Human Touch !

Ah, still thinking I ceased to exist ?? About time I changed such an opinion. Am here to announce my re-incarnation yet again :o) !

Folks, workaholic me took a mini break and made a beeline to certain other parts of Europe last few weeks. Oh yes, even the raising Euro could not deter my trip ! No, am not a rare nut, there are more of my kind and I call them friends. So, here we were hustled into a car with a friend from US assuming steering control having by now been totally accustomed to driving on the 'other' side as I diplomatically refrain the use of 'wrong' here. With no fancy navigation units to hook onto, we relied on good old signboards(which by the way were not seen much in number as a confession) to helps us reach our destination . Expected result - lunch in Belgium. Fat chance. We understood why navigation units are such popular gadgets by losing way in a little while. Obviously, we now start asking for directions. As a rule while asking help when lost, I have noticed people shrug their shoulders and walk along, people who stare into space trying to read the constellation and some mysterious way by which that helps them identify the route, people who rattle off with 'left', 'right', 'left again', 'center' and finally 'then ask..'.. but the response we were meted out actually humbled me(yeah, now that's a real hard one to happen)

The lady in the 4x4, rolled down her window, listened us out and spoke her native Dutch. What followed was more an understanding of body and sign language but well at least we knew which direction to turn into now ! So, happily we move forward following the other cars on the road. In a little while, the 4x4 lady pulled ahead of us, hopping off her vehicle came running towards us, pointed us the Highway we had been trying to unsuccessfully locate before rushing to her car as the lights flashed green from red.

Am sure glad there are still people around to whom human touch matters ! Am sure anyone travelling the tube would nod for me :o) !

Day One.. part Three

Speak..Indian language !
Absolutely gobsmacked I blink at the mobile he thrust at me.. The situation was getting a bit too out of hand for my liking..
TTS: Please ask her to come here soon.
You are marked, I tell myself. Resigning myself to the then current circumstances, I speak into the phone,
Hello..?? Helloo ??
The palm tree bathed in sunset screen saver stared at me once again..
"Sorry, looks like the call got disconnected.. we are back to the waiting game !"
TTS seemed certainly far from happy and in no mood for games, understandably.
Yoo-hoo..!! My Gate info flashed on the display board screen and lit up my face.. scram now, says inner voice.
I face TTS to break the news. "Sorry again, but I need to move on. Incidentally am boarding the Los Angeles flight too but the one leaving before Shivani's does.. I would have offered to hand this mobile over to the cabin crew to announce and pass on had we been on the same flight but obviously it does not seem the case ! I need to rush, so wish you Happy Holidays..good bye.."
Reluctantly TTS mumbles safe flight and good vacation in return
Am free !! I start walking towards my Gate with a lil spring in my step.. vacation is happening afterall..

Listen up people, I played my part with all sincerity mean me could muster. Had been on the edge ever since morning when the airline's ground staff approached me to ask if I would be willing to give up my seat for an alternate flight and $1200(commercialism at its confusing heights!) - ah, everything in this world comes with a price tag, so did my vacation..but the tag would make it loud and clear it's priceless ! I was meaning to meet a good friend after a long time..years that might have even convinced us we have gone seperate ways. In the name of friendship, it was imperitive I board that flight.. and leave no stones unturned at that. So off I go..looking for directions to my Gate..

At this point in time, ideally I believe us to be on the same page. Did Shivani make it to Terminal 3 in time ?? Did she manage to locate TTS.. did they both meet ?? Did she unite with her Motorola mobile ?? Na tum jaano na hum..but we are the kind who love happy endings and therefore hope so tad emotionally..

Life is short, sweet AND full of surprises.. so doston, picture abhi bhi baaki hai.. ;) !

Day One.. part Two

Do you know to use a Motorola mobile ??
I must have started looking way beyond my years already or it was the way I dressed - better work on both ! Or simply, he was wearing wrong pair of glasses.
I nod in reply. Flipping open the Motorola V3, I dismiss the palm tree bathed in sunset screen saver to access address book.
Hello..??
I had found, zeroed in and dialled India-Home.
"Hi..uh, this is a call from er, Heathrow Terminal 3, I believe Shivani lost her mobile and am wondering if possibly there is someway we can reach thru to her. She can collect her mobile from the security over here.."
Voice at the other end: I am her sister here. She called to inform us about her lost mobile..she is waiting to board the 11.00AM flight to Los Angeles(uh, am possibly tampering with info here :p)..
I was unsure of what now. "Thanks, I will keep the official here informed and in the meantime if Shivani is to ring you back, do let her know her mobile is safe and can be collected.."
Earnestly, I relay entire conversation to TTS, who now scans the crowd expectantly but to my unease does not budge my side. Am now serious about the tee on my next vacation.
We heard the mobile in question ring, jolting us both. TTS hurriedly flips open the instrument, fumbles with the controls before finally speaking into it..
TTS: Hello..??
TTS: Yes, can you please collect it from me.. meet me inside Terminal 3..
His sense of humour, to me, takes the cake.. Terminal 3 spans 1000's of square feet, lined with many number of duty free shops, with innumerable passengers milling about shopping and waiting for Gate info on their respective flights. I had to intervene on compassion grounds..
"Hey, do you reckon mentioning the Dixons in Terminal 3 as your location could help her perhaps ??"
Could not help but strongly believe I have spoken out aloud to myself.
More minutes pass. I impatiently glance at the Gate information board, pocketing my mp3 - it had somehow lost it's appeal. TTS has not moved places at all, only shifted his legs.
Mobile rings once again but we are not jolted - I had half expected a dozen calls by then !
TTS: Hello.. yes, am still in Terminal 3. Please come and collect your mobile soon.
Looks like TTS is a person who stands by his word - metaphorically and actually too ! It takes all kinds of people to make the world and by now was glad am not Shivani but me !

We both need a break now - reliving such an experience takes courage, energy and a fridge raid ! Come back if you want more..

Day One.. part One.

Ah..don't you love to be on a vacation ?? The luxury of extra sleep, additional dream time, goodbye to cooking, forget those calories are all part of the pamper yourself package teaching you to spend rather than save.

Awaiting my gate information, I was happily tuning into the mp3 when I heard a voice, "Shivani ??"(yeah, obviously I changed the name).. I looked up from my reverie enquiringly at the Terminal 3 Security towering over me. "Indian ??", he continued shooting questions. "Yes, but am not Shivani", I answered thinking if ma had ever thought of such nice ones before calling me names officially :p !
TTS(Towering Terminal Security): Shivani lost her mobile..
Seems Hilary is losing the election. So ??
I stared at him, clueless at why am being fed such classified information.
TTS: Can you speak ??
Excuse me ! One of us is deaf, possibly more, definitely dumb..and it's not ME.
TTS: Can you speak ??
But this time he pointed to the mobile in his hand, driving home the message.
I nodded, "Uh, whom do you want me to speak to ??" Perhaps I should wear a Tee that announces, 'Stay away.. 1st day of vacation' perhaps ??
TTS: finally breaks away from his one liners but launches into rapid sentences.. You can call someone in India, her home. She has reported the mobile as lost and needs to be passed the message it can be collected from me here in Terminal 3.
He missed the point completely..am now sure about his score in History lessons. India does not speak ONE but atleast 22 languages and chances are I might blink and make anyone at Shivani's home blink too ! But khair ek hindustani hi dusre hindustani ke kaam aa sakta hai.. all around the world Indians speak one language - English. I reached out for the mobile.

Ah, caught your curiosity, did I ?? Watch this space for more guys..