This is the link. I hope my old readers continue reading this blog, and new readers, if any, enjoy my older posts too.
:)
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Travel tale
Having finally recovered from my ordeal that I attempted to banter on in sufficient depth on my previous blog, I decided that now I should no longer hold myself back, and go out there and enjoy the world as I used to not so long ago. And so, even as my hand remains bandaged and pitiably weak (imagine a hand so weak that even stretching it is impossible) I decided to go out on a little trip.
The other day saw me booking an online ticket for a flight to Bangalore. I couldn't have risked a train or bus journey when I was still recovering. I have some old friends down there, whom I hadn't met in a long, long while, and as such, choosing the destination for my trip was quite easy. My thrifty ways with my money saw me booking a low fare airliner, as money comes higher up on my priority list than convenience. When the day arrived, I left for the airport early, in an attempt to avoid the rush hour traffic.
After a long, and nearly boring wait at the airport, I finally boarded my flight. As always, I preferred the window seat for a short journey. I boarded the flight and scouted about for a good seat (not all low fare airlines give you fixed seat numbers). I had happily settled into my seat when a heftily built middle aged person came and occupied the seat beside me. Forced by habit, I passed him a smile, which wasn't returned. 'Hmm, another one of those grumpy conceited chaps. Someone tell them that air travel is no more a rich man's cookie', I thought. The captain requested all passengers to fasten their seat belts, and the crew to take their seats and prepare for take off. When we reached the cruising altitude, I took out a novel from my backpack and began reading from where I had left it earlier.
Minutes later, the uncle next to me tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'Excuse me, may I take the window seat please'. 'Then why didn't you board the flight before me', I wondered, but didn't say that aloud. I gave him the seat and didn't get a thank you in return. 'No more pleasantries from me', I decided. I soon got bored with my novel and closed it leaving a dog ear to signal the page that I should begin with the next time. I had about an hour more left before we reached Bangalore, so I decided on a little nap.
I was woken up a while later by the window seat guy, as he said he needed to use the restroom. 'What timing', again I thought to myself. On his way out he bumped into my arm. 'Ouch' this time I did say it aloud, 'Can't you see that my hand is bandaged. Couldn't you have been more careful?' I demanded. 'I'm sorry' and he left.
No more words were exchanged for the remainder of the trip. I was more upset now that he didn't even care to inquire about whatever happened to my arm, how do I feel now etc. The least I had felt people could have done for me back during the days that I was roaming around with a fractured arm was to wish me a 'get well soon' or a 'speedy recovery'. Clearly this chap belonged to the category that didn't care.
After we touched down, and as the plane was taxing towards its designated terminal, the captain requested all passengers to remain seated until the 'fasten your seat belts sign' was turned off, and to keep cell phones switched off for the time being. But the window seat chap either didn't hear him, or didn't regard his instructions important enough to be implemented. He dialled a number on his phone and was grumbling about the delayed flight, and was saying he will get there as soon as possible.
Determined as I was to return the conceit, I removed my hand baggage from the overhead shelf as soon as the flight came to a stop, and blocked the window seat chap's way out. I wasn't going to allow him the pleasure of an early disembarkation. When my intention became clear as I didn't budge while other passengers kept moving, he tapped me from behind, and requested me to allow him to leave first. I didn't want to create a scene and so I moved aside a bit to make way.
As he passed beside me and was leaving, he turned back and said, 'You see, my son died in an accident today morning, and so I need to be at the hospital as soon as I can. And I am sorry about bumping into your arm earlier. You get well soon.' And he left.
I wasn't able to decide what my reaction should be. Shock, shame, sympathy. All this while I was looking at him as the bad guy. In the end I turned out to be the villain. Now I wasn't so sure who was conceited after all. I am still ashamed for the way I acted and the things I said to him. One lesson that I learnt from the whole episode was not to judge others too quickly, and not to consider myself to be important always. I hope I am more careful now onwards.
