I put my cabin-baggage in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight to New Delhi. "I'm glad that I've a good book to read. Perhaps, I will get a short nap", I thought.
Just before take off, a few soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. "Where are you guys headed?" I asked the young soldier seated next to me. "Agra. We'll be there for two weeks for special training and then we will be deployed for operations".
After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that lunch packs will be made available on payment. It would be some time before we reached Delhi. So, I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time.
As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. "No, that costs a lot of money! Probably wouldn't be worth it. I'll wait till we get to Delhi", his buddy replied. I looked around at the other soldiers. No one was buying lunch.
That's when I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant enough money to cover for sufficient number of lunch packs to cover all the soldiers and told her, "Take a lunch pack each to all those soldiers". She grabbed my arm and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me and said, "My younger brother was a soldier in Kargil, it's almost like you're doing it for him".
Picking up the lunch packs, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were sitting. She stopped at my seat and asked, "What do you like best - vegetarian or chicken?" "Chicken", I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of the plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from the First Class and said, "This is yours".
After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. An old man stopped me. "I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this!" He handed me a Rs.500/- currency note.
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Captain of the flight coming down the aisle, looking at the seat numbers as he walked. I hoped he wasn't looking for me but noticed he was looking at the seat numbers on the side of the plane where I was sitting. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, "I want to shake your hand".
Quickly unfastening my seat-belt, I stood up and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, "I was an Air Force pilot a long time back. Once someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot". I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.
Later, I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A kid who looked about 18 years of age, was sitting about six rows in front of me, reached out his hand wanting to shake mine. I felt him stick a currency note in my palm.
Another currency note it was!
Upon entering the Terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip ahead. I walked over to them and handed over all the currency notes that were given to me on the flight by several people and said, "It will take you some time to reach Agra. It will be about time for a sandwich. May God Bless You! And thank you all for doing whatever you do".
The young men of honour left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow countrymen. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I and a few fellow passengers could only give them a few meals. It seemed so little......
A serviceman is someone who, at one point in his life wrote a blank cheque made payable to 'India' for an amount of 'Up to and including my life'.
That is honour!
Tailpiece.
Got up about half an hour later than our usual time, the chores and was ready by a quarter to 10. It was Lekha's show all the way as Suma was given the Sunday off.
Our immediate surroundings have been marked as 'Containment Zone' as a few Covid-19 cases have been reported. Sec 144 of the CrPC has been clamped and kids, of 10 yrs and under and elderly people, 60 yrs and above have been advised not to step out of their houses.
Never knew that the pandemic was so close!
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