`Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye -- Not a tear, but a cheer, make it gay

Give me a smile I can keep all the while in my heart when I'm away

Till we meet once again, you and I, wish me luck as you wave me goodbye'

The smiles of the 50-odd people assembled outside the AC coach of the Jammu Tawi Express at Vadodara railway station hid more than they revealed. The sorrow buried deep in their eyes, they masked their emotions as the World War I song requested, till the train left. Then, the tears broke through.

However, Lieutenant Shreyas Mehta of 4-Jat Regiment was already on his way to Kargil, the first officer from Vadodara to see action in the current conflict. He left with memories of smiling and cheerful faces, memories that will keep him going in the line of duty on the front.

His parents and relatives, of course, knew what was in store for the 25-year old bachelor, who had recently secured an MSc degree with distinction.

In a way, it was deja vu; Shreyas'father Major Nitin Mehta had lived through the heavy firing and shelling in 1965 and 1971 on the same borders. His eldest brother Shreyamun recently retired as a Major on short-service commission and elder brother Shreya, a Captain in Army Aviation, is on duty on the Western coastal border. His first cousin Jaladhi is in Navy and ``on alert'' in the same area.

About 100 Seva Dal workers, armed with the National Flag, set the tone with their slogan-shouting. Sounds of ``Bharat Mata Ki Jai'' and ``Vande Mataram'' drowned out the usual hustle and bustle of the railway station.

Members of the public came up to Shreyas; some shook his hand, some garlanded him. He accepted all graciously but with a bemused expression. ``There is absolutely no `that type' of feeling. It's okay'', Shreyas told The Indian Express, cutting short a question on ``fear''.

``He has fulfilled the only dream of mine. I wanted one of my sons to be on the front and live the great feeling of patriotism'', said Shreyas' father.Bravest of all, it appeared, was Shreyas' mother Yasho, as she blessed her youngest son time and again saying he would return a victor.

The half-hour on the platform sped by; the family engaged in small talk, Shreyas posed for photographs and hugged his mother several times.

And then it was time to go. One last hug from the Major, one last wave to the family and well-wishers gathered, and a brave son of the soil proceeded to answer the call of duty.