To Air ..with Love

I always wanted to be a Cadet. Vessels till date, draw out the maximum passion in me. I jump off my couch the moment I see a warship on TV, I am damn fascinated by the marvellous huge pieces of engineering floating so simply over the oceans.
Ended up being a Software Engineer, who writes some blog whenever the boss is not around. Life can be funny, and ironically you won't laugh at it, thinking whom are you laughing at. Your own life? or on yourself.

Dad wanted me to take Computers, while I aimed for Defence Services. Life played its card again, my entrance exam to National Defence Academy and Computer Engineering fell on the same day, same time :P
No rewards in guessing which one I attempted. Result!! I now know how to surf net. To do something for the country was a passion since school days, and still very much ALIVE!!!

Three of us applied for Defence post High School, two attempted and one got selected. Was not able to meet him since then.

Few days ago, I met my old friend who is now India's youngest fighter Pilot flying Sukhoi - 30s. Imagine being with your school friend, with whom you dreamt of coming this far and then realizing he achieved it and you are still a typist.

En route to his Air Base, I saw a MIG-21 on display , pointing high in the air... about to take off. I saw AIRBASE sign boards everywhere and officers in neat dresses.
The dream became more passionate. Country brings out the maximum passion in me, to be a part of people who actually work for this passion, is more than overwhelming.

The walls was full of Bikini cladded Girls, the study desk and the mobile wallpaper had Laetitia Casta. Not to mention the dress or no dress she was wearing. First thing that struck, what happened to the passion for country??
Passion for skimpily cladded, erotic posters was clearly visible. A hanging guitar, cowboy hats, few Fighter snaps, one had him.
The room never gave me the feeling of someone who is serving the country. I guess I expected too much. He was amongst the most passionate ones amongst us who wanted to do something for the country.

Flying lieutenant was now talking about his pathetic life, how he misses a Girl and how desperate he is to get one attached to his name. All his room mates have one. how he misses the College Fun, and the bunking, how he misses being free.

He told me that they are not suppose to play football or basketball. Not allowed to drive a bike in or off campus, not allowed to go alone, not allowed to be free, feel free, think free.
He was all complaints with his life, not his job. Not at all !!! Still wanted to serve the nation with the same zeal, I saw in his eyes back in school. But the life was not enjoyable.
He was not breaking, nor was becoming weak for his passion, but he was not happy and not at all satisfied.

While being with him, we discussed the Good old school days, we were meeting after 7 years. Discussed, who got babies, who got married, got engaged, got a job.
About school crushes, raw affairs, all of it. But all these topics unsatisfied him more. He complained to almost all of it. He complained missing real life, struggling life, free life. A normal life !!!

and before meeting him today, I was thinking I wanted to be on his place. I still do, the passion to serve for the country is far superior than a free life. The passion to be on a warship is far superior than taking a chick on bike. The passion to win it for the country is far more than making love to her.

But I realize my friend was all correct!!. Being here, sitting in front of computer screen, touch typing and able to copy paste, its easier said than done.

He misses companionship, that's all. He doesn't need a female body but a heart. He doesn't need a free life, but people around him. He doesn't need a huge salary, but a happy family.

And I would still stand and salute him for all that he is and the courage he has shown to be at this place. Being India's youngest fighter pilot and be able to decide what he wants to do in his life and not like me who followed parent's wish to become a Software Engineer....

After all its not easy to give up a NORMAL life for the country. Is It ????

Nonsense Humour

Sometimes no-sense makes the most, being the only thing that could make you smile a bit. What has life become? Normal things don't make any difference, neither normal people, neither normal voices inside.

Everything has changed.................................. and we live our laughs on the non-sense humour.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Delhi is a city of uneducated literates. The best about thing about them is the art of ignorance, the worst thing about them is the artificial Intelligence. Getting confused with the term is quite OK. Artificial Intelligence here means the belief that every Delhiite has that s/he is supremely intelligent, undoubtedly which is artificial.

Jan 1st and Jan 2nd, more than 88 Flights were cancelled due to Fog and bad weather. The flights were all heading for or from, Delhi. on Jan 2nd I was scheduled to fly to my birth place from Pune. The flight had been already re-scheduled twice in the day. Not surprising me much ( as the trend and news channel showed ), received an SMS in the evening that the expected happened. The flight was cancelled and I had to wait for next update.
Couldn't afford to loose any more hours, I frantically hunted for next immediate option. To my horror they were all too expensive. Caught between the choice of "should I or Could I" I decided to get next morning early flight to Delhi.

Got up at 5:15, the usual time, hunched back on roomie's Vespa and headed for the Airport. The moon was FULL, amazingly beautiful, I somehow did not want to go, while looking at it. Thought I saw him smiling at me, whitely, brightly. I smiled back and apologized. I had to go. Behind the houses, behind the trees, over the farms, between the chimneys it kept smiling and I was helplessly admiring. The Earth is a beautiful place to live in.

