Platform no 5

I went to the railway station last week to see my mom off on a piligrimage. The train was at platform -4. As I walked up the bridge to get to platform number 4, I saw the board "Way to platform no 5". This brought back a very funny memory.

Last year my family (me, mom 'n dad) , my aunt and two of my cousins (her kids) were to go on a trip to vizag. On that day my sis and I were to start @ work around 3:30 PM and reach the railway station. Though we work in the same area we planned to go seperately.I was to board the train @ secunderabad with my parents, and she at nampally with her mom and bro.

I reached the station at 4:45 pm and was waiting for the train on platform no 1. My bro called me at that time and asked me where I was, I said I was waiting on the platform for the train. He said ok and cut the call. I confirmed from a porter if I was on the right platform and he said yes.

After a few minutes, my bro called me again and he was literally bellowing into the phone "Where are you? The trains about to start."

I thought the train was to depart at 5:45. But he said no, it's leavin right now. I asked him if my parents had reached but he did not reply. I was in total confusion. There was no train on platform no 1. I asked him which platform and he said platform no 5. And then I ran, I must have never run harder in my life, I run quite fast for my height, but it had been ages since I ran. I reached platform no 5 in exactly 30 seconds.

By this time my brother was shouting into the phone. He was like "get into ANY compartment. you can find us later. The train is moving" but the train on platform on 5 was not moving. It was a train to vizag, but it was NOT moving. I told him the same. He said "we are on godavari express. platform no 5 does not mean 1-2-3-4-5. It means 1, 2-3, 4-5" This was exactly how he said it. I WAS on the right platform. But the train was not moving AND it was not godavari.

Here's the conversation between us. I'm writing it in telugu as we spoke.

He: ayyo train vellipotundi. ekkava leda? (the trains moving. are you on board or not?)
Me(still running, pushing and shoving): Ledu ee train ikkade undi.ma mummy vallu ekkara? (No, the trains not moving yet. Are my folks there?)
He(agitated): Train vellipoyindi. nuvvu tondaraga secunderabad vellu. akkada catch cheyyi. ( The trains left. You go to secunderabad quickly and catch the train there.)
Me(took a few seconds for what he said to sink in): Nenu secunderabad lone unnanu. (I am at secunderabad).

And then both of us started laughing our heads off. I told him I'll talk to him after THEY come to secunderabad and cut the call. Then I slowly dragged myself back to platform no 1, bought myself a coooooold drink and sank onto a bench. I could not even laugh as I was alone and people would think I was mad.(I very much looked the part, thanks to all the running.) Finally, my parents reached the station and I told them what happened. after some time the train arrived. and the moment we saw each other all of us started laughing again. It then struck me that I never mentioned to my aunt or cousins that I would board the train at secunderabad. They assumed I would come to namaplly as it was closer to where I work.

Journeys to vizag were never so much fun :)