Welcome to Chapter IX of my novella ‘Peeved’ releasing chapter by chapter! You don’t need to read the previous chapters to know what’s happening in this story, but if you’re interested I’ll put the link to them at the bottom.
Recap
The plan was simple: Speak my mind, fix the world.
My quest:
Number 1:Cut out the baggage in my lifeNumber 2:Make my quiet carriage always quiet- Number 3: Start a revolt at Alliance that forces management to change the company culture
- Number 4: Stop my noisy neighbours from partying late at night.
- Number 5: Make Samuel the laughing stock of the company
- Number 6: Make all the carriages on my train peaceful
If I pull it off, maybe people would stop seeing me as just a little Indian geek they could slap around.
So far, I’ve made enemies, lost friends, and even drawn blood—some mine. Got written up for shutting down a clingy customer, nuked a uni friend, but at least step two worked: the quiet carriage is mine. Then I boarded the wrong carriage, held the line against kids and office drones, and realised I’ve got a new mission.
Number 6: Make all the carriages on my train peaceful
I stepped back onto the loud carriage. The officer workers were hollering, the kids were running around, so many others were shouting.
‘Oi!’ I shouted. The noise was sucked out like a vacuum. ‘I think from here on out, we should keep the noise below shouting volume. What do you say?’
I’m not going to lie and tell you that after I said that every one just stopped what they were doing and followed my orders like I was some king. No, at first, they just laughed at me.
I didn’t stop there.
I planted myself in the center of the carriage like a stubborn traffic cone. When a kid screeched, I cut him off, ‘Indoor voice.’
A macho sales manager had a phone meeting loud enough for everyone to hear. I told him, ‘Do we all need to hear your quarterly report?’ At first people sniggered, but relentless repetition wears people down. Every stop, every minute, I chipped away until the laughs dried up and the eye-rolls turned into silence. By the end of the ride, I only to had to raise an eyebrow to shut someone up.
Before I got too carried away, I told the commuters, ‘Look, I don’t want this to turn into the monastery carriage. But just because it’s not a quiet carriage doesn’t mean it’s the bloody SCG either. It’s just basic respect.’
A few people nodded. Someone muttered, ‘Fair enough.’
That was all I needed.
The next day, I entered the same carriage. The office workers were gone, likely terrorising another carriage. The school kids were there though, and they were behaving better. I gave them a smile and a wink. The curly haired boy poked his tongue out at me–the charming lad.
The corner woman was still hiding away under her hair and sunglasses, but she grinned when she saw me come aboard. I repeated the same performance as yesterday, teaching any newcomers what I had taught everyone the previous day.
Some rolled their eyes and left for other carriages, which suited me fine.
Others stayed, testing the waters, and they realised it was calmer here.
The balance was shifting.
I did this for two weeks, and by the end things had already changed.Turns out, there’s a market for ‘semi-quiet’ carriage–orderly enough to think straight, but relaxed enough you could sneeze without fear of banishment.
New faces appeared onboard. People had heard about and were wanting to be a part of it.
By now, I barely had to intervene. The commuters ran the show now.
I even had a new lieutenant helping me maintain order. Melanie, the once shy lady in the corner, was now a self appointed door guardswoman.
I had learned she was a mother of two, and a receptionist for a dental practice in the city, which explained why she always dressed so well. She’d changed one thing since I first saw her: no more curtain of wavy brown hair, no more sunglasses. Now her hair was pulled into a neat bun, and her kind green eye were uncovered, sharp, and unflinching.
What’s that saying again, ‘Hell truly hath no fear like a commuter annoyed’?
And Melanie was done with being pushed around.
Finally, Friday of the second week came–the last day before I moved onto another carriage.
We were on the morning train, pulling into Wolli Creek station. As the train approached, we saw a rowdy gang of at least seven young guys waiting on the platform. Most of them looked like they could barely stand. One man had bright pink angel wings, a matching tutu over his pants, and a sash that read ‘Young Buck’. Their bucks party must have gone overnight and into the morning. God…
Before we reached them, the Young Buck held up a beer bottle and poured it over his friend’s head.
Melanie and I gave each other a look.
The doors opened, and a wave of body odour laced with alcohol hit us. Passengers that needed to get off alighted from the train, but as soon as the group of men tried to enter Melanie and I blocked the door.
Melanie held her hand out and said, ‘Not this one, boys. You’ll have to get on another carriage.’
They guffawed. The Young Buck slurred, ‘Ye joikin’?’
’No joking, get on somewhere else.’
‘Ge’ oudda the way,’ he said, trying to swat her hand.
‘Whadda fuck is goin’ on?’ One of the other men shouted.
Melanie didn’t flinch. She squared her shoulders and jutted out her chin as if to say–try me. For a second, I thought she might actually deck him.
It was a sight to see Melanie sticking up to them.
And they fucking obeyed!
‘Come on, we godda get on before the doors close,’ one of the guys shouted.
The men dragged their drunken legs over to another poor carriage and entered.
I felt bad, leaving that poor carriage to the chaos that was likely to ensue, but I would train them soon.
‘Stand clear doors closing,’ called the electronic announcer as the doors shut.
I looked at Melanie. Her hands were trembling. Other commuters on the carriage started to clap.
‘Whoa…’ I said. ‘Look at you.’
Seeing the joy in her eyes nearly brought me to tears.
But I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. There was nothing else I could do here. Melanie was the captain now.
‘Mel, I’m going to be leaving this one to you.’
‘Wha- What do you mean?’
‘I’ll be moving to another carriage next week.’
‘Bu-‘ Melanie stopped herself. After a few seconds, a look of understanding came across her face. ‘See you ‘round then?’
‘Definitely.’
TO BE CONTINUED…
Isaiah Prasad 