The flight was to take off at 7:45, despite driving moderately I reached there about 6:30 AM. Hugged my rommie goodbye and off he went to the office.
Apprehensive! I would see a delayed sign momentarily after entering, I had to pinch me hard when it read Scheduled. Got the leather and the skin hurriedly and NOWAY gently, frisked. The Elite Class and costly Airlines were boarding first. Expected!!!
We had to wait, But I was still relaxed at the airport lounge ( what is a lounge? ), all feasibilities, I would still be home today.

Till 8 AM the Elite Class were boarding, I wondered if the person snoozing next to me was the culprit. The "last and final call" had been already repeated six times, then I lost count.
At 8:15 we were asked to board, I looked around and before I could blink, the queue was long enough to make me freeze to my chair ( Did I say lounge? ). Till 8:30 I could see the queue more than my eyes could locate. I decided the join anyway. Standing not more 10 minutes I saw a family arguing over something on the counter, Did not look so sophisticated, with the 30+ mommy having multi-colored Hair and 45 + fatty had Beer Belly, low rise Jeans. A young gaudy Girl and one middle heighted child. I was still thanking that the aircraft would take off today.
Numbered 94, I boarded the aircraft. A young lady had occupied my seat, blinked I moved forwarded. Confirmed and sat on one unoccupied, next to a Sardaarji ( Sikh). Suddenly few noises broke Aircraft's silence and mine too. The unhappy Multi-colored family was right behind me arguing for their numbered seats. By no means requesting, to the passenger sitting to vacate. The Flight crew could just humbly request them(multi -colored ) to sit somewhere else as due to some Computer failure not everyone could get numbered seats hence the seating was announced as First come First Serve.

They adamantly argued for the same seats, claiming they have infants with them, I turned around to see the 11 year old boy playing with PS2 smiling at the Air hostess. Shouting some verbose in Accented English was their weapon, which was not doing anything more than noise pollution.

Grow Up!!! I was shouting in my head, Crappy Non-considerate people. 88 flights got cancelled yesterday, this flight is already an hour late, you need to fly to Delhi sitting. Just GOD DAMN SIT and let it take off.

What difference does it make if you go on 9A, 0r 22F. What the HECK?? Too many noises........... the Wise man got up and vacated the seat, only to the condition that he gets HIS numbered seat. Did I call him wise? Sardaarji now wanted his, and their goes the Chain reaction, now every luggage was swapped, every seat vacated, the crew was helpless, I was still shouting GROW UP!! WORLD and the multi-colored family were busy smiling on their "numbered" seats.

The chaos ended after an hour, I did not move from my "unnumbered" seat, not delaying any other second. The flight took off at 9:40 AM almost 2 hours than scheduled.
I still thanked, I could still be home today. In this chaos I forgot to call my DAD who would originally wait outside the airport for me at 9:50 AM. Against the rules, I SMSed quickly to come 2 hours later, still hoping that he didn't leave home on time. :) Irony

flight touched down at 11:20 much before it should have and much later than it SHOULD HAVE. :) Irony.

Called Dad and he was waiting outside, not long though, the SMS worked. Next Hurdle, The luggage Claim. The usual display board did not show the flight name and the belt number. All the passengers queued next to vacant belt ( How did they know it will come there? ). I still waited next to the board, that shows FLIGHT:BELT. Sooner I knew where to head. There was already a baggage claim and hundreds of passengers on the belt, I tried to peep but all I could were cladded butts. (unfortunately all males and aunts). The belt normally comes out a wall and I could sneak up to that point. Still a bit far from the luggage I was wondering, how would I pick up when it comes. Suddenly at the edge of the wall and between a belt a small backup was stuck. This is just a beginning I thought. I asked the person affront to clear the stuck backpack. He gave me a stern look, and said,"That's not my work".and looked in the other direction for his baggage. I tapped again and said, it will create a mess soon here. Unheard again.

soon one bag got stuck, followed by a Huge pile up in seconds, It was like a Series of Car Crash on a US interstate ( in a Hollywood movie). I was not smiling or feeling proud of the intuition. No one did a thing and kept watching the "show". some SIGHED, some frowned, some giggled and some unmoved, still looking in other direction for their luggage.

Welcome to Delhi, the board next to me read.

Calling for the Airport Official and hunting for a collar to grab, the sophiscated people flew all over the port. I stood there asking for people to help me put back the baggages still on the moving belt. No one cared, no one heard.

