacent slumber. A state of paranoia gripped the to and fro commuters, travelling daily for their livelihood.
That day, a snoopy commuter was checking under the seats for suspicious parcels and he found this huge tiffin under Ramu's seat. He immediately went berserk and started alerting his fellow commuters who rushed to see the supposed explosive, lurking inside the tiffin.
Ramu was in his dream world, happily thinking about his extra bonus by working as a diamond courier. He would buy a new sari for his wife and maybe, a movie in a mall which his wife wished about, all the time. He also thought of buying a tri-cycle for his son.
Tears of joy would follow soon.
The wheels of fortune were finally turning for him.
Meanwhile,the worked up crowd became highly agitated and not able to locate the owner of this huge tiffin, came up with a brilliant idea. The train was going fast over the creek, they just took it and flung it out of the train with all their might. The deep waters in the creek would defuse the bomb! Smiles and Backslaps passed on, through the entire compartment.
A major disaster was averted!
Ramu was oblivious to this whole commotion, as his destination neared, he woke up yawning, rubbing his tired sleep deprived eyes and was surprised to see his tiffin gone.His neighbour thanked the almighty for saving their lives.
He was the only sad person in the overjoyed compartment.
As realisation of events dawned, he cried his heart out. His diamonds were gone forever.His employees would brand him as a thief and put him behind bars. He cursed his sleep.
The tiffin was gone forever.
The precious rough diamonds, back to their place of origin-Mother Earth at the bottom of the Sea, via the creek.
Ramu hurriedly packed his bags, he boarded the train to his place of origin-Bihar!
He tilled the arid lands, achingly in despair.
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