Because my place of work (Bangalore) and one of my home _towns_ take
more than 36 hour our travel by train and with the advent of new
economy airlines, I have found myself quite a no. of times _in_ the
passenger deck of a plane during the past two years. I must confess in
the initial days of my air travel I always enjoyed my sight, when they
wished , when they bend over to talk to you, when they gave the
delectable but absolutely boring and mandatory demonstration, when they
would came over to charm you into buying the horrendously costly in
flight snacks and even when they briskly but absolutely poised walked
up and down the aisle. I admired their ability to be, but at same time
found it funny that their jobs required them to be 5 inches higher even
though they were already 36000 feet above the ground level. Off-late I
started to lose my interest. Their action where prim and proper but
they too professional and impersonal. Their porcelain faces always
carried a smile which seemed to be painted by a artist not a curve of
genuine happiness. They were like any professional models, cheerleaders
or pin-ups imperfected by their perfection.
Whenever you think you have figured it all, you have set yourself for an awakening. This time when boarded my very late night night DECCAN Delhi to Bangalore, I had decided to finish reading something off my notebook, and busied my myself with it as soon as I could settle in. I stuck to my reading material pretty much during the initial-half of the flight and did not put down my glasses till the hostess dragged the food cart to to my aisle side seat, read out the menu and asked me If I needed anything. As always I was hungry during the night and said "May I have the Meal combo...".The pair of huge eyes in front of me had a sudden twinkle in them and my hostess whispered "No" with naughty playful smile. I took me full 5 seconds to realize that she was playing with me on my polite by irrational last statement, of course I could have it. After a short giggle she placed the food on my tray-table and said in her crisp tone said "That would be 70 Rs Sir?". It was my turn now, with a relaxed "OK" I went back to the food, without any attempt to pay the hostess. But she knew what was I trying she said "That means you pay me 70 Rs before get to eat your food." I looked at her with mock sternness but was undone by the twinkle in her eyes and we both burst into laughter, the first genuine laughter i herd from a air hostess.
All while my nibbles on the sandwich and sips of coffee I was not able to move my thought off what happened. Had I found a just discovered a honest to good hostess, or all of them steal such moments of genuineness which I have missed despite my best efforts? Any how even if it was just her it was too small a test sample to conclude something. I was having this unstoppable itch to find out. Feeling more brave than wise I decided to scratch it. With just about a finger high coffee left in the cup i strategically pushed it so that it fell spilling coffee on the tray table just beside my notebook but not it. It also splashed few drops on my trouser. I immediately jumped up and pressed the ringer. For about 4 minutes there was no response, I was already started feeling foolish in trying the stunt when I saw _the_ hostess walking towards me. I started acting franticly trying to clean the mess with small piece of paper-napkin. Reaching me she said "You asked for me, Sir". I gave her an helpless look and went back to tiring to clean the spillage. She returned with a bunch of paper-napkins and stated to wordlessly help me. This was not working. I initiated "I am so sorry, this is was clumsy of me to dirty your plane. I am so sorry...." the only response from her side was a dry "Don't worry Sir last flight tonight." After finishing the clean-up and helping me with my trousers (cleaning them ;)) she got up to leave. All that was going in my head was come on lady... you are tired and its late in the night the last thing you want is some stupid grouch spilling coffee for you to clean, say something, show some disgust ... Just as she was about to leave without a word or expression I said "Thanks you. I don't how it happened. I am sorry.".Somewhere on her face her lips quivered and just below the breathing came out almost a whisper "That's what happens when your eyes are glued to the laptop". I _beamed_ with my full 36 out, her expression were something between confusion and questioning. Fortunately another bell rang somewhere and she walked away,and I said to myself "Mission accomplished".
Whenever you think you have figured it all, you have set yourself for an awakening. This time when boarded my very late night night DECCAN Delhi to Bangalore, I had decided to finish reading something off my notebook, and busied my myself with it as soon as I could settle in. I stuck to my reading material pretty much during the initial-half of the flight and did not put down my glasses till the hostess dragged the food cart to to my aisle side seat, read out the menu and asked me If I needed anything. As always I was hungry during the night and said "May I have the Meal combo...".The pair of huge eyes in front of me had a sudden twinkle in them and my hostess whispered "No" with naughty playful smile. I took me full 5 seconds to realize that she was playing with me on my polite by irrational last statement, of course I could have it. After a short giggle she placed the food on my tray-table and said in her crisp tone said "That would be 70 Rs Sir?". It was my turn now, with a relaxed "OK" I went back to the food, without any attempt to pay the hostess. But she knew what was I trying she said "That means you pay me 70 Rs before get to eat your food." I looked at her with mock sternness but was undone by the twinkle in her eyes and we both burst into laughter, the first genuine laughter i herd from a air hostess.
All while my nibbles on the sandwich and sips of coffee I was not able to move my thought off what happened. Had I found a just discovered a honest to good hostess, or all of them steal such moments of genuineness which I have missed despite my best efforts? Any how even if it was just her it was too small a test sample to conclude something. I was having this unstoppable itch to find out. Feeling more brave than wise I decided to scratch it. With just about a finger high coffee left in the cup i strategically pushed it so that it fell spilling coffee on the tray table just beside my notebook but not it. It also splashed few drops on my trouser. I immediately jumped up and pressed the ringer. For about 4 minutes there was no response, I was already started feeling foolish in trying the stunt when I saw _the_ hostess walking towards me. I started acting franticly trying to clean the mess with small piece of paper-napkin. Reaching me she said "You asked for me, Sir". I gave her an helpless look and went back to tiring to clean the spillage. She returned with a bunch of paper-napkins and stated to wordlessly help me. This was not working. I initiated "I am so sorry, this is was clumsy of me to dirty your plane. I am so sorry...." the only response from her side was a dry "Don't worry Sir last flight tonight." After finishing the clean-up and helping me with my trousers (cleaning them ;)) she got up to leave. All that was going in my head was come on lady... you are tired and its late in the night the last thing you want is some stupid grouch spilling coffee for you to clean, say something, show some disgust ... Just as she was about to leave without a word or expression I said "Thanks you. I don't how it happened. I am sorry.".Somewhere on her face her lips quivered and just below the breathing came out almost a whisper "That's what happens when your eyes are glued to the laptop". I _beamed_ with my full 36 out, her expression were something between confusion and questioning. Fortunately another bell rang somewhere and she walked away,and I said to myself "Mission accomplished".
2 comments:
Haa haa haa
Cheers!
read it again today n it is :D :)))
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