I sat alone in a compartment until the train reached Rohana, where a young woman boarded. The couple seeing her off were probably her parents; they seemed quite worried about her journey. The woman gave her detailed instructions: where to put her things, not to stick her head out the window, avoid talking to strangers, and so on.
I am blind, so I don't know what the young woman looked like, but from the "clack-clack" of her heels, I knew she was wearing slippers. How clear and sweet her voice was!
"Are you going to Delaware?" I asked her as the train pulled out of the station.
I suppose she was sitting in a dark corner, because my voice startled her; she let out a soft gasp and finally said, "I didn't know there were people here."
Yes, that's common. People with good eyesight often can't even see what's right under their noses; perhaps they have too much to see, while those who are blind can use their other senses to clearly perceive their surroundings.
“I didn’t see you at first,” I said, “but I heard you come in.” I wasn’t sure if I could hide the fact that I was blind. I figured if I just sat there, she wouldn’t easily notice.
“I’m getting off at Saharanpur,” the girl said. “My aunt is there to meet me. Where are you going?”
“To Delaware first, then to Mussori,” I said.
“Oh, you’re so lucky! I wish I could go to Mussori! I love the mountains there, especially in October.”
“Yes, that’s the golden season.” As I spoke, I recalled what I had seen before I went blind. “The mountainsides were covered in dahlias, even more vibrant in the bright sunshine. At night, sitting around a campfire, drinking a little brandy, most of the tourists had left, and the roads were quiet, like a deserted place.”
She remained silent. Had my words moved her? Or did she think I was a charming but sly man? Then I made a mistake. “How’s the weather outside?” I asked.
She seemed completely unsurprised by the question. Had she already realized I was blind? But her next sentence immediately cleared my doubts. "Why don't you look out the window yourself?" she asked casually.
I effortlessly moved from my seat to the window. The window was open, and I turned my face towards it, pretending to admire the view. I could picture the roadside telephone poles flashing past. "Did you notice?" I ventured, "that it seems like our car isn't moving, but the trees outside are." "That's common."
I turned my face from the window to the girl, and for a moment, we were both silent. "Your face is really interesting." I became bolder, and such comments were never wrong, for few girls dislike flattery.
She laughed contentedly, a laugh like the tinkling of silver bells. "I'm so glad to hear you say that," she said, "Everyone says my face is beautiful, I'm tired of hearing it!"
Ah, in that case, she was indeed beautiful! So I said loudly and seriously, "Yes, an interesting face can be beautiful too."
"You're so good with words," she said. "But why are you so serious?"
"You're getting off soon," I blurted out.
"Thank goodness, the journey isn't far. If I had to sit here for another two or three hours, I couldn't take it." However, I was happy to sit here forever, as long as I could hear her. Her voice was like a babbling brook. She might forget our brief encounter as soon as she got off, but for me, it would stay with me for the rest of the journey, and I wouldn't forget it for a while.
A long whistle sounded, and the wheels slowed down. The girl stood up and gathered her things. I wondered if she had her hair up, long and flowing, or short.
"Goodbye!" the girl said.
She stood very close to me, the scent of her perfume stirring my heart. I wanted to reach out and touch her hair, but she had already drifted away, leaving only a faint fragrance lingering where she had stood.
...Now I have a new travel companion, perhaps I can use my little tricks again.
"Sorry, I'm not as attractive as the one who got off the bus just now," he said casually.
"That girl was very interesting," I said, "Could you tell me if she had long or short hair?"
"I didn't notice," he sounded somewhat puzzled. "But I did notice her eyes, they were very beautiful, but useless to her—she was completely blind, did you notice?"
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