Somniloquy

Railway !! what is this? How you define Railways an Indian Railway? A metal container of dimension 20-30 feet long and 10 feet wide running on two parallel steel tracks. Have 3-4 different version of container and all the version of container connected to each other. What makes this long Train of containers special except being the mode of transportation for long journey?

I can suggest one answer. It’s is the only place where you live, eat ,talk and most important trust strangers whom you have just meet and prepare yourself to be with them at least for one day. I also travel by train alone and frankly I didn’t enjoy much. I usually speak less in train but what makes me to speak with traveler is there behavior in the train what I feel it is funny.

I was coming back to my working city from my hometown. I had my reservation so I left my home late to catch the train. Departure was fixed at 11 o’clock night. So my dinner was at my home, I think every passenger dose stomach full of dinner so that they can sleep like a top or sleep like a log in this train. I went to my berth in 2nd AC and kept my luggage under my seat and spread my bed sheet so that other passenger who are willing to sit on my berth should know that I will sleep soon. Train left and after an hour and half everyone went to sleep. Few people who sleep late were awake and talking. My neighbor was a student and he also went to sleep soon. In mid night I was awake by a harsh sound like something sparked. People were watching the ceiling and searching what happened. The sudden spike had fused the bulb. I ignored it and slept again. After few hours suddenly I heard someone saying something in a female voice. I opened my eyes and looked around. It was dark every were. The sound was still coming like a lady crying and suddenly saying something and laughing. I was horrified. I looked closely around and discovered that the student was talking in sleep. A Somniloquy. Somehow I managed to sleep.
Next day I woke up and had my tea. In afternoon I started talking with him asked about his whereabouts. He was holding a book titled “Ghost Stories”. I asked are these stories true. He smiled. I said to myself which ghost was in your dream last night. Both of us have to reach the same station which was schedule next day morning. The same night he was again repeating some dialogues of the book. This time I was well prepared not to get horrified and complete my sleep.

That incident is well bookmarked in my memories. It was nice to meet that boy and hope that next time he will carry a book in which stories are not of ghost but spiritual ones.