The Rajdhani Express was rapidly eating up the distance from Bangalore to Delhi. Even this elite train of the Indian Railways was not free from the class system; a legacy from the colonial past. The prohibitive fare structure precluded the possibility of an average Indian being a passenger on this train. Majority of the persons adopting this mode of transportation either belonged to the business class or were Government Servants holding positions of varying importance in the multifarious ministries and departments of the Government of India. The hierarchy that further segregated these passengers based on their relative degrees of affluence and place in the pecking order could be easily discerned by their class of travel.
The lowest class on the train was the air conditioned three tier.Then there was the air conditioned two tier that afforded a passenger the luxury of added living space. The creamy layer on the train were the select few who could afford to travel in the air conditioned first class coach. Indrajit Banerjee traveling in cabin A was one such distinguished passenger.
As he lounged in the luxurious environs of his cabin, Indrajit's eyes went over the only other occupant seated across. His nose wrinkled in disgust when he observed the malocclusion. The protuberance of the canines and premolars disguised an otherwise handsome visage. The six offenders jutted out at an angle almost perpendicular to the upper jaw. The upper lip was pursed behind while its lower counterpart had withdrawn to the inner recess of his mouth. It was as though the lips themselves were distancing themselves from the rebarbative feature that overshadowed their presence.
Indrajit realized that barring this singular disfigurement the young man was strikingly handsome. He was also well attired. The designer clothes and accessories hinted at an unusual degree of affluence. The cell phone glued to his ear had been active for considerable lengths of time throughout the journey from Bangalore. Now the train was approaching Secunderabad and the youngster was fidgeting in his seat. Perhaps he was yearning for a breath of fresh air or the morning newspapers.
Indrajit mused about the callousness of parents who permitted the malocclusion to reach such a gigantic proportion. It was preposterous. The parents should be prosecuted for criminal neglect. A timely visit to an orthodontist would have easily rectified the anomaly. Even now the situation was not beyond repair. The rapid strides in the field of dental surgery had made miracles possible. Cosmetic dental surgery was no longer uncommon in the country. Indrajit was amazed to see that the youngster who spent enormous amounts on colognes and perfumes was loathe to spend some on his teeth.
The young man suddenly left his seat. Indrajit realized that the train had arrived at the station. Within a few minutes a young girl entered the cabin. She was struggling under the weight of a large suitcase. Having safely deposited her baggage under the seat she flopped wearily on one of the seats. Indrajit was not very pleased at this development. One of the luxuries of traveling First Class was that the cabin was intended to accommodate only two passengers. He was about to protest but was held back by the girl's beauty. Moreover, the berth on which the girl was seated belonged to his co-occupant. Indrajit was certain that the Ticket Examiner would shoo away the illegal occupant when he came on his rounds.
Indrajit was furtively observing the girl. She was truly pretty. Her teeth appeared okay. No malocclusion here. Seeing his eyes on her the girl flashed a disarming smile. It was one of those wide mouthed smiles that belonged to girls who were proud of their teeth.Indrajit smiled in return. It was then that his eyes fell on her gums. They were bright pink. He detected a trace of red in them. From the deep recess of his brain a single word of warning seemed to flash silently- gingivitis!
The young man reappeared. He was carrying some oranges and a copy of The Week. Momentarily distracted by the presence of the girl on his seat, he took some time to regain his composure. Indrajit was expecting the youngster to admonish the illegal occupant. Therefore he was quite surprised when the girl flashed her radiant smile once again and was offered an orange in return. Though the girl refused the offer, Indrajit noticed that the ice had broken between them. He was keenly observing the girl. As she spoke to the young man she could not arrest her eyes from wandering over the single anomalous feature on the otherwise handsome face.
Indrajit tried to obfuscate the malicious grin that appeared on his face. It was obvious to him that the girl was just being polite. Her attempts at conversation were a reflection of her good breeding. She was just being kind. The way one is taught to be kind to a person who is visually impaired or physically handicapped. Suddenly a funny thought occurred to him, which almost made him laugh. He hid his face behind a newspaper. He was imagining the boy trying to kiss the girl. Would the girl relent? Imagine those teeth invading the mouth of a girl. They were sure to reach her throat and gag her. Who would kiss a person with so hideous a deformity?
The train continued its furious pace. The soft music coupled with frequent supplies of meals and refreshments lulled the passengers into a state of satiated somnolence. Indrajit chose to hide behind a paperback and discreetly observe the interaction of the youngsters seated across. It was obvious that the young man was charmed by the bewitching smile of his companion. Clearly he had never heard about gingivitis.
As the train approached Bhopal, the young man made hurried preparations to leave. When he had packed his bags and tucked away the unread copy of The Week, he bid farewell to the girl. The enthusiastic response of the girl reinforced Indrajit's conviction that she was truly pleased at his departure. Poor girl! It was apparent to him that she was heaving a sigh of relief. Having dispensed with the girl, the young man rewarded him with a frosty stare accompanied by a limp wave of his hand. Indrajit responded with a perfunctory nod of his head and quickly glanced out of the darkened window. Bidding farewell to strangers was never his forte. It was then that his eyes fell on the divine creature standing on the platform.
The girl was in her early twenties. Her tall and shapely form was sheathed in a red dress that accentuated the curves of her body. Her honey coloured skin gave an earthiness to her, which was compelling. The soft and wavy hair framed an oval face reminiscent of a Ravi Varma painting. Her eyes, nose and lips were all so beautiful in their symmetry and shape that they reminded Indrajit of the figures of the Goddess during Durga Puja. When the lips parted to reveal an array of teeth perfect in shape, shine and symmetry, their beauty overwhelmed Indrajit. He had never felt like this before. His mouth had gone dry and his heart was pounding furiously in his chest. Indrajit was sure that she was the woman of his dreams. He hoped that she would board the same compartment. Before the train reached Delhi, he would charm her and propose to her.
The lurching of the train broke his reverie. With dismay he realised that the train had started without his beloved. With his nose pressed against the window glass, he continued to gaze at the object of his desire. Suddenly her eyes lit up and a smile of recognition played on her lips. He shifted his gaze towards the person who had brought this sudden change in her demeanor. He could not believe his eyes. Approaching her, with his arms outstretched, was the youngster who was his erstwhile companion. As the train threw the couple beyond the field of vision, Indrajit craned his neck for a last glimpse. An involuntary groan escaped his lips as he watched the spectacle of the duo in a warm embrace. The lips of the couple were firmly locked in a kiss so passionate that even the Rajdhani Express could not suppress a sympathetic moan of sheer ecstasy.
