It is 8 in the morning and I am already late. I have to make it to the University by 9 and looks like I am going to miss even the 8:05 train. I run as fast as my feet can carry me, with a heavy bag hanging at the back. There are many other men and women running towards the station . All of us have the same goal in mind-"shouldn't miss that train". Because it is the express train which will take us about 10 minutes earlier than the ordinary one that follows.
But, unfortunately, as I am still on the escalator leading to the platform I see the train just leaving. Tired and gasping for breath I sit on one of those colorful chairs conveniently located next to the 'KIOSK'. As there is no train for the next 3 minutes, I go and buy a sports drink to recuperate my energy for the next leg of my journey. I silently thank myself for having missed that express train. Now, I will tell you what happened the other day when I boarded that 8:05 train.

This particular line of ours is among the busiest subways in Tokyo. The train had slowed down at the station. The railway personnel holding a portable loud speaker (as is usual during that hour), was announcing that people should move more towards the inside of the train, to make room for the others. Then, the automatic doors slowly close. and thats it. Everybody is tightly packed inside. People who have been lucky to get a seat are all reading a book or a newspaper and the younger among them are listening to the music from their 'walkman'and pretending to read a book too. The rest of the people have just closed their eyes-(A form of relaxation). RELAX!!? in a crowded train ? You must be kidding! No, I am not.

Yes, I repeat, Perfect relaxation. That is what most of the people do while travelling in trains. No body talks loudly or makes any sort of noise, including children. Now, here I must mention that the children are trained very well in Japan. They are supposed to maintain absolute silence and they do behave themselves. All the kids first remove their shoes ,put them down and only then are they allowed to sit on their knees if they want to see through the windows , lest they spoil the velvet covers of the seat.

Now, those of us who have to stand are among the unlucky ones. The entire crowd swings together in accordance with the movement of the train. Even so, the journey isn't so unpleasant after all, because during this hour the entire train comprises of 'Officeladies'( 'OL' as they are refered to in Japan) and 'Salarymen' (For their male counterparts) . (I will write more in detail about these 2 terms later). Now, these 'OLs' and 'Salarymen' are so well dressed (usually in a formal attire) that just a mere glance at them gives you a fresh feeling.

Suddenly there is a shrill cry 'ashi,ashi'. (Leg,leg) . Apparently, someone's foot there has been stamped by the pointed heels of an 'OL'. Then follow the usual apologies-'Sumimasen, Gomen nasai' (excuse me, I am sorry) and so on. At each station there is an ever increasing crowd joining us. We all stand patiently for the next 10 minutes and finally comes 'Shibuya', the station where almost the entire crowd gets down. and I manage to get a seat. Now its my turn to read a newspaper and later sit in that 'meditative' posture.I finally reach my University at 9:10. Not bad.

OH, I suddenly realize that I have forgotten my bag in the train. I was carrying a video-camera in it.( for shooting some video clips of the campus which my parents back home wanted to see.) I start panicking, but my Japanese friend tells me to calm down. 'You never lose anything in Tokyo subways' she assures me. I rush to the raiway station and tell the person in the counter what has happened. He immediately calls up the 'Lost and Found' department and there it is. It seems, Some fellow passenger saw the unclaimed bag lying in the train and had handed it over to the station authorities, while getting down.
This isn't a rare phenomenon here.(That is getting back things you have presumed to have been lost!). We never lose anything in Tokyo subways.
P.S: Now, come on, I don't want you to be under the impression that the trains in Tokyo are always crowded. They are, but only during the peak office hours in the morning and on some routes.

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