A matter of Trust and Faith

A matter of Trust and Faith
Trust and faith more often than not means the same, but in fact can be very diverse in its connotation. They also have the uncanny habit of becoming judgmental and growing on you, so much so it becomes very hard to shake them off you after a prolonged period. A case in point is when you direct your twin emotional feelings on Governmental machinery, its functions and functionaries; it becomes very difficult to change your stance. Even if a miracle was to happen and a government functionary has turned a new leaf for the better, you still tend to view it with a fair amount of skepticism.
Against this backdrop, when I weigh my other inherent quality of not calling a crook - a crook till he has actually been proved crooked, I do tend to give anyone the benefit of a doubt. This time the benefactor of my largesse was the much maligned Indian Railway System, well known for its lethargy, callousness, total apathy and indifference.
On 26 /11/2008 Mumbai city was nearly brought to its knees by a group of terrorists. Post this attack, the railways buckled up its pants and beefed up its security. To augment this system they provided an hotline Mobile number for the general public to call, to cater to any untoward incident or suspicion. This number was generously splashed and pasted along everywhere in the railway precincts and trains for the benefit of the general public and train commuters. Needless to say our twin emotional feelings came to the fore and soon the public gave not even a cursory glance towards these numbers and life proceeded normally like it would in any buzzing metro like Mumbai.
On a very sultry afternoon I was traveling by the suburban train, which is the lifeline of Mumbai. It was very hot and humid and instead of sitting I preferred to stand to catch some breeze from the doorway. There was a gentleman standing on the footboard, talking very animatedly on his mobile phone, when suddenly he let out a huge gasp and started wringing his hands. As he was in the direct vicinity of my attention I asked him what happened. He replied that someone hit him from outside with a stick.
Examining his hand I asked him whether any bones were broken, to which he nodded in the negative, but mentioned that his mobile was gone. Then it struck me that robbery was the motive behind the attack, and I told him to lodge a complaint with the cops at the next station, to which he nodded but added with a sarcastic 'what’s the use?' query. Suddenly I espied the emergency number on the window panel above the window and I suggested him to call that number. He looked at me incredulously and slowly said "I have lost my mobile and if I had another you really expect that number to work? You must be naive." The twins were at play
I just shrugged as my aforementioned theory about the crook came to the fore and handed my mobile to him and goaded to call the number.
The bell it seemed was ringing as he gave me an all knowing smile when suddenly he perked up and started giving details of the incident. Even while he was describing, the train reached the next station where I was supposed to alight, so I asked him to get down too. When he finished he gave me my phone which immediately started to ring, a business call. Even as I was about to take the call, I asked him to give me his name and address or contact no. so that I can get in touch with him as the cops would automatically contact me if the make any headway. My cell was ringing incessantly so I took the call and while I was doing so, the next train came in and he started to board it. In mid conversation I asked him again for his contact no. to which he said in as many words do you really expect them to call and boarded the train. I went back to the conversation with my client on the phone. My phone in the meanwhile began to give a call waiting signal.On completing my call, I looked at the call waiting no and found it to be unlisted in my phonebook.
Suddenly my phone rang again, it was the same missed call number and a grave voice informed me that the mobile I had reported as lost has been retrieved and the thief nabbed, so could I please go and collect the same after identifying it. I looked at the rear of the train that had just left the station taking along with it the man whose mobile was lost and found.
Now the owner was lost as he had not given his contact number and it was very unlikely that he will call the cop station as his twin emotions, trust and faith in the system had eroded unconditionally.
It was exactly eleven minutes since the emergency number was intimated. The phone was found and the crook had straightened but faith and trust was still conspicuous by its absence.
However the system made my day and as I saved the emergency number in my mobile under the title 'Trust & Faith - Railways', my heart and mind echoed kudos to an effort made in the right direction.
I was happy to know someone is there somewhere, vigilant and guarding.
Yours4ever.