A tough job indeed

'Yours is a tough job', an elderly uncle remarked in the local train. He was commenting on ticket checker arguing with a passenger. The passenger, who had just boarded the train, was asked by the officer to show her tickets. She retorted asking him to first check other passengers. The officer, already grappling with a person travelling without a ticket, impatiently directed her to produce the ticket. At this the lady burst out at the officer, asking him to lower his voice and talk more politely. Some people's self-righteousness is hurt if they are asked for a ticket, as if they are being held guilty.

The other passenger the ticket checker was grappling with, is an even more interesting case. These days, the ticket checkers are gracious enough to stand at the door of the compartment and declare that this is the first class, and not to get into the compartment. All these warnings just fell on deaf ears, and this gentleman leisurely walked into the compartment without a ticket.

Another incident at another time. This one takes the prize. Mr. X gets into the ladies first class, along with a couple of his friends - both of them females. First, he doesn' t have a first class tickets, and on top of that neither do the ladies. Naturally, the ticket checkers asked for a fine. Mr. X creates a scene there, accusing the TTEs of being indecent to his friends. He claims that money is not an issue for him - but how dare the checkers behave in that way with his friends. Not for a moment did he think that he was the one shouting at the top of his voice, calling names in the ladies compartment - where he had no right to be in the first place.

A tough job indeed, but as the officer said he sees people of all hues in the course of his duties.