Wednesday, July 12, 2006

My First Experience - Not An Erotica -2

This blog was written on April-12-2006 in my MSN space.

Hello Friends,
I got some free time today, so I started the second part.

The guy next to me woke me up.One of the air-hostesses was waiting for me to serve my food.Better call it food....Because I do not really know whether it was a lunch, dinner, or abreak fast....Total confusion about time changes.Oh.. she is waiting for me. Let her finish her work.I got up and pulled the dining pad down, she asked "what do youprefer, sir?""Any thing is fine."She reacted as if she got the shock of her life... "are you sure?"I repeated and she gave me a package of ice-cream, fruit salad, riceand ladies-finger masala curry,curd and a water bottle.Finished and slept again.
By the time I woke up it was all dark inside the plane. Every one wasasleep.I was curious to know how it is out side. Hesitatingly...slid thewind up.It was so eye-blindingly bright outside. It light up all the placeinside the plane.Two people woke up because of that. I felt utterly guilty, shut thewindow and expressed sorrysilently.This incident has taken away my sleep. Every body is sleeping. Whatcan I do now?Suddenly the flat screen before me buffed up. It showed the worldmap, then zeroed on to India.A red mark started moving towards Europe then over the Atlantic oceanreaching the North-Americancontinent.I felt amazed to know the fact that I am flying over the Atlantic.When I was a kid, I have tried hard to remember names of the fiveoceans.Now I am flying over one of them at above 11.4km high and at a speedof 869kmph, wind blowing at40mph opposite direction.I wanted to see how the ocean looks. But I cannot open the window.People would murder me.I consoled myself -- it would be cloudy and the ocean doesn't appear.Self satisfaction!!!
Announcement... we are reaching Chicago. Flight came down slowly.I opened the window. It was cloudy. Plane came further down.I can see Chicago in the evening. Local time in Chicago 5.20pm.We got down there by 6.35pm. Entered immigration queue.I got a doubt. They ask for my address in USA. I do not know it.But I remember it feebly. I just filled what ever I remember andprepared to convince that officer.My turn has come and I passed the immigration check. YES!!! I havereached U.S of A.Went in to meet my baggage. Found the suit cases on a conveyer belt.Grab them out.Entered the United-Airlines area. Checked my baggage in again.There was an old lady directing people to go to their terminals. Minewas five.I reached the train to terminal five. Got down there. Followed theother people.
Went to one of the counters to get my boarding pass. I got it. But..That lady said, "It's too late. Your flight starts in 15min from now.The next flight is at 8.15amtomorrow."I must say I was tired already and this news left my mind blank.So what to do? Where would I stay tonight?She gave a paper, saying "we offer hotel rooms at low costs, seethis."I took the paper and read "Hotel rooms starting from $39 per day."What about other expenses?I am an alien here. Better not to go out of the airport. It isdefinitely a secure place.Ok, I thought "let me call Harsha and ask him for advice."I was given an international telephone card, with instructionsleaflet-- how to use it.But they were all coin phones there. But tried on one of them. "Not avalid number..."
I do not have change. Minimum I have is a ten dollar bill [$10 note].I started asking people for change ... every body said "Sorry, I donot have".Then I tried "I have an international calling card, could you pleasehelp me use it?"A few people tried... but they finally said "I haven't used it yet.Sorry...I don't know."
I felt as if I am lost in a thick forest.My nervous system got alerted with a kind of fear.Adrenaline on full flow.
I have not stopped asking for change. No use.Took out my international calling card again. Read the instructions.Went to a corner phone so that nobody can see and suspect me even ifI try repeatedly and repetitively. (Both are same. Don’t worry.)"This is not a valid number. Tray again!! "A very old man came there to make a phone call. I asked him if knowshow to use the card.His wife, also a very old lady, came by my side to help. She alsoread the instructions paper.Then she called her husband, "Sweet heart, see if you could help thisyoung man?"He turned to me slowly... a very tall man he is, looked down to findme.Adjusting his spectacles, he took the instructions paper from myhands."Probably you can not use calling card at this kind-a phone. You needto use coins"
I said, "Probably... Thanks gentle man. I will use coins. Do you havechange for $10?"That lady pored a few quarter coins in my hands and said "Please Keepit and try."She was not taking $10. Because she doesn't have change for it.I said "Thank you madam, but I cannot take the coins for free. I amsorry. Please take it back."She refused for some time...But I was feeling guilty to take it for free, so I made her accept totake it back.A middle aged man was watching all this episode.
I felt shy to ask his help. I am left alone there. I am not willingface him.So I moved to hide myself behind the phone, trying again the samething with a blank mind.When I came out the man is still there. He saw me and quickly turnedhis eyes away.I took a deep breath and walked up to him and asked him if he has anychange for $10.I also asked if he can help me use the calling card.I said, "OK, come with me." We both walked a few meters through thecorridor.He went to a lady and said "Honey, this gentle man is new to ourplace. He missed his flight and thenext flight is at tomorrow morning. He needs to make a phone call.Let him use our phone."She felt really sorry for me. I told Harsha's phone number as hedialed and gave it to me.
I am filled with confidence once I heard Harsha's voice. I spoke tohim in Telugu."I am stuck here in Chicago air port. Missed the connecting flight.Next flight is tomorrow morning.This is not my phone. A gentle man helped me call you. It may not begood to talk long. Will call youagain." I thanked the couple as heartily as possible.Then the man took me to a coffee shop for getting coins.I asked him if I need to buy some thing here, readily willing to doso.He said "No need." Asked the woman for coins and change for $10.Now I got the change also.I told him "You helped me in time. You are the God to me at themoment. I would like to return yourfavor in any possible way. Thank you so much, sir!"He said smiling "When I come to India...?""I welcome you to India.... Aah, I got the boarding pass do you thinkit is safer to stay here?"He said "Have the security check and enter the terminal. You are safethere."We both walked up stairs and he showed me where to go for securitycheck.
