I've always been proud of the fact that I can adapt according to the situation, I can handle anything ! well, this ability was stretched to the limit on my journey home from Kolkata..it was the month of June, it was seething hot and I could manage only a 2nd class ticket on a 3rd class train ..being a typical south Indian, I reached the station one hour early..If you want to feel good about yourself, if u want to forget all your miseries, then come to Howrah station, there is so much poverty so much hopelessness, u'll automatically feel good about your life..I think most people who join NGO's in Kolkata , do that after witnessing the scene at this railway station!! in my case , neither am I THAT sensitive to human suffering , nor is my life so full of problems..so I just sat and observed..the train came , right on time !! I found my seat , pushing the hordes of people aside..going to the gym has its advantages :)..people travelling with me were :- 1.a vegetable seller with a huge sack , presumably full of vegetables. 2.an old man and his daughter who was a nursing mother , with a wailing child ..3.an old couple, and one look at the man and I could tell that I was not going to get any sleep at night , he looked like a typical "snorer"..big beard , moustache, beer belly..I can't sleep even if there's the slightest sound of a snore..yeah, and I'm writing about my adaptation skills..anyways .time passes by ,its been an hour more than the scheduled departure time, and the train is still sitting at the station..Suddenly a man comes, wearing the sort of uniform the train attendants wear, and says " there's some problem in the pantry..there won't be any lunch..if you want lunch , pay me right now and i'll give you a lunch packet" ..there were a few murmurings but people gave him money..for some reason ,i felt i shud eat the chips and sandwiches i had bought for lunch ..as soon as he took the money, he turned and started running..WITH THE MONEY!..now since my co passengers weren't in any condition to give him a chase ( old men and women , nursing mother, and an uninterested vegetable seller ) , they all imploringly looked at me to give him a chase, "betaaa, pakdo , chor"..fuck!! ...i started the chase, he was out of the compartment, i was still in the middle , jostling and pushing people aside and yelling "chor"..finally got out of the compartment, i could see him running in the distance, i ran after him like a lion running after deer, yelling "pakdo , chor"..i was gaining on him ..he looked back and then ran faster..there were a couple of policemen, drinking tea and while running i looked at them , pointed at the thief and yelled " chor " and they just shrugged their shoulders..with a resounding " bh*****d ", i ran faster, but then came the sucker punch ..he jumped on to the tracks and crossed over and there was a train slowly chugging into the station .. my logical brain kicked into action.."wat the hell man, it's not even MY money he is stealing .."..the chase ended..but the story hasn't..watch this space..