Then few jumped, rolling, falling over the belt and reached the big heap of luggage, I thought someone is at least intelligent enough to understand that we will have to do it ourselves, No one else will help. They frantically started lifting baggages and throwing them in all directions....They were looking for their own luggage. "Let me get mine and go out of here, to HELL WITH OTHERS", I could hear their mind shouting.

I was irritated to the core now, grinding my teeth and knowing the "uneducate literates" would not help anyone or me. I jumped over and started picking up the bag on the moving belt. Some watched, some didn't.......... but who cares. I never tried to locate my baggage. Isn't that obvious if you clear the mess up everyone will get there baggages, QUICKLY!!!!!
Some were heavy and I do need an extra hand, I looked up at onlookers and my eyes asked the question my mind had. "Could you come over and help me?"

Were they amused? I think they were, was I disappointed, I think I knew it. Now dragging it somehow putting it back on the belt I again heard some noises. I spoke to my mind, " what the hell that multi-colored family is now upto?". This time it were too many passengers circling around someone ( hopefully was the correct official ) for luggage nuisance. I continued my work.
I guess the yelling worked and someone shouted the rest of the baggages will come on Belt No. 1. "REST OF THE BAGGAGES", was I able to help with some of them. I felt a bit good. Don't know if I was correct.

Realizing the crowd is moving to the other end and there were still baggages around me reading GoAIR - PUNE to DELHI, I thought of now searching for my own luggage. I couldn't find it.
Moved over to belt number 1, the announced new belt for baggage claim. Luckily the moment I reached, I got mine. Picked up and called DAD who called me 6 times waiting outside. It was an hour since I landed.

I felt sorry for him, but didn't know whom to blame for it. Was it the multi-colored family, the FOG, The Airport Mismanagement, Low cost airlines, Uneducated Literates of this world or .............................ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

SHIPS.....Too many of them

Relationships seem to be the most simple and complex at the same time. The beauty of them being there and you are into one, can't be overlooked, unfelt. Myriads bloom here and there, all kinda, all flavours, each having its own meaning, each having its own charm. Can we live without them? No! we absolutely cannot, Yes! we might be, Yes! we can are the top three answers. The last one I've heard not from a living perosn. I have been a firm believer they are necessary.

But, what kind of them should be delved into. As known, hundreds prevail secretly and millions are visible. I share many relationships, one that binds me to my origin, one that binds me with my blood, one that binds me to my mate, one that binds me with play, one that binds me to humanity, one that binds me with nature, one that binds me to profession and may be one with this world. Are all special to me, YES !!! very special. I cherish loving my parents equally to loving a sibling. I cherish taking care of my spouse equally to taking care my aging Granny. I cherish being myself equally to caring for a street Dog, admiring the Sun, Delightful crescent, cold drops, Green world........

I cherish peace equally to FUN, I cherish being in her arms equally to having a boy's night out. For me they are all necessary, all equal, all responsible to keep the person I am. I am what I am coz of the relationship I indulge. They give me what I want from life and sometimes more than that.

But that's about "visible" relationships. Is it also necessary to have a secret one? Well.. I would again agree. One can have a secret relationship with self, with one's passion, with one' dream, with one's needs, identity, nature, world....... with opposite gender..the list is endless.

Do I have one? may be!! Is it special? May be!! It has its own charm and own desire. Secret relationship always tend to bring out the other person in you. Why?? The reason is a mystery, and hell..let it be. You tend to do things a lot differently or even more eagerly than for any other relation. There will be many who would simply agree.

Now what confirms for a secret relationship? Can I have a secret relationship with my wife? Of course I can !! As a matter of fact, I do. What is visible to the world is only a part of it. What is visible to the world is just the name tag outside the house. But I share a secret relationship with her, not visible to anyone else, not even to her. I do things completely different, overly stronger and unimaginably playful. Would I do with for any visible relation, I don't think so, would I do it if this relationship was visible to people around me. Not at all!!

The point is not about a secret relationship or the advantages of having one. The point is to understand the difference and the beauty. The point is to understand the person it makes you and things that you do or start thinking of doing. The point is to understand why a secret relationship brings out the best in you and not otherwise. What is it that makes it so special. What is it that makes one go that extra mile to do things s/he wouldn't do otherwise.

Is it the tickle of secrecy, is it the charm, is it the fear that always prevails, is it the whole concept, is it the new identity, or is it the passion????

Loads of questions but no answers or may be YES to all. Do I care for an answer, not at all!!

I don't want to spoil something beautiful by knowing the ifs and buts of it, the pros and cons, the good or the worse of it. Let me be in one, let me be in one completely, let me have my secret relationship and let me have my others too. Let me be what I am and all I am.

Let me be a son, a brother, a parent, a spouse, an engineer, a player......a Lover.



Let me take care of myself and my bondages and live happily ever after.