TRAVEL OF TRAVAILS

Every day is an ordeal and whenever I make it to the first step with one foot it is an achievement. Once I get make it to the second it is a pleasure and the third it is success. When I get a foot space it is AH THIS FEELS LIKE HOME... and when I get a seat........ my heart tells me YIPPEE I MADE IT TODAY, THIS IS SEVENTH HEAVEN!!!Are you wondering what I am talking about? Well all those who have even the slightest instinct will know that I am talking about the State Road Transport Corporation buses. This is my first experience of travelling to work such a long distance and never did I feel I would be at the mercy of this huge green metal body like an unwilling slave obeying his master.
I leave home at 7.40 am to reach workplace by 9.00 am. It takes me a 20 minute drive to reach the bus terminus at Secunderabad station and having reached the bus bay, my prayer for the day begins - OH LORD (rather say LORD OF THE BUS)HAVE MERCY ON ME,BE ON TIME ATLEAST TODAY. Had I prayed so fervently to GOD everyday I am sure he would have been bountiful with his boons for me. The time is a ticking...... 5 minutes pass, then 10...... no trace of
my BUS LORD and my heart goes a thumping when I see the multitude of humanity swelling at the
bus bay and another prayer, LORD LET THEM GET INTO ANY OTHER BUS, BUT NOT THE ONE THAT I INTEND TO GET IN. You know why I say this - Hey I need to sit, remember.
As time ticks I gaze at the sky, no I am not looking out for stars, but just gazing into infinity, what else do I do? And then all of a sudden there is a commotion and people run helter skelter as if it is a catastrophe they are running away from, or rather running towards.
The LORD has arrived and now the pushing and shoving starts, a scramble to get in first and you have the answer to it... right the seat again, makes me feel like this is a KISSA KURSI KA that everyone looks forward to occupy, whoever told you that it was the political seat is wrong, I bet you gotta see this struggle for the seat.
Hey, today I seem to be lucky, I am the second one behind a very healthy (substitute fat) woman, clinging on to the rod of the entrance to the bus and think after she gets in its me, but the way she pushes her back onto me when she gets in, I lose equilibrium and try to cling on to the rod haplessly. It is then I wonder, why is it that there are so many fat women who commute by bus. I am apolegetic, no malice towards the obese and no personal attack intended, please, forgive me. But just giving you a vent of what my thoughts are at that moment of jeopardy.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH at last, I am here sitting, finally a seat, like I have accomplished
a HERCULEAN task for the day and heave a sigh of relief. But wait a minute, ALL IS NOT WELLI have a bag heavily placed on my shoulder and a tummy resting on my sides, what do I do about
this and there is another ordeal I have to go through on way back home. However, did you forget
that.
Hey this could go on like the K serials of EKTA KAPOOR without an ending, but I better stop here before all of you get me by the noose for having forced you to read this.
RIGHT! RIGHT! TICKET! TICKET!