An unpleasant start to a beautiful morning :(

Two days back on my way to office, I realized that my monthly train pass had expired so I thought of using the train coupons. As usual I was on the phone with maa, the usual thing I do on my way to office... just a minimal compensation for the 8 hours time I spend in my work place where rather than any important stuff to convey we hardly communicate.

Anyways, I boarded the train to Parel and just as Dadar passed... I realized that I had not punched my coupons at the platform. Shit...I wanted to run from there... I got down at my station...tried a little peek a boo thing and got the hint that the TT was not around to get hold of me.

The moment I climbed the bridge...I spotted two tall men....Holy God save me, I cried from within.. My nervousness made me act lousy and stupid which made it evident for them to guess that I was the law breaker. I took out my cell, just to pose that I had an urgent call to make, then all of a sudden from nowhere the tall, stout TT came and asked me for my ticket..

I started fumbling...Ticket...Ok...I showed him my coupons which were obviously not punched.. which he even pointed ...I acted innocent least realizing that it was not doing any good to me.."O these are to be punched??I didn't know...I am actually new to this place and all such crappy things" He told me Mam its clearly written on these coupons that they are equivalent to traveling without tickets if the coupons are not punched. He asked me to pay a fine of Rs 260.

Now this was like a tight slap on my face. For a 4/-ticket...Rs 260 fine??? and that too early in the morning?? thats not done man. I admit it was my fault..but everyday 1000s of commuters travel without a proper train ticket...and moreover my intension was not to dupe any one..all these thoughts raced my mind..

I knew that Press cards work any where and every where...I showed him my card which failed to impress that fellow..He constantly kept on poking me for the fine.. I pulled out my wallet, thankfully I had only 150/- in it....that smart chap noticed my debit card in it and asked me to withdraw money from the ATM....I pleaded sir leave me this time...I can only give you 100/- as 50 bucks at least I will require for my entire day. I guess he was a good soul as he was kind enough to understand that..

I reached office with a frown on my face...subabh subhah 100/- rupaiya ka chuna..Gadhe ko Diwali ke aage paisa jo banana hain..and kept on cursing him.When I narrated this tale to my colleagues...I was in fact happy to learn that 80% of the people present in that place have been fined by a TT some where or the other in Bombay...O sorry Mumbai... and they have failed to make a fair bargain which I did early in the morning...:)