I have a friend who runs with me to the Railway Station after work. Now people might wonder as to why we run..We run to catch the earliest possible train from out of Colombo.
So today, since my friend’s boss asked him to stay a bit longer, not only did we miss one but four slow trains towards Down South. While waiting for the next train which was due in 10 minutes, they announced that it will be running a bit late. Now I was supposed to go to my boarding place, freshen up a bit and drive to Galle, to a funeral of a relative of a work colleague. (Did I use too many to‘s & of‘s ??)
Mind you, I’m having a bad cold with a sore throat & my voice has been of a 60 year old grumpy old man’s. Having had to survive 9 1/2 hrs at work, my plan was to then go to Galle and return to my bed at early dawn, again to go back to work next morning with a possible tumor in my brain.
Anyhoo, thanks to the Railway drivers who were අකුරට වැඩ today, I’m nicely sitting on my bed, typing this while sipping on කොත්තමල්ලි which the kind house owner made me drink after a long lecture about not going to see a doctor. All I could do was nod which must have looked rather stupid coz I couldn’t talk with my voice gone to the dogs.
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What I really wanted to tell you is that this is quite a normal scenario for someone who’s traveling by train. Trains are delayed all the time. For the most unbelievable reasons. Sometimes they test our patience by stopping the Express Train at every station and sending the Slow Train 05 minutes behind the Express which also stops everywhere..කාට කියන්නද ?
The reason for today’s delay I was told was the interdiction of the driver who rammed his train into the observation rail car of the Kandy – Colombo Intercity Express. Whether he’s guilty or not, I don’t know, but it certainly ain’t my problem either.
People in this damned island need to make use of time. Buy yourself a watch honorable minister. Wear that watch, go to the Fort railway station and liaise with the timekeeper. Better yet, you do that job coz the one who’s in charge isn’t of no use to the people who are tired of working & waiting to get home sooner.
Then again I wish that I had the luxury to drive and maintain something like this which was seen at the Carlton 7′s Rugby Tournament, last Saturday.
