HIDDEN BEAUTY

It was a rush evening at Chennai Beach Railway Station. Stoppage of train service for few hours is the cause for the abnormal rush over there. Lakshmi was eagerly expecting the train in a tensed mood. Usually she travels to Thambaram from Chennai Beach regularly after her office. Normally she boards ladies compartment. But due to the confused set of announcements regarding the next train from railway authorities, she had to board in to a general compartment, that day.

Due to the heavy rush she was not able to settle down herself comfortably inside the compartment. So she had to stand near the entrance. In few moments a guy ravi entrained in the moving train. With a wrinkled cotton shirt and a jean pant he entered, in chewing a sort of pan powder in his mouth. Ravi is a student seeking career after his higher secondary schooling. Slowly he entered inside and stood near lakshmi. Only a middle-aged man was standing amidst lakshmi and ravi. Ravi was able to touch lakshmi just in a hand stretch.

Ravi was popping outside in the tiny available gap in that heavy rush. Footboard travelers were entraining and detraining in each and every station. After a few minutes ravi’s concentration got diverted towards lakshmi. Ravi’s eyes slowly gazed near lakshmi’s hip. For few more minutes lakshmi had not noticed that ravi is gazing her. After a few minutes she realized that ravi is gazing her deeply.

Lakshmi got embarrassed of ravi’s look. She was not able to do anything. She was standing helpless. As train departed from mambalam station, congestion doubled up. Laskmi felt a hand is rubbing her hand. Within the available space she tried to remove and hide her hands. Ravi’s look slowly raised up and up, below her face. She felt more and more embarrassed. A hand was slowly caressing her hands.

Laskshmi thought that ravi is the one who is caressing her, as he was gazing for a long time. She warned ravi with her gesture, in vain. She thought of to shout and seek the co-passengers help, but she hesitated as she belonged to a decent and high-grade family. So she adjusted herself still more and tried to manage the situation. Ravi’s sight became much sharper towards lakshmi. Losing her patience laksmi shouted at ravi, “Hello, can’t you keep quiet?”

Ravi did not have any reaction for her question. But a middle-aged man standing amidst ravi and lakshmi started passing comments that “it is the habit of the youth to tease girls”. After uttering these words that gentleman slowly vacated that place as further arguments may lead to a man handling and his own skin may get affected if he stand there. Crowd started to criticize ravi for his actions. Meanwhile a hand blown ravi’s back head. But, in spite of all these ravi firmly took his hands just below lakshmi’s neck.

Few others there commented that he is adamant and some others started blowing ravi. But still without any distraction he acted at his will. As the crowd started pushing him he was forcibly alighted down two stations before his destination. But before he got down he had fulfilled his aim. Yes he had snatched a scorpion hiding in the door gap and which was about to sting lakshmi. No one in the crowd has seen that good heart inside that dump young man.

But fortunately at the last moment lakshmi had noticed that ravi has snatched the scorpion which was about to sting her. Tough she was not able to speak any thing in that situation, she expressed her gratitude with her eyes and he too acknowledged it. At least she was able to see that “Hidden Beauty - Ravi’s Heart”.


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