It's 254 PM EST on 24 Dec 2009. Hancock International Airport, Syracuse, NY, USA. What rest of the world would oversimplify as Christmas Eve.
I just spent the last 10 minutes thinking about what I should do. I was very efficient today. Got to work at 8 AM and worked with ruthless precision to wrap up most of my work at 1 Pm sharp and left the office for the airport. Syracuse is a small city, so exactly 1 hour from that point, I had got to the airport, returned the rental car, checked in, cleared security and finished lunch.
I knew exactly what to do at 2 PM. There was that one last document I needed to email to my client (there is always that one last document...). So I opened my laptop and got busy. One document is never one document and a couple of emails is never a couple so I ended up spending roughly 45 minutes working, but the ruthless precision continued and I had completed what I wanted to do in that time.
That is when I started wondering what to do next. Because exactly at that point, the attendant at the US air desk at Gate 5 announced that the aircraft meant for Philadelphia at 320 PM had just left Philadelphia for Syracuse and was expected to get here at roughly 305 and that they would start boarding just after that. So at worst, there could be a 15 or 20 minute delay. Not bad considering that my travel from Philadelphia to Syracuse earlier in the week was quite a story.
So I had some time on my hand. Since I am sitting on a seat that faces out into the open (the runways et al...) I can actually see when the flight from Philadeplhia has come to a complete stop at Gate 5. So I don't have the need to shut my laptop any sooner than that.
That is when I started thinking what I must do now. I kept looking at my email box. No email had really come in since 233 and that is surprising for me. It's Christmas Eve for sure... I hit the refresh button just to be sure and I hit it again, to be more sure. Nothing. I logged into gmail. Nothing. I logged in to all my other email addresses. Nothing, nothing, nothing...
At that point, I knew I really had nothing to do for the rest of this time while I am waiting for flight 4305 to show up from Phialdelphia. I started to wonder. Should I get up and go get a drink? May be I should get some dessert... And then voila! I knew what I should do. BLOG!
There is certainly some relationship between the "Nothing Time" I spend at airports and my blogging habit for most of my blogs (and certainly my best ones) have happened at the airport while waiting for my flight. Free Internet at airports like the Hancock International only make it better.
I see a flight that has just pulled up and come to a complete stop at Gate 5. I do not know if it is from Philadelphia and I cannot hear any announcement (certainly not above Theenda Theenda Parvai Theenda from Chinna that is playing in my ears on high volume). But I turn around and and no one seated at the gate seems to be in any hurry to board this plane. So I will go on...
I try to think this through. I am a glutton. I have just had a tomato basil soup for lunch and nothing more. On another day, I would definitely got up from my seat with a view and got a dessert or a drink. Or at least run to the rest room and...
So why did I decide to just sit here in the comfort of this seat and BLOG? Was it my passion to write? Was it my resolve not to overeat today? Or was it this gorgeous girl who walked up to the window, took off her jacket (to reveal the rich red sweater) and strethced out her legs on the floor just five feet from me... We will never know, will we?
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
I am Not So Great!
Dedicated to the woman who has committed her life to making mine BEAUTIFUL.
"What would you like to eat before you leave?", she asked me from the kitchen. "I just ate my oatmeal, I said. "That is right, but you will be on the road for a couple of hours once you leave here and then you will go straight to your meeting and I am sure you won't get anywhere close to food until about 4 PM", she insisted.
I felt like sometimes, my wife's only job was to feed me and my son. We'd be sitting there barely having digested our lunch and she would be wondering what to make for dinner. She's committed alright. So that day was just another day. It was exactly a week ago, on 7 Dec 09 and it was about 1015 AM. I had a meeting with a client in New York city at 2 PM and would be hitting the road soon. And keep in mind, I had my oatmeal that morning a little before 9 AM.
"What do you want? Upma or Maggi?". There was the question again. "Upma is good", I said, just to get her out of my hair. I was working, writing emails furiously, trying to get some things done on a Monday morning. "When do you plan to leave? Aren't you getting late?", she prodded further. "Shouldn't I wait till the upma is done?", was my response. I was trying to be smart, to trap her in her own ruse. She just gave me a wry smile. "Just a couple of emails to be done, by when the upma will also be done. Eat, that, dress up and I will be in my car at 11 AM sharp", I said.
