R.K. Narayan’s short story “There’s a Girl by the Tracks!” tells the story of a young boy named Raju who sees a girl sitting by the train tracks and worries that she is going to be hit by the train. Raju runs to get help, but when he returns, the girl is gone. The story is told from Raju’s perspective and explores the themes of kindness, imagination, and helping others. Read More Class 10 English Summaries.
There’s a Girl by the Tracks! Summary
There’s a Girl by the Tracks! Summary in English
‘ There’s a Girl by the Tracks ! ” is the extract taken from an English Journal. This is written by a well-known writer Deven Kanal in English. This is one of the terrible accidents which W happened at Mumbai suburban station in Thane district, which borders Mumbai. One evening at 6.32 pm an electric train halts at a station. As usual the station is full of people and everybody hurried to catch the train. At Mumbai this is the regular scene because it is India s most populated Metropolitan city. Roma Talreja a 21 years old call centre executive tried to settle into a corner near the door of an electric train As it was very rush and already the train was already moving fast, Roma jammed between other women.
She tried to find some space to stand safely but all of a sudden she got pushed, she was not able to manage herself to standfirmly. Her weak and shaky foot lost their grip and her hands tried to hold the steel railing above, but finding only air she was thrown out of the coach. She fell on the ground more than a meter below. She was knocked senseless. The low sound of her fall was silenced by the loud sound of the train. No one observed her fall. Another train was coming in the opposite direction passed beside this train.
Baleshwar Mishra, twenty years old standing near the door couldn’t believe his eyes. He saw the fall of Roma fall. Wearing a black Salwar- Kameez, her body was lying next to the tracks. Those who saw this scene screamed and the people cried out “There’s a Girl by the Tracks!”. Quickly Baleshwar went and grabbed the train s red emergency chdin and pulled it down with no hope. But luckily the train slowing down its speed comes to a stop. He saw the worried faces of the people surrounded and asked them to come and help her. But nobody came forward to help her. Baleshwarjumped off from the moving train. As he landed on the ground, a burst of pain shot up in his ankle, but there was no damage. His old rubber slipper s sole tom off as a result of his jumping from the train. When he got down from the train, the train again started to move and disappeared.
Baleshwar started to run very fast between the tracks to find Roma. He was so far away from her. That he couldn’t see her. After running for several minutes he found her lying stretched by the side of the tracks. When he found her, he asked “Behenji, aap theek hai ? ” But there was no response and no help in sight. He could see blood flowing out of a deep cut behind her head. Saying a silent prayer, he carried her and searching for a way out. He crossed through some shrubbery, and reached the road. He was seeking help from motorists but no one stopped. The day was December 10, 2010, a Friday. Roma Talreja a B.Com., graduate from Pune was working in call center as an executive for two years.
She loved her job. After her day’s duty she went to cafeteria, where she and her friends joked, laughed and made plans for the weekend. When she was returning home the accident happened. Baleshwar Mishra a lanky youngster from Mirzapur, UP, was unemployed. He had recently come to Mumbai. He is an high school dropout, living with his two elder brothers. He was hunting for a job till that day it is not fruitful. So, he had lost his hope. That day he spent his time, had lunch and watched a movie with his friend. When he was returning home, thinking about his future he boarded the train. The terrible accident happened, at that moment he could only think of saving a stranger s life.
Baleshwar was struggling very hard to hold the blood-stained woman in his arms. Though innumerable motorists drove by, no one came forward to help him. At last a tempo-truck stopped. Baleshwar begged earnestly to help him, he agreed and helped. Baleshwar was quickly telling the driver what had happened. The traffic policeman arrived and suggested them to take the girl to Airoli where there is a hospital. But Baleshwar did not agree because that hospital was 10 kilometers away from that place.
Baleshwar knew that there was a hospital nearby and they went to that hospital. It was a very small hospital, nurses helped to take the young woman inside the hospital. The physician gave basic First Aid to her and advised them her to take to a nearby Hospital. Baleshwar and the truck-driver carried her back into the truck. When the vehicle moved unsteadily her eyes opened slightly. Baleshwar was with her, asked her name, she managed to tell her name as Roma. Baleshwar asked her whom should he inform to. She said that her brother Dinesh and with much effort she gave his mobile number. Soon she lost her consciousness and went back into the darkness.
Baleshwar took the mobile from the truck driver and informed Dinesh. When Dinesh Talreja was closing the days business, he got the call and agree to come immediately. He had marketing job at a retail shop in Ulhasnagar. Roma was admitted to Divine Multispeciality Hospital and Research Centre. Dr. Anil Agarwal, the medical director, seeing the condition of Roma admitted immediately to the ICU without any paper work or formalities. He asked Baleshwar to wait until Roma’s family arrived. After this, Baleshwar noticed that he couldn’t thank the truck driver because the driver already left the place. Roma s X-rays showed that she needed only deep wounds sutures although the injuries looked severe.
There would be no lasting damages. Dr. Agarwal s opinion was that she could have bled to death if nobody helped her. Baleshwar had brought her to the hospital at the right time. Baleshwar came to meet her next morning she was still partly sedated. Dinesh told him that Roma s cell phone and handbag were missing. So Baleshwar went to the spot and was looking for her belongings. A railway employee informed that some of Roma s belongings had been found. Roma made full recovery in a few days. She was thinking about the accident and said that she could n’t imagine what would have happened if Baleshwar hadn’t been there. She was (amazed) surprised to learn of the manner in which she had been rescued.
Really she was astonished that a stranger would jump off from the train and risk his life for her. She thought that-she could, never repay Baleshwar This is the real compassion and it is a great virtue. Without any expectation, Bcdeshwar did this. According to’ Baleshwar Mumbai people are afraid to help because they had the fear of getting trapped in the courts or police; If anybody asked him why he had done that, he simply said that she needed help, that day it was Roma, tomorrow it could be some other like you or me. Helping is necessary for those who needed, especially timely help will save the life. Here author’s intention is to love everybody, help the needful, that is the great virtue. It changes the world and it becomes paradise and man becomes divine.
Conclusion:
The story’s conclusion suggests that the girl may not have been in danger, but that Raju’s act of kindness was not in vain. Raju’s willingness to help others, even those he does not know, shows that he is a kind and caring boy. The story teaches readers the importance of helping others, even if we do not know them, and reminds us that kindness is always rewarded.
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