I never bought a railway ticket

My father says that "When your son's height almost reaches your knees then love him to no limits, when his height crosses your waist then scold him if he even does a small mistake, when he reaches your shoulder guide him to correct way and when your shoe fits into your son's foot then be his friend". Following his rule he has become friendly to me. One day I asked my dad, "You must have done some daring stuffs in your college life." For which he replied with a broaden chest, "A lot". I requested him to narrate one of them and he narrated a story like this one.

It was in the middle of 80's when I was a student of B.Sc.(Mathematics Honors) in Sahebjang Science College, Bihar (now in Jharkhand). My home was in Tinpahar which was nearly fifty kilometers away from my college. Our financial condition was not that better that my dad can afford my stay in Sahebjang so I had to shuttle from college everyday. I used to take the first local to reach my college and would return around eight at night by another local train but there was an express train that can save my one hour while returning. In my initial days I never dared to take the express train as I never bought a ticket. But after some time we had a group and all my friends forced me to take the express train. Slowly it became my daily habit to go by a local train and return back in that express train. Nearly three years passed and I was never caught by any TTE or any RPF. My final year exams were approaching and our classes got over by then. I had to visit one of my professors one day. I took the same train to college and took that same express train to return but that day something happened that never happened before. That day Magistrate Checking was being conducted in the train and I was totally unaware of the fact. The coach in which I was sitting was the general compartment and hardly had five to six people. Two TTE and two RPF entered the coach and they were bad enough. They pulled out a person with his collar when they found him to be a ticket less traveler. I had to no idea what to do. The train was gaining speed and jumping from it would make be eligible for Physical Handicap quota for sure. It was better to have a full working body and serve in jail than to have few bones broken and get served in bed. Well I placed the notebook in front of my face and started faking seriousness. I did this to avoid any sort of eye contact from those approaching devils. But after sometime the inevitable happened and I heard something in heavy voice, "Ticket please". A fear shriek run through my body which vibrated my spine. But I never wanted to sound uneasy and I said without fear as if I was the owner of the train, "Student and I don't have the ticket". I could see a gathering beside me from the corner of my eye. Then slowly a person in white trouser came there, standing close to me said, "In which chapter of Indian Constitution its written that student don't need a ticket to travel". I was shocked that who the hell was he. He was talking about Constitution. He was a well dressed person with a good outfit and it seems like he was an high ranking officer of Railways.

"I am not a student of political science", I replied.

"Where you will get down?" he asked.

"At Tinpahar", I replied with equal firmness.

He occupied the seat in front of me. Then he spoke in a very gentle voice, "What do you study?"

"B.Sc. Maths Honors", I said proudly.

"And in which college?"

"Sahebjang Science College", I was again broad chested.

"That is a very good college which tells that you are academically good student", he was polite this time.

"I am", what else can I say after such a praise.

"Then why don't you have a ticket. Your father must be giving you the money for it?" he asked.

"Yes, but it is not enough to fill an empty stomach and buy a ticket. Our family is not so economically sound", I said without any pause and every bit was true.

"Ok! have you ever bought a ticket?" he asked a valid question.

"I never bought a railway ticket but my father bought  and gave me a monthly ticket on the first day of my college", again a truth and this time a smile came into his face.

"Ok! I see that your notebook says that you are in final year and your college is going to end soon then", he was flipping the pages of my notebook.

"Yes next month the practical will start", I said and he place my notebook beside him.

"Do you know the punishment for the offense", he was firm now.

"Three months of imprisonment or a fine of twenty rupee or both", I was in no mood of bowing down. In those days the twenty rupee had more value.

"But still you committed the crime. Well what will you do in future: higher study or job?"

"My family can never support higher study. I reached till here with the help of the scholarship that I get from the government. I have been receiving this scholarship since class four", I said my true story as I was sure that I would be jailed because I didn't had the money for penalty. So no way out.

"You are really a bright student that means you will also be getting a good job and you will become a high ranked officer. After that its sure that you will be taking bribes", he has forecasting a lot about my future.

"Look if I get my job by bribing other then I will become the most corrupt official the country ever had but if I get a job by my merit then nobody can be more honest than me", I replied.

It looked like something struck hard in his mind and he returned me my notebook saying, "Go your destination has come, get down and never do it again".
Well my dad was smiling and was expecting a response from me as I heard the story without moving from my place. I said, "Dad, you were too lucky. You were saved by few millimeters". He started laughing and I too joined him. Then he said , "You know I met that person after four year and I recognized him because he was wearing the same dress". I was excited and asked him to continue.
Four years later I was  in Rampurhat station while returning back to Andal from Tinpahar. Again a Magistrate checking was done. Coincidentally I saw him again standing in front of me. I was better dressed now but he was unchanged.
"This time you must be having a ticket because this time I won't leave you", he said to me in hard voice. I was surprised to see that he recognized me. This was his daily routine and he meets hundreds of such ticket-less travelers but how can he remember my face.
"No I don't have", I was polite enough.
"So pay the penalty or get the punishment", he asked the RPF along with him to pull me out.
"Wait, I have something that can save me", I took the Railways-pass from my pocket and showed it to him.
"Hmm", he said a smile in his face.
"Sir, I am an Asst. Loco Pilot of Goods Train, Eastern Railways and I am posted in Andal", I said with utmost politeness.
"Well, that means you will never need a ticket now and you never bought one", he said and started laughing. I also joined him while the RPF standing there was shocked as he was totally unaware.
I asked him, "But why did you leave me the last time". He replied, "You were honest and no one lie with such a perfection in front of such checking. I hope you got your job with your marks and not by bribing others". I replied with a big YES. They left the coach.
Dad and I started laughing too. I said ,"That's true you never bought a ticket. You are a Loco Inspector with a first class AC pass". He said to it,"Well you should learn one thing that honesty pays and it pays well and yes I never bought a railway ticket". I smiled back in acceptance.