Life - Shifting Gears

“Super hot girl ahead – stay cool, act cool – Be relaxed man” – This is what my brain was murmuring to me when I was entering my flight. Well, I was going to my village after 10 years and I was ecstatically happy about it. “Welcome Aboard Sir! May I know your seat number?” – The airhostess asked me. “Ahh...hmm...hmm...Ahh” (Chill man and take a deep breath, she is just a super-hot girl – came the voice again :). “Yeah, I am looking for 24F” – I said (Well, who isn’t looking for a ‘24-F’ – I thought :). So, I parked myself comfortably and I was joined by a father-son duo on the side seats.

The first hour in the flight was comfortable, until the plane was hit by a major turbulence. Everybody panicked; the Femina’s and Filmfare’s were replaced by the ‘Emergency Flight Manuals’ :). The kiddo was the first one to tighten his seatbelt. But it lasted for about 60 seconds and after that everybody was un-buckling their seatbelts. “These kids- they are so much afraid. Don’t have the courage to face anything”. – His father said to me. “Well uncle, I think - we all had our balls in our mouth. He is just honest enough to show his emotions“- I said. The kiddo gave me smile and then to his father :).

“I am Dr. Parida and that’s my son Pradyumna. We call him Praddy”- He said. I replied-“Hello Sir, I am Tarun and it’s nice to meet you”- when I was interrupted in between by lil Praddy. “So Tarun, how does this plane fly?” – I was taken aback for a second as I was never called by my name by a seven year old kid. But English language doesn’t have prefixes or suffixes of “ji or aap or Bhaiya”. And the kid was brought up in an angrez generation – So it wasn’t his fault.

I said - “Praddy, there is something called as Bernoulli's Principle which says...”.Again he cut me in between and said. “Why these seats are floatable? Its Mumbai-Delhi, we are not flying above any ocean”..I replied.. “But we can fall in a pond or a river” :). Praddy said – “That would be so cool” and winked at me. “Yes it’s been so long, it will give me a chance to practice my backstroke” – I said. And Little Praddy bursted into laughter :)

After the flight, I had to take a train to get to my village. It was a three hours journey and a passenger-train was the only option!! I somehow got into the train because of my prior experience with Mumbai locals :). I saw an old lady standing for quite sometime now and I said to her – “Ammaji- aap wahan baith jao” and pointed to a seat where one lady and her son was sitting. That lady probably heard me and said to her son –“Beta, pair faila ke baitho. Nahi toh fir sham ko complain karoge ki – Mamma pair dard ho rahe hain. Be a good boy and sit comfortably” I looked in despair towards that lady. Amma-ji seeing all this said to me – “Beta, mein theek hoon. Mujhe toh aadat hai. Tu chinta matt kar.” and smiled back to me with her gleaming eyes. (Eyes of old people are always moist with a unique shine!)

So after getting off at the railway station, I was looking for a rickshaw. As I came out of station I noticed one rickshawaala bhaiya eye’s following me. I also found his face familiar. I went to him.

“Bhaiyaji, Doodhli chaloge?” - I asked
“Kiske yahan jaoge ji” – He asked me.
“Ji, Chaudhary HariRam ji ke yahan jaana hai” – I said
“Woh, aam ke baago waale Chaudhary saab?” – He asked
“Haanji, wohi” – I said (I was amazed - Everybody knows everyone in a village and here I am who still doesn’t know who all people live in my society!)
“Iss waqt vaapsi ki sawari nahi milegi bhaisaab so 12 rupaye lagenge” – He said
I had never bargained for 12 rupees so I said ok and sat in the rickshaw.

So finally I reached my home. My daadi was sitting in the porch facing backwards. I touched her feet and said – “Ram – ram, maa ! Kaisi ho?”... She turned back, adjusted her glasses and kept her hand on my head – “Arey aa gaya mera chaand saa baabu. Kitna bada ho gaya hai” :). I could see the tears in her eyes. She hugged me warmly with her wrinkly, shaking hands and said – “Beta, iss saal toh mil gayi. Agle saal milungi ya nahi pata nahi. Sada jeeta reh beta”. And the tears rolled down– but it was mutual this time.

[Respect the old and elderly people. Give them their ‘space’ – In your hearts and in your life]