Sriram was tired of looking through the window at the trees running backward. He asked his mother to tell him a story. She told him not to trouble her as she was tired and wanted to sleep. Moreover she said she had exhausted her cache of stories. The gentleman sitting across looked at the boy and smiled. Sriram hesitated and returned a half-smile. He then kept looking outside the train and at the man alternately. After a while he could look at the man comfortably.
`Come here, I will tell you a story,’ the man said.
Sriram looked at his mother. She nodded her approval and the boy shifted next to the gentleman.
`Do you want a real life story?’
`Yes. Is it interesting?’
`Yes it is… it is about a brave boy who saved thousands of life.’
Sriram was impressed. `Tell me,’ he said.
`There was a boy called Krishna. He used to jog along the tracks every morning with his friends. He wanted to become a sportsman.
One day when he was jogging he noticed that some fish plates had been removed from the tracks. Do you know what fish plates are?”
`Yes,’ Sriram answered.
`Krishan knew that it was dangerous and that any train coming on the tracks would derail and there would be a major accident. He told his friends to stand there and he ran towards the nearest station.
He ran as fast as he could and almost collapsed at the station master’s table.
However he quickly told him about the fish plates. The station master panicked. Krishna then heard him calling up other stations. They all waited anxiously. Then the good news came that Prerna Express could be stopped a few yards before the danger spot, thanks to the boy.
There was relief and jubilation all around. The boy was rewarded Rs 1 lakh for his act of bravery. He had become the hero. He had saved thousands of life. But…’
The man paused to give his story a dramatic effect.
`What happened,’ Sriram asked.
`One person died. Do you know who?’
Sriram didn’t answer.
`The station master.’ Sriram was surprised.
`How could he die?’
`He died of excitement. He had a weak heart. And…
now he travels by Prerna Express regularly. He must have been so worried about the train that his spirit continues to travel with it.’
`How do you know?’
The man smiled and removed his shawl. His coat had a shining name plate – Station master Atmaram.
The boy smiled too. He wasn’t shocked.