"Hurry up Son, if you miss the train today then you will have to wait for another 3 months", says Maa as she checks the big basket bag one last time.
"Yes Maa, I am almost done." he says as he set his oily hair with his comb by adjusting a perfect crop towards his left. He looked into the mirror and touched his thin moustache with his fingers and scrunched his face. He quickly grabbed a razor and clean shaved the moustache.
"Aren't you interested in.." Maa pauses, looks at him and laughs. "Wah!! You were so obsessed with your moustache all these days and today you sacrificed it.. Good progress son!"
He scratches his head and smiles with a blush putting his head down.
"Okay, now stop blushing and start to the railway station quickly", Maa orders.
He nods as he touched her feet to take her blessing.
"May Lord bless you with long life and give you success in everything. Have a safe journey." Maa blesses him by cupping his face, smelling the top of his head and then kissing his forehead.
He goes to pick his cloth bag.
"Son, take blessings of your Babuji as well." Maa insists.
He nods his head and goes infront of his deceased father's photo frame and folds his hand to take blessings. He then picks up the cloth bag and the basket bag and bid adieu to his mother. He settles in the horse ridden cart and the cart driver guides his horse to the station.
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Meet Sidharth Shastri, son of Late Shri. Narayan Shastri and Smt. Sulochana Shastri. Narayan Shastri was a freedom fighter and martyred while fighting for the nation against the Britishers. Sidharth is 18 year old and has just passed his 12th Standard.
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Smt. Sulochana Shastri, Maa or mother of Sidharth. She is 38 years old. She was married at the age of 15 years.
(Rest of the characters will be introduced as the story progresses) . . .
Sidharth: Kaka, please tell your horses to speed up. I will miss my train at this speed.
Cart driver: Yes, Beta ji. Hurrr.. hurr.. huurraaahhh.. (he canes the horse to speed up and the horse paces up)
Sidharth: Oh Kaka, please don't hit the horses. They too experience pain like us.
Cart driver: Animals Beta. They don't understand words, they only understand cane.
Sidharth: Chota muh badi baat.. {I am sorry to say but..} May be you never tried Kaka. Give it a try.
Cart driver: Okay betaji. We've almost reached.
Sidharth quickly pulls out exact change from his kurta pocket and keeps it ready to hand him over. As soon as the cart halts he picks up his bag and gives money to the cart driver.
He hears the train whistle indicating that it would leave the platform. He runs in full speed. The train was already moving in slowly when he successfully boards it. He huffs and gasps for the breath due to running. He then goes and occupies the seat still panting heavily.
A man in the opposite seat looks at him and smiles.
Man: Just in time else you would have missed it in nook of the time. You were quick though. I thought you would miss it.
Sidharth: (smiles) Even I thought so.
Man: (laughs) Where are headed to?
Sidharth: Lakhanpur.
Man: Oh!! What a coincidence! I'm heading to Lakhanpur as well. I am going to see a bride for myself. (He blushes)
Sidharth: Oh!! All the best! My name is Sidharth Shastri.
Man: Thank you! I am Vidhyadhar Mehta. So, what takes you to Lakhanpur.
Sidharth: (smiles) It's a long story.
VM: Hume kaunsa train pakadna hai?.. {I am not in hurry to catch any train now}, so you may share your long story with me.
Sidharth: (laughs) Yes, true! I've already caught a train and I can tell you my story.
