Jaipur, the capital city of
Rajasthan has the busiest flight schedule during the peak hours of the
evening. On a scorching hot evening, a humpty-dumpty lady was traveling by
Indian Airlines Flight. Carrying 2 black bags on her shoulders and holding a
bamboo basket in her one hand and pulling a huge red suitcase with the other
and a shining yellow purse like a garland around her neck, she was sweating
by the weight of her luggage, as she approached the main entry gate of the
Airport.
When asked about her ticket
she said, “Ticket hai tabhi toh airport par ayee hoon, tum kya dekho ge?”
(It’s only after I have a ticket that I have come to your Airport , what do
you want to check?)
Some how, she managed to
reach the airlines counter to collect her boarding pass for her onward
flight. There she refused to register any of her baggage saying, “Tumhara
kya bharosa samaan Delhi main milega ya nahi” (I cannot depend on you with
my luggage…… you may perhaps not send them to me in Delhi.) By the
appearance of this typical character who was full of exclamation marks and
refused to comply to any rule of airport, all of a sudden the serene and
peace of the check-in area got ruffled.
The moment she stepped into
the security hold area, we had to wide open the second half of the gate,
which is usually closed. She refused to put her baggage on X-ray saying
“mere paise aur jebor chori ho jayenge” (My money and ornaments would get
stolen).
Finally convinced, by the
assurance of our shift incharge of security she proceeded towards the
frisking both. After entering there she started yelling, yeh kya danda bajah
rahe ho, kya mein atankwadi nazar aa rahi hoon)” (What’s all this drama for!
Do you take me to be a terrorist you goons!)
It was with much restraint
that we in security on duty maintained our cool and kept on behaving
politely with her.
Next to her was a gentleman
in the queue. He murmured to me, “Bahut bolti hai na!” (She talks too much,
doesn’t she!)
Softly I assured him –
“Don’t worry sir, chances are there that this lady won’t be on your flight.”
Shaking his head with a
quiet error, he replied – “Oh! I bet officer, she will”. With a puzzled
expression I gazed at him. “She is my wife”, he said. And before I could say
anything he continued, “Thank you for your sympathy officer.” Then, putting
his hand in her hand he guided her to the waiting aircraft on the apron.
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