"Upma ready", came the call, but this time it was from closer. I was so engrossed with my couple of emails that I hadn't realised she had brought the upma to me where I was, on my couch, legs stretched out on the center table. I had to respect the upma so that was the end of that email and I promptly dropped the laptop back on the table and picked up my plate. I noticed she had made some for herself too and I decided to spend the next 5 minutes eating and chatting with her, the least I can do for a woman who did so much for me. I have to thank God for little pleasures like working from home, for those 5 minutes were nice. Hot upma, small talk... How many times have I done small talk with her in the last one year (the last 10 for that matter...)?
I didn't have to ask her, but she promptly took my plate and put it over hers when we were both finished and put both of them in the kitchen sink. Washing them to a sparkle was on her agenda sometime that day, coming soon. "You are making coffee, right?". I guess I did ask for this one. The plate that left my lap not even a minute ago had already been replaced by my laptop, so even as I continued my furious emailing, I slightly tilted my head to check her reaction to my ask. I had seen that stare before, several times, but it was accompanied by a smile, so I knew I had gotten away this time. She loved my sheer cheek.
5 emails later the best flavor ever created by God teased my nostrils. I did not even have to look up, for my favorite white cup was placed right next to me on a coaster. "Thank you for the excellent customer service", I said, picking it up right away. "Hey! Can I ask you for just one thing more? I haven't ironed my white shirt yet and I have this important document to send out before I leave...", and my face wore an expression of pleading. "You are really too much", was all she said, as she walked away towards our bedroom this time.
It took me another 10 minutes to relish that coffee to its last sip and I looked down the bottom of the empty cup with despair. The important document was also sent and it was 10:45 AM. I had decided that the emailing had to stop and I spent another couple of minutes shutting down my laptop and shoving it in my bag. I stood up and stretched myself again staring into the sunlight. It was a bright sunny morning and I was feeling really good (for a Monday morning!). I ambled into the bedroom and further into the closet. I slipped on my trousers and my undershirt.
"Here you go", she said, "and is there anything else I can do for you today?". "Oh yeah! Will you slip my coat on from my back once I am all ready?", I said as I put on my well pressed crisp white shirt and just started to knot my new red tie (which she got me for my birthday!). She must have been seething with anger by now and she came right behind me and said, "why don't you let me knot your tie?. That way I can strangle you this instant". "I don't need that service this morning, thank you", I said, picked up my coat, handed it to her and walked out of my bedroom back to the hall.
I picked up my wallet on the way, put on my socks and shoes and then realised I had forgotten my ring and neck chain that I always wear everyday. "Can you?", I said and she slowly walked back to fetch them from their little home. I took them from her, wore them on and looked at the small mirror. "I feel good", I said. "That's good", she said and I realised she was ready with my coat in her hand waiting to help me get into it. She eased it on to my arms and then wiped away the lint from its back. I was all set. She then gave me a warm hug and said, "Good Luck. You will do well today." I gave her a peck on the cheek, thanked her and walked out. It was 11 AM.
For someone who grew up watching Indian films in the 1980s, everything that happened in the last 45 minutes was all too familiar. The lady of the house, waking up early, getting the breakfast on the table, getting the kid ready, seeing him off at the bus station and then attending to the husband's every little need till shw saw him ride away to work in his car. "But then", I thought to myself, as I merged on to interstate highway 295N, "those men in those movies were all great men, business tycoons and the like".
I am not so great! Not yet. I guess, I am just BLESSED!
Exactly one week later, on this Monday morning, at 723 AM, I am sitting at the Philadelphia airport, the victim of a delayed flight. I left home at the ungodly hour of 330 AM and she was still there, gving me the proverbial hug and waiting on the patio, till the airport shuttle pulled away from the parking lot. And today is no ordinary day. It's her Birthday. So as I am sitting here killing time, I decided that the least I could do for her today was write this for her and thank her, for making my every moment so beautiful. For making my Life so BEAUTIFUL.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PONDATTI.
"What would you like to eat before you leave?", she asked me from the kitchen. "I just ate my oatmeal, I said. "That is right, but you will be on the road for a couple of hours once you leave here and then you will go straight to your meeting and I am sure you won't get anywhere close to food until about 4 PM", she insisted.
I felt like sometimes, my wife's only job was to feed me and my son. We'd be sitting there barely having digested our lunch and she would be wondering what to make for dinner. She's committed alright. So that day was just another day. It was exactly a week ago, on 7 Dec 09 and it was about 1015 AM. I had a meeting with a client in New York city at 2 PM and would be hitting the road soon. And keep in mind, I had my oatmeal that morning a little before 9 AM.
