Discussion in the Local Train

I like going by Public transport-- I feel it much better than being all alone in the car with nothing to look around or  listen to some local but current topics . And if the destination is to places where parking is an issue , then it is the public transport that bails me out. 
Couple of weekends back, , I had some work at the General Post Office, close the Madras beach station. I took the MRTS and it was Saturday and just little beyond the crowded office hour rush. At Mylai station , there was an eager group of three to four who wanted to get in ahead of others in to the first compartment. I realized they were part of a bigger group of train friends that travel in the same compartment and occupy the same seat day in day out. I got a seating alongside this group , which with the existing group was now an extended big team of close to 15.
 The first three minutes were general discussions – Super Singer / Vani Rani type and what was in the weekly magazines of Kumdudam/ Vikatan.
 Ughhh nothing interesting. 
At this point , one of the member of the group started a great topic .. what else could it be ? Election time and he started attacking the silent man of India. He had his challenge.One other in the group defended and talked about all the good work that was done by the Silent man. The first person was persistent..  Can this man talk ? If he cannot talk , what can he execute ? And he threw gauntlets at the local “two leaf” chief. The second man defended – talked about the food , auto , water , small bus and so on. Till this point , everyone ( rest of the group ) and few others like me--. All of us pretended that we were busy in our own things but the ears were focused on the discussion. The first man let out a scathing personal attack on the “two leaf” chief. He also attacked the rising sun chieftain.

 It was at this point , the science took a strange turn. A man unrelated to the group , standing in the exit way of the compartment heard the “ praises” and pitched in from where he was with some unparlimentary remarks and started a mono dialogue.
 Then , there was silence. The whole compartment was waiting with baited breath as to what these two men will retort. I think they understood the situation quickly. If they had retorted, things may have gone haywire and there could have been a fist fight. They quickly changed the topic and started talking about a totally irrelevant topic. By this time, the man at the exit path got down at the next station and left….. ( – his face was blank- he was surprised that no one responded

 Then , as the train picked speed after the stop the duo started again, their verbal battle.. everyone was smiling as they resumed. People understood how a tense moment was avoided …. The men continued their discussions till we reached the Madras Beach station. I realized they do not work in the same office but were train friends. The whole group chatted about the discussions and one of them left the compartment , telling he wanted the discussion to continue in the evening as they went back to home !
 I just relished the experience – I saw some lessons as well
 How to cut off when you know that there is a threat. ( had one of the two responded to the stranger on the exit way , things could have gone anywhere )
 Maintaining composure 
Quick to understand the situation and change the topic of discussion 
Smiles that was seen around the compartment  when the duo changed the topic was a treat to watch.
 The blank stare of the guy at the exit was unmatchable.

Sadly , the return trip did not have any dramas !