As I entered there, it was full of lady security personnel. Theyasked for another pass.I was confused. came out. The gentleman was waiting for the lift togo down.He saw me coming out and came to me with a question mark face. I toldhim.He took to me to a higher officer and talked to her ..."Hi, this gentle man has got his boarding pass. Does he require anything else to check in?"That officer told him that she would take care of me, and the Godleft away.I am so overwhelmed with gratitude that I forgot to thank him.That lady took me to the same place and wrote "OK" on my boardingpass and then they let me in.
Security check. The man there asked to remove my shoes and Jerkin.He said "I will have to touch you on your hands, shoulders, back andlegs for any possiblenon-permittables". I nodded my head OK.He is a strong and short gentleman, looked like Chinese.After the massage as told above, I entered the boarding area.
Now it's Harsha's turn to react to the situation with the limitedinfo that I gave him.I am in a secured place now. Here again, all phones are coin phones.I inserted a coin and dialed the number. As I dialed a few numbersthe coin would come out.I am almost gone mad. Sat down on a bench there. Soon I realized thatI am really hungry.There was a stall. Went there and looked at the items.All are new to me, except water bottles.Bought an anonymous food item and a water bottle, to put off the firein my stomach.Ahaa... for the first time I bought some unknown thing using aforeign currency to answer my hunger.
Once I had a byte of it... it was like a dry grass. But there was alayer of meat in it.That part was tasty. Had a few bites and put it back in my cabin-bag.Drank some water. Felt better.Tried again different number combinations such as 001, 011, 91 andHarsha's phone number. Ummmhoo.A fat man was watching me. I asked him how to dial this number.He said "To Houston? One coin is not enough. Put more and dial." Itried. No luck.Then he threw another advice "Ask the help desk."Just for the sake of the man, I stood before the lady in help desk.She was busy on phone.There was two pretty young ladies sitting on opposite benches.I stood there for almost 3 minutes, waiting for a response.My personal advisor yelled at me, "Hey, why standing there? go to thenext desk."Pretty ladies giggled. I felt embarrassed. Just like that ;-) ...escaped from the place.
Walked back to the security check post and sat down on a chairopposite to it.Mind was blank. But I am not worried now. All I have to do is tospend the night some how.Morning I will fly to Houston and hopefully coin phone works there.Sitting quietly as if I am meditating. Not many people are therearound.Watching people who ever walk by the way. I saw a man looking like anIndian.A black is also walking along with him. Both dressed in uniform.He looked at me and I smiled. He came close to me and I asked whetherhe was an Indian.Bingo !! He is Mr.Iqbal from Hyderabad. Working in the airport.Knowing my situation, he offered his mobile dialed Harsha's number.By this time, before I told any thing, Harsha asked me to note down acalling card number, it's pinnumber and the clear procedure of it's usage, no coins necessary.I thanked the man and he said "Are, If I cannot help you, I am not anIndian at all. Not a bigmatter. My duty ends by 12 tonight. See you sir."Another God.
I looked at the coin phones around.A young lady was talking on a phone that is next to the chair.I looked for such a setup because I was tired to stand up.I waited for her to finish, but she was continuing.So I went to another phone and dialed Harsha's number.Ho ho !! It worked. Now, told him my situation in detail.I had a doubt, "Have I checked in my baggage in right place?"Harsha assured it's the right place, and I would get it in Houston.And told me to call him any time in the night if I feel boredom.Also, he told me how to call my dad in Bangalore. Enjoy!!!
After that session is over, I cradled the receiver in place andlooked at the young lady.She was lying back up on the bench. It's absolutely an uncommon sightin Indian public places.In a glance all I could see is she was wearing a cream colored jeanstrousers and a pink top.I have not looked at her again, even though it is a rare sight, coz Ifelt doing so would embarrassher and she may not be comfortable anymore.This is all because, I am actually so tired and wanted to lye downand sleep undisturbed......Feeling the same for her.And I am trying to be a good boy ;-)
But I am afraid to sleep. What if I do not wake up in time? Hell.So I decided to be awake through out the night, no matter what.It's 11.30pm. Lifted my cabin-bag to just walk till the end of thecorridor.Soon I felt it is too heavy for me[tired] with water bottle in it.But I reached the corner and returned to the same place in 20min.She was there. This time, standing near the sofa.The sofa is designed for passengers to sit on it's both sides with asingle back-rest in the middle.She is standing that side and I am supposed to sit this side facingthe security people/post.To make my self comfortable to sit there, I looked at her andsaid "hi", in a tired voice.She also reacted and asked me, "what time, your flight?" "Tomorrowmorning 7.45"She felt happy. I asked "What about yours?""Yours is better. Mine is at 9.30am. I missed my flight""So did I"
Both are in same situation.She was pretty and looked willing to continue talking to me.She sat down and smiled "I am not alone. At least I have some onewith the same problem."That's an invitation for me sit down there.A pretty nice company. She asked "How did you miss the flight?"I said "I am coming from India, supposed to catch the connectingflight to Houston. But my flight reached Chicago 3 hours late. By the time I got through immigration check and checked my baggagein United Airlines it got late. Had I been here a 15min earlier, I would have reached Houston bynow."
And the talk went on for two and a half hours...
... to be continued in the next part of Ramanadh Saahasa Yaatralu(Not Sindhbad Saahasa Yaatralu).
See you again,Ram

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