"What do you want? Upma or Maggi?". There was the question again. "Upma is good", I said, just to get her out of my hair. I was working, writing emails furiously, trying to get some things done on a Monday morning. "When do you plan to leave? Aren't you getting late?", she prodded further. "Shouldn't I wait till the upma is done?", was my response. I was trying to be smart, to trap her in her own ruse. She just gave me a wry smile. "Just a couple of emails to be done, by when the upma will also be done. Eat, that, dress up and I will be in my car at 11 AM sharp", I said.
"Upma ready", came the call, but this time it was from closer. I was so engrossed with my couple of emails that I hadn't realised she had brought the upma to me where I was, on my couch, legs stretched out on the center table. I had to respect the upma so that was the end of that email and I promptly dropped the laptop back on the table and picked up my plate. I noticed she had made some for herself too and I decided to spend the next 5 minutes eating and chatting with her, the least I can do for a woman who did so much for me. I have to thank God for little pleasures like working from home, for those 5 minutes were nice. Hot upma, small talk... How many times have I done small talk with her in the last one year (the last 10 for that matter...)?
I didn't have to ask her, but she promptly took my plate and put it over hers when we were both finished and put both of them in the kitchen sink. Washing them to a sparkle was on her agenda sometime that day, coming soon. "You are making coffee, right?". I guess I did ask for this one. The plate that left my lap not even a minute ago had already been replaced by my laptop, so even as I continued my furious emailing, I slightly tilted my head to check her reaction to my ask. I had seen that stare before, several times, but it was accompanied by a smile, so I knew I had gotten away this time. She loved my sheer cheek.
5 emails later the best flavor ever created by God teased my nostrils. I did not even have to look up, for my favorite white cup was placed right next to me on a coaster. "Thank you for the excellent customer service", I said, picking it up right away. "Hey! Can I ask you for just one thing more? I haven't ironed my white shirt yet and I have this important document to send out before I leave...", and my face wore an expression of pleading. "You are really too much", was all she said, as she walked away towards our bedroom this time.
It took me another 10 minutes to relish that coffee to its last sip and I looked down the bottom of the empty cup with despair. The important document was also sent and it was 10:45 AM. I had decided that the emailing had to stop and I spent another couple of minutes shutting down my laptop and shoving it in my bag. I stood up and stretched myself again staring into the sunlight. It was a bright sunny morning and I was feeling really good (for a Monday morning!). I ambled into the bedroom and further into the closet. I slipped on my trousers and my undershirt.
"Here you go", she said, "and is there anything else I can do for you today?". "Oh yeah! Will you slip my coat on from my back once I am all ready?", I said as I put on my well pressed crisp white shirt and just started to knot my new red tie (which she got me for my birthday!). She must have been seething with anger by now and she came right behind me and said, "why don't you let me knot your tie?. That way I can strangle you this instant". "I don't need that service this morning, thank you", I said, picked up my coat, handed it to her and walked out of my bedroom back to the hall.
I picked up my wallet on the way, put on my socks and shoes and then realised I had forgotten my ring and neck chain that I always wear everyday. "Can you?", I said and she slowly walked back to fetch them from their little home. I took them from her, wore them on and looked at the small mirror. "I feel good", I said. "That's good", she said and I realised she was ready with my coat in her hand waiting to help me get into it. She eased it on to my arms and then wiped away the lint from its back. I was all set. She then gave me a warm hug and said, "Good Luck. You will do well today." I gave her a peck on the cheek, thanked her and walked out. It was 11 AM.
For someone who grew up watching Indian films in the 1980s, everything that happened in the last 45 minutes was all too familiar. The lady of the house, waking up early, getting the breakfast on the table, getting the kid ready, seeing him off at the bus station and then attending to the husband's every little need till shw saw him ride away to work in his car. "But then", I thought to myself, as I merged on to interstate highway 295N, "those men in those movies were all great men, business tycoons and the like".
I am not so great! Not yet. I guess, I am just BLESSED!
Exactly one week later, on this Monday morning, at 723 AM, I am sitting at the Philadelphia airport, the victim of a delayed flight. I left home at the ungodly hour of 330 AM and she was still there, gving me the proverbial hug and waiting on the patio, till the airport shuttle pulled away from the parking lot. And today is no ordinary day. It's her Birthday. So as I am sitting here killing time, I decided that the least I could do for her today was write this for her and thank her, for making my every moment so beautiful. For making my Life so BEAUTIFUL.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PONDATTI.
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