Change is what we need!

I will come straight to the point. Chirag and I were coming back from college in the Bombay Local Train. Both of us were hanging outside with one foot dangling in the air. I should add that this daredevil posture wasn't exhibited by choice. We were between Ghatkopar and Vikhroli. I casually said "Man, I am thirsty". 

Chirag - "Ok. Let's get water"

Me - "From where?

"From Vikhroli station dude"

"I don't want to miss this train Chirag"

" We won't. I will get water from the Station canteen and come back before the train leaves from the Station"

Silence.... I smiled

Chirag - "You dont think I can do it!!!! Huh! Huh!!!!! You don't think I can do it!!!!"

"Calm down yaar... hehehee.. it's not that....its just that you can't!"

"You want to see!! You want to see... I can do it man Bhat.. I really can"

This time I smiled inside and said... ok.

Vikhroli Station was fast approaching. We were sandwiched between quite a lot of people. Hearing our conversation a few people got involved too. They started giving Chirag tips. Chirag started stretching his arms and legs. Hmmmm.. warm up. 

Vikhroli Station was here. The train would be halting in about 2 minutes. Chirag suavely removed his wallet from the pocket. I almost put my hands up thinking it was a gun. All eyes were on Chirag. I could hear some strange noise coming from Chirag. I looked at him. "Don't worry man... its the adrenaline pumping". I stopped worrying :)

The train was almost about to stop. Chirag leapt out with hands and legs stretched and a small "Yaaaaaaa!".  There was a huge thud on the platform. No, he didn't fall, he landed. He sprinted to the Canteen. People around me were boosting him with eager eyes. "Come on water guy, you can do it". Chirag reached the canteen in one piece, already panting. We saw Chirag gesturing to the canteen guy that he needed a bottle of water. Everything was going well. Chirag was suprising me. He was ACTUALLY going to do it I thought. Suddenly I see Chirag fluttering his hands in the air... panic stricken. He was in some trouble. He was frantically looking around and hopping in one place. We saw him pleading the canteen guy about something. The train started moving.

Before I could yell, one of the guys asked me "What's his name?". "Chirag", I said. He shouted at the top of his voice , "Chirag, you idiot! Come back!!!". We all yelled together "Chiraaaaag!!!". "Oh.... Shit" he said. For a moment he hoped it was his eyeballs that were moving. On realising it was actually the train he desperately put the wallet in his pocket. With a firm resolve he left the bottle of water there and started running. He was red; still running and chasing our bogie. I was ready to jump out if he didn't make it. Somehow, full credit to him, he jumped on in the small place that we had made for him. "What happened!!" we asked. He wasn't in a position to answer. Breathing was more important and so was flaring the nostrils. Some ruffled words came from his mouth. "haa?" I asked. He was trying hard to get clear words out of his lungs. I wasn't making things easy for him. I kept asking him. Finally he said panting "I........... didn't.............. have................. change............ you bastard!" followed by a huge grin and a nod. After laughing our hearts out I asked "How much did you have?" "10 bucks" he said. 

"Why didn't you get a bigger bottle instead?"

"Are you craz............... Oooooooooooooooooh!" he said while looking at the moving horizon.

But to be honest, he gave it another shot at the next station with 5 Rs (given by one of the cheerleaders in the train). He ran to the canteen, got the bottle, came back, hopped onto the train and gave me the bottle of water.  He quenched my thirst for water and my appetite for laughter in one go. Thats Chirag for you.