The architecture of the railway station was such that, one possibly couldn’t avoid climbing up the Foot over bridge – the FOB as they call it in the railway terms. There was simply no way of approaching the booking office without climbing the staircase. Every day, clutching his laptop bag which dangled idly over his shoulder, he would relentlessly secure his way up the stairs amongst the scurrying public. He loathed trains and the crowd that came with it! But his work demanded that he travel, and as such he had little choice. The only reason he never cursed his fate was that they paid him enough.

The station had just two platforms. One track going up the town and another coming down. The town had developed on either sides of the railway station. People wanting to walk to either side of the town were just a bridge apart. The Central city place was only an hour or so from here. Professionals, workmen, teachers all travelled by the train. Some went up to the city and few others went in the opposite direction. But in any case, the trains enjoyed their rush.

He had reached quite a bit early today, 8.38 to be precise! The daily newspaper hadn’t been delivered, and in its absence, breakfast today had been a considerably dull affair. Thus, he had managed to get ready in a jiffy and was tad too ahead of the train schedule. The suburban train was not expected until 08:48 hours. Another train on the opposite platform was due in the next five minutes and yet something was missing. Most of its daily passengers had already arrived. Well! Except for one, of course!

He had been looking out for her ever since he had arrived, but she was nowhere to be seen! 08:39 hours in the morning, was her usual moment of entering the opposite platform. The dainty little lady, clad in the most pleasing attire, would unhurriedly walk past alert looking men. ‘The scarfed lady’ as he had subtly named her – always wore a maroon coloured scarf over her face. Why would she do that? Yet, seemingly oblivious of her surroundings, she would steal a glance once at the digital clock and a second at the signal system. And then she would start watching the opposite platform. Although her eyes never seemed to look at anything specific, he felt a sense of knowing. A sense of knowing (more of a hoping!); that she might just be looking at him, or maybe for him. But deep inside he knew it was not so!

Wiping his sweating brow, he glanced at the time on the digital clock. So unlikely of her! It was already 8.45 and yet she had not yet arrived. Just as he made a mental note of registering the day she had not come, the distraught scarfed lady brushed past, to the edge of the opposite platform. The usual glance at the clock somewhat relieved her. But the wind that day had other plans for her. A more than just a gentle breeze of the wind blew her scarf askew. She desperately tried to jump for it. But it flew away calmly and landed far away. She could do nothing.

Behind the scarf was indeed a beautiful face! Her confused and searching eyes caught sight of him being a witness to her delicate agitation. They would face each other at the crossing every day. But today was different. A familiar expression crossed his face today. He smiled at her. She stopped. With a mild gesture of helplessness, she shrugged and smiled back at him.

A long story had just started! She seemed delighted and now was his turn to be oblivious!!!