A rude true story

Away from the food reviews and trying to express my views on the dance of the democracy. I want to share incident which happened recently in front of my eyes. It was shocking to say the least.

Date - June 3, 2008. Place - Chennai Egmore railway station. Train - Rockford Express from Chennai to Kumbakonam. As the train left the platform at 10:30 pm, many travellers were already sleepy. We had upper berths, so climbed up and sat comfortably, to have the lower berth travellers sort themselves out. Opposite me was an octogenerian (80+) couple travelling. The man was given the lower berth and the lady alloted the middle berth. Another 3 people had different berths, but lets leave them alone as they are not related to this incident. On the second lower berth was a man, who would have been around 30-35 years old. The elderly man requested this youngster to swap the middle berth with his cancer stricken, 80+ old wife, for the lower berth, so it would avoid her the ignominy of climbing up the middle berth. I was appalled to see this young man refusing with a straight face and had the audacity of being rude to an extent that anyone who is impatient, would given him two across his face. The reason, he said, he had important documents with him and it was in his bag kept under the seat, so he will not leave his lower berth. The old man requested again and again but his requests fell on deaf ears. The wife pulled up the middle berth and prepared to climb up. At once, the old man made his bed on the lower berth and asked his wife to take it. He took the effort to climb up the middle berth with difficulty. Hats off to this man for being a real gentleman and displaying so much of affection, care and support. The lights went out and all of us slept off.

When I got up in the morning, the octogenerian couple of were gone and so was the rude, young man. I kept wondering if he would slept comfortably that night. If his frail body would have any effects of the climb (although for most of us, its no great shake). I wonder what was so important with that young man, that made him not give up his lower berth. Could he have taken the bag and kept it with him while sleeping? Could he not have locked up everything with a chain to assure the safety? Why was he so rude?

Has the youth of today lost the apathy towards fellow citizens, leave alone elderly people? Have we lost the sensitized feeling? Is this an indication of times to come? I do not have answers to these questions, but shudder at the thought of thinking about them.