The other day saw me booking an online ticket for a flight to Bangalore. I couldn't have risked a train or bus journey when I was still recovering. I have some old friends down there, whom I hadn't met in a long, long while, and as such, choosing the destination for my trip was quite easy. My thrifty ways with my money saw me booking a low fare airliner, as money comes higher up on my priority list than convenience. When the day arrived, I left for the airport early, in an attempt to avoid the rush hour traffic.
After a long, and nearly boring wait at the airport, I finally boarded my flight. As always, I preferred the window seat for a short journey. I boarded the flight and scouted about for a good seat (not all low fare airlines give you fixed seat numbers). I had happily settled into my seat when a heftily built middle aged person came and occupied the seat beside me. Forced by habit, I passed him a smile, which wasn't returned. 'Hmm, another one of those grumpy conceited chaps. Someone tell them that air travel is no more a rich man's cookie', I thought. The captain requested all passengers to fasten their seat belts, and the crew to take their seats and prepare for take off. When we reached the cruising altitude, I took out a novel from my backpack and began reading from where I had left it earlier.
Minutes later, the uncle next to me tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'Excuse me, may I take the window seat please'. 'Then why didn't you board the flight before me', I wondered, but didn't say that aloud. I gave him the seat and didn't get a thank you in return. 'No more pleasantries from me', I decided. I soon got bored with my novel and closed it leaving a dog ear to signal the page that I should begin with the next time. I had about an hour more left before we reached Bangalore, so I decided on a little nap.
I was woken up a while later by the window seat guy, as he said he needed to use the restroom. 'What timing', again I thought to myself. On his way out he bumped into my arm. 'Ouch' this time I did say it aloud, 'Can't you see that my hand is bandaged. Couldn't you have been more careful?' I demanded. 'I'm sorry' and he left.
No more words were exchanged for the remainder of the trip. I was more upset now that he didn't even care to inquire about whatever happened to my arm, how do I feel now etc. The least I had felt people could have done for me back during the days that I was roaming around with a fractured arm was to wish me a 'get well soon' or a 'speedy recovery'. Clearly this chap belonged to the category that didn't care.
After we touched down, and as the plane was taxing towards its designated terminal, the captain requested all passengers to remain seated until the 'fasten your seat belts sign' was turned off, and to keep cell phones switched off for the time being. But the window seat chap either didn't hear him, or didn't regard his instructions important enough to be implemented. He dialled a number on his phone and was grumbling about the delayed flight, and was saying he will get there as soon as possible.
Determined as I was to return the conceit, I removed my hand baggage from the overhead shelf as soon as the flight came to a stop, and blocked the window seat chap's way out. I wasn't going to allow him the pleasure of an early disembarkation. When my intention became clear as I didn't budge while other passengers kept moving, he tapped me from behind, and requested me to allow him to leave first. I didn't want to create a scene and so I moved aside a bit to make way.
As he passed beside me and was leaving, he turned back and said, 'You see, my son died in an accident today morning, and so I need to be at the hospital as soon as I can. And I am sorry about bumping into your arm earlier. You get well soon.' And he left.
I wasn't able to decide what my reaction should be. Shock, shame, sympathy. All this while I was looking at him as the bad guy. In the end I turned out to be the villain. Now I wasn't so sure who was conceited after all. I am still ashamed for the way I acted and the things I said to him. One lesson that I learnt from the whole episode was not to judge others too quickly, and not to consider myself to be important always. I hope I am more careful now onwards.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Hello world!
Welcome,
This is where I shall continue blogging henceforth. No views/articles/opinions etc. Just short stories. Have been writing some for quite a while now, and this shall be home to 'em all. A bit busy these days, hence shall resume here after a short while.
Regards,
Tallur.
This is where I shall continue blogging henceforth. No views/articles/opinions etc. Just short stories. Have been writing some for quite a while now, and this shall be home to 'em all. A bit busy these days, hence shall resume here after a short while.
Regards,
Tallur.
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