September 06, 2005
 

Train trawails

I am convinced that infants and babies must possess some senses superior to adults. I cannot find any other explanation to the phenomenon of babies crying in sequence throughout a night in trains.

Now I am not, not even for a moment, blaming anyone for it. You can hardly blame a ten month old infant for crying when drowsy, hungry, feeling cold, feeling claustrophobic etc. I will not even, on most occasions at least, blame the parent(s) (or others) who are taking care of the baby. Unless they've done something extremely stupid like not bothering about feed timings or if they've been chatting away when the baby crawls under the seat and gets injured in the process of coming out etc., it is hard for them to figure out what is wrong.

What does amaze me is how just as one baby stops wailing, and it is around 11 pm, another takes over and continues on for a couple of hours. Then the third takes over and before daybreak, all the babies in the compartment have had their share of the crying. Mind you, I don't think this really has any correlation with the class of travel. The situation is the same in second class or third a/c. I suspect things maybe slightly better/different in higher classes.

I'm certainly not trying to imply that Jaagruthi has never done anything of this sort. She certainly has done her share of disturbing other fellow travellers' sleep. It has, thankfully, reduced and she now enjoys train journeys.

Maybe, if I'm so sensitive, I should try and fly instead. Yeah right! Only if the fares become more affordable! :)

Rambled @ 5:32 PM

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3 comment(s)

I observed this recently in the supermarket. One baby in a stroller started crying..i moved 3 aisles from where they were. There was this baby in the new aisle and the baby was quiet. But when the 1st baby came to this aisle and was still crying, then 2nd baby started off!! It was so funny becos it was so obvious to everyone that the 1st baby's cry triggered the 2nd baby's.

Raj

By  Anonymous (Sep 7, 2005, 2:23:00 AM)  

Interesting observation, I love to travel but I guess I sleep so heavily even on a train that I just must have missed it.

By  Mridula (Sep 8, 2005, 4:27:00 PM)  

Hi,

Snoring at night in the train can also be
exasperating.
I have suffered it many times.
Why cant railways have a separate compartment for
snorers and mothers
with crying babies?!!

appa

By  Anonymous (Sep 9, 2005, 8:25:00 PM)  

I'd prefer if you posted comments with your real name to add more credibility to your opinions. Obviously comments containing offensive and unsuitable language will be deleted. The opinions in the comments are your own views. You are welcome to provide a URL to your own blog, especially if it discusses issues you find here.