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Strike! Strike Strike Strike! More Rupees Please!

21st of April has come and gone, three whole months have passed; the newly-laid tracks are gathering dust in the ever grimey south-indian region. The Indian Railway workers have gone on their annual strikes, an excuse to take a few weeks off from work, or so say the regional tabloids. Increase the wages they ballot and almost riot. Twelve days of annual leave, a medical benefits package and an insurance policy make up the rest of their demands. Reasonable by the worldwide players in the transport sector - this is India though, the land of the once efficient train system.

The hype surrounding the launch of the train has died down eerily. Whether Sachin has hit another six-er during yesterday's game has returned to its red-alert status to the local townsfolk. Another chai is ordered by the postmaster, heavy grains of salt-laden perspiration from hs forehead, pound the dry, almost rusty brown earth below. Several other splotches on the ground have started socializing as they attempt to form a simple and minute river system. Summer has arrived in typical fashion.

Slamming down the glass, the khaki dorn postmaster erects himself and walks on by to his trusty, not to mention rusty Raleigh. Handed down to him from his father, the bicycle seems to bear no grudge against its second master of 34 years. A mellow sigh erupts, his thought at that moment might have beeb about two chaiya a day, one ruppee. Thirty rupees a month, affordable still. But for how long?

No one knew. Maybe the employees at the Great Indian Railway had an answer. Maybe. But maybe is a word not best made for use in India. Maybe meant death or life for another day here. Maybe meant timely rain for the crops, or for a deepened stature in poverty.

Perhaps time had an answer. One could cast his thoughts out to the sky, kneel, pray and hope.

Hope that the strike is over before long. Hope that the postal service does not submit itself into its own annual, sometimes bi-annual strikes. Ah, maybe time will reveal that soon.


This post first appeared on The 2 A.M. Train, please read the originial post: here

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Strike! Strike Strike Strike! More Rupees Please!

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