It has been a few months since I completed my four-month long trip to India, a long-awaited trip that lasted longer than I had anticipated. While experiences varied from sweltering heat in June to drenching humid weather, I had the amazing chance to see life in my country from close quarters after a really long time. During the six years that I lived overseas, most of my trips back home left me with little time to spend outside meeting family and friends.
I spent good part of the trip on bases, trains, and airplanes, traveling alongside interesting co-passengers - laborers, politicians, students, entrepreneurs, and professionals. On the flight from New Delhi to Patna, as I seated myself, I saw a politician in dark glasses, clad in Kurta Pajama, walking down the aisle. As he reached the aisle seat in my row, he poked the passenger seated on aisle to move to the middle seat, and soon after he was comfortable ensconsed on the aisle seat. Soon after take-off, meal was served on the flight: Rice, dal, and paneer on my plate was a more welcome delight than peanuts, pretzels and their siblings served on American domestic flight. So, I expressed my gratitude to the hostess, only to be interrupted by the Netaji on the aisle seat, who began:
"Bhat Dal de diya chokha ki kami hai, these idiots cant get continental or chinese food on the plane. I have thrown their food back in their face in the past but they are obviously incorrigible". I said that most American domestic flights dont even serve meals. Netaji was further ired at the mention of "America" and he went on (translated) "Dont bullshit with me about America and planes, I was a member in Indian aviation board and I have been flying since 1985 when we first bought Fokker planes. NRIs like you have ruined our country, had it not been politicians like us who decided to stay back and serve our motherland." At this point, I decided to chose the path of sarcasm, and my next hour in the flight was filled with Netaji's roars of self-glorification and threats against any comment that tried to indemnify him. We had landed in Patna and Netaji reminded me that I was younger than him and should know my limits.
...to be continued (other parts of my stay in India)
