STORY OF A FORGOTTEN UMBRELLA

1978 March 13. My journey from Trivandrum to New Delhi to attend the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) meeting ( Departmental Council). The first direct train from Kerala to Delhi,K.K.Express ( Kerala – Karnataka Express to Delhi ),  has started running and AC compartments introduced. I was in an AC compartment, eligible for journey to attend JCM. Both Shri Kadannappally Ramachandran M.P. and Shri Henry Austin M.P. were in the same coach. Only limited number of flights were eligible for M.P.s in a year at that time and they travelled mostly by trains, keeping the flight coupons for emergency purposes. First Class and AC compartment were inter-changeable, but most preferred AC though the facilities in the First Class were more, but without AC. Since we were sitting nearby and time was available in plenty, we talked about so many things. Later they started speaking political issues, and I remained mum.

After some time, Henry Stephen gave me a small packet and spoke in confidence that he has got sugar problem and sometimes he may fall down or become unconscious due to low sugar. My job was to immediately put the sugar in his mouth. I readily agreed. I was full of tension, fearing that any moment he may become unconscious or fall down. Fortunately during the entire journey, nothing happened and I was relieved.

On the return journey, when the train  reached Ernakulam, Com. K.Prabhakaran, NFPTE leader, came to the compartment and handed me an old long handed umbrella. I thanked him. We spoke for some time about union matters, he left and the train also started.

Co-passengers were curious. I told the story of the umbrella. I had forgotten the same in the train when I got down from train at Quilon on an earlier journey from Trivandrum. I phoned to Com.Prabhakaran, who is stationed at Ernakulam, from Quilon, and requested him to go to the station at Ernakulam and collect it if it is still in the compartment which I had travelled. Prabhakaran went to the station collected the same. He repaired it, put a new handle and had brought to me now. Co-passengers joked why so much trouble for a very old umbrella.The telephone call from Quilon to Ernakulam might have been costlier than the old umbrella, they told.  No mobile phone at that time, only trunk call. (They might have forgotten that I was working in the telephones).

On reaching Trivandrum Railway Station, hurriedly I got down, went outside, got in to an auto riksha and reached the Lodge room where I was staying. After some time, I remembered about the umbrella. I have forgotten to take it from the train. It was very difficult to inform the same to Com. Prabhakaran, who had taken so much pains to bring the same to me, but as a matter of fact, I told him later.

When I told the matter to my wife, she was not at all impressed or surprised. She knew about my ‘great memory’ and loss of more than one umbrella, money purse etc. earlier. She told  me, ‘now you can purchase a new umbrella’.

V.A.N.Namboodiri 14.10.2024