GENEROUS reservations.

We made a railway reservation for one of our friends using my IRCTC account. It was a very simple matter. My friend thanked me for being GENEROUS and booking the ticket. Nice of her. But we really have been generous in our reservations and cancellations during the past two months.
My son and his classmate at NIT Durgapur– whose father was known to me much before the children became classmates- were to visit Goa during Durgapuja holidays. Our children, though eager to come home for the holidays, are very complacent in the matter of getting the reservations for the journey. It is a journey of nearly 40 hours. We have to persuade them repeatedly to decide about the dates of journey and reserve tickets well in advance. We can leave them to their fate – they are adults now and are expected to look after themselves -but our hearts do not listen. I can’t understand it. Why am I still ‘looking after’ my children? When will I give up?

For once our children listened to us and booked their tickets Howra to Goa for 29th Sept.(1) Amaravati express.
They intended finishing their test on 29th and catch the 10.30 PM train.
The railways had cancelled that train during mansoons and it was expected to start again by Septemebr. It did not. Till the end of July. What will our children do if the train remains cancelled?
I talked to my friend about it and he made another reservation via Bombay. Bombay mail 29th Sept. (2)
Due to delayed mansoons there were floods in Bihar. Half of Bihar was under water. The news channels showed railway tracks inundated and stations with chest height water. Bombay mail passes through Bihar. What if THIS train is cancelled?
I booked tickets for the children via Pune. Azad Hind exp Howra-pune. Tickets available for 30th. Fine. Bypass Bihar. Booking (3)
Later we learnt that the floods did not affect the route of Bomnay mail and it was running. I casually looked at the time of departure. We had booked for 29th alright, but the train was scheduled to leave at 00.07 on 29th- that is the intervening night of 28th and 29th!
Children would miss the test on 29th! Booking should have been for 30th.
So, I booked another two tickets for Bombay mail for the 30th September.(4) four reservations for one journey.
Ultimately the test was preponed by a day and the children travelled on 29th with the booking that was made by mistake!

After the holidays they need to go back. My friend with his far sight had booked tickets for return journey well in advance. 17th October. Friday. Amaravati express.(1)
When the railways re started their Amaravati express service, they changed the days of service. Now it was on Thursday 16th Oct. By the time we learnt about it all the tickets for 16th were booked.
Again we booked tickets for the travel Via Pune 17th oct.(2)
Later I thought that I could try for ‘Tatkal’ facility – Amaravati express -Goa- Howra, and tried it. I got waitlisted tickets number 1&2. (3) should get confirmed.
Since neither travel via Pune nor waiting for confirmation of waitlisted tickets were appealing, my friend tried all his contacts and found a helpful railways soul, who could arrange release of an emergency quota. Two tickets were obtained (4) and used for travel. So, four reservations for the return journey.
If the majority who travel by railways are like us, the railways will never go under loss. The cancellation charges will keep them afloat.