The Train

Written 11-2-07 4:45 PM

On the train from near Pondicherry (Puducherry), en route to Madurai.

The train:

 

Hard blue seats. Windows with bars. No glass. Two minute stops for a quick walk outside. The train rolls out with only a second's warning on the horn, or in silence. Pravin, Andrew, Gemma, and Cloie play games and laugh. The young English women are enchanted wtih the Aussie and the Indian guide. Susan and I are invisible to Cloie. Chai. Chai. Tea. Tea. The vendor pours a hot paper cup full for 5 rupees. Sweet, hot, milky tea. Briyani. Chicken. Chilis. Bananas. Piles of orange, battered, greasy fried food sered up with dirty hands. The chilis are good, cheesy, like chili rellanos. Coffee. Coffee. Do all these people train to produce their deeply resonant chants calling appetites to their wares? Drink. Pee. The toilet is horrid and I am adjusting. Just go and leave. A quick rinse of hands in questionable water. No soap. No towel. Cockroach eating a crumb of dropped croissant. Another crawls up the window frame towards our luggage stowed above. Don't take this rascal home! Open doors. Very dangerous on a speeding train. Nice view and wind. Sitting or standing in the door is splendid. Trash from soda and snacks and no trash bin. A fast dash to the bin at the station. Back to the train. Climb aboard just as it moves out. Vendors all dressing red and blue plaid. Marching the train end to end. Bananas! Fried bananas! Susan is out of her seat and a vendor is resting there, watching me write. Greasy fingers are wiped on pants. No problem. A filthy beggar boy, an urchin about 10 crawls down the aisle on hands and knees. He stops by feet and swabs the floor with a filthy wet rag. He is begging for money. We arrive in Madurai.

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Michael & Susan Kuhn
Trip email: indiaadventure2007@gmail.com
Trip blog: www.indiaadventure2007.blogspot.com