I shall go through what I'd observed all through the day as today was a bit different from the normal ones because I was off to Madras on work. I'd finished packing in the morning but wasn't enthusiastic about the trip because of the fact that Laila Samson wouldn't be there to hear my chatter this time! I went about my work mechanically, cleared my desk at the office and had set off for the airport, with Anil at the helm.
It was oppressively hot and I was beginning to wonder as to why Anil wasn't using the car's air conditioner. Meanwhile, I'd asked him about his personal particulars and had come to know that his father did fishing - he didn't go out to sea but restricted his activities within the backwaters, a fact that was new knowledge to me! - and the family had indeed passed through some very harsh financial days. Overcoming it, he'd bought the car as a means to his livelihood. Meanwhile, he'd rolled up the windows and started up the a/c, telling me with a disarming smile that he switched it on only after ascertaining the customer's attitude!? Thank god that I'd passed his muster, otherwise I'd have been in bad shape by the time I'd reached the airport!!
The team at the baggage scanning point shook hands with me once they saw my cap and other accessories on their monitor! So much about my professional 'halo' but I must admit that I did feel thrilled.
The young lady, at the counter, took an unusually long time to allot me a window side seat on my request and I thought that the flight must be chock-a-block with passengers. But it was much to my amazement that I realised, on boarding, that the aircraft had just about 25 passengers! No wonder the airline is in bad shape - why don't these guys get on with aggressive marketing techniques and make their customers feel wanted? And why did the lady at the counter behave in that manner?
As the aircraft, cut the eastern coast and approached its touchdown point, there was a sudden feeling of having 'come home'. Kavirajan and his counterparts from the other two services received me as I got out of the Madras airport, giving it a 'triservice' flavour! A smart salute and a word of appreciation on their smart turnout and I was off with the 56 year old Sridhar as my 'saarthi'. I took an instant liking for him in the way he weaved through traffic and chided the other motorists for their wrong moves - a youngster on a two wheeler was told not to show his heroism by doing unnatural speeds, an autorickshaw driver was told to go on to the slower lane as his vehicle was too slow and polluting! He, along with Kavirajan, gave me a running commentary of the important landmarks as we drove through the crowded roads of Kodambakkam and the likes. I enjoyed every minute of that one and a half hour drive, at peak time through the Madras roads, which are currently clogged with the metro work coupled with that of the flyovers! And Sridhar spoke flawless English!!
The social evening was a wonderful opportunity to meet a wide cross section of the people and in the musical treat, I too did contribute in a small way! As I was taking leave of the hosts, they're lavish in their praise of my 'singing abilities' and I could only give my infamous grin as I knew that I was just an enthusiastic 'bathroom singer' and my voice rarely matched the originals!! How did they know that I'd a fragile ego?
Tailpiece.
A kaleidoscope of people and events. Simply exhilarating!
It was oppressively hot and I was beginning to wonder as to why Anil wasn't using the car's air conditioner. Meanwhile, I'd asked him about his personal particulars and had come to know that his father did fishing - he didn't go out to sea but restricted his activities within the backwaters, a fact that was new knowledge to me! - and the family had indeed passed through some very harsh financial days. Overcoming it, he'd bought the car as a means to his livelihood. Meanwhile, he'd rolled up the windows and started up the a/c, telling me with a disarming smile that he switched it on only after ascertaining the customer's attitude!? Thank god that I'd passed his muster, otherwise I'd have been in bad shape by the time I'd reached the airport!!
The team at the baggage scanning point shook hands with me once they saw my cap and other accessories on their monitor! So much about my professional 'halo' but I must admit that I did feel thrilled.
The young lady, at the counter, took an unusually long time to allot me a window side seat on my request and I thought that the flight must be chock-a-block with passengers. But it was much to my amazement that I realised, on boarding, that the aircraft had just about 25 passengers! No wonder the airline is in bad shape - why don't these guys get on with aggressive marketing techniques and make their customers feel wanted? And why did the lady at the counter behave in that manner?
As the aircraft, cut the eastern coast and approached its touchdown point, there was a sudden feeling of having 'come home'. Kavirajan and his counterparts from the other two services received me as I got out of the Madras airport, giving it a 'triservice' flavour! A smart salute and a word of appreciation on their smart turnout and I was off with the 56 year old Sridhar as my 'saarthi'. I took an instant liking for him in the way he weaved through traffic and chided the other motorists for their wrong moves - a youngster on a two wheeler was told not to show his heroism by doing unnatural speeds, an autorickshaw driver was told to go on to the slower lane as his vehicle was too slow and polluting! He, along with Kavirajan, gave me a running commentary of the important landmarks as we drove through the crowded roads of Kodambakkam and the likes. I enjoyed every minute of that one and a half hour drive, at peak time through the Madras roads, which are currently clogged with the metro work coupled with that of the flyovers! And Sridhar spoke flawless English!!
The social evening was a wonderful opportunity to meet a wide cross section of the people and in the musical treat, I too did contribute in a small way! As I was taking leave of the hosts, they're lavish in their praise of my 'singing abilities' and I could only give my infamous grin as I knew that I was just an enthusiastic 'bathroom singer' and my voice rarely matched the originals!! How did they know that I'd a fragile ego?
Tailpiece.
A kaleidoscope of people and events. Simply exhilarating!
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