“Have I ever missed a flight?”
September 9, 2018
“Have I ever missed a flight?” is the Rubicon argument that I have learnt not to cross; while discussing with Suraj (my son) plans to catch a flight!
There is always a nominal travel time from where we are to the airport. Then there are uncertainties! What if the cab arrives late?; What if traffic is heavy?; What if an unintended turn is taken or a required turn is missed and one has to go some distance to take a U-turn? Finally, there is a time before which you need to be at the airport. Arithmetic to decide the time at which a cab must be summoned is easy. The tough part comes later! Convincing Suraj.
My estimate of nominal travel time has never found favour with Suraj. So is the time at which I think one must reach the airport to meet a particular departure time. Then come questions like, Why would a cab be late? etc!
Any attempt to bring anecdotes to add weight to anything I say will quickly elicit the end-all argument, “Have I ever missed a flight?”
A replay of all of above happened on the night of September 8, 2018.
Suraj & Sole were in Fort Kochi. Lalitha and I were at Konthuruthy. We had to see off Sole at Nedumbassery airport to catch an Emirates flight to Nairobi.
“Sole & I shall leave Fort Kochi by 06:30 hrs; pick up you and mom from Konthuruthy by 07:00 hrs and then we shall all proceed to the airport. I shall call you as soon as we leave.”, said Suraj.
Anto David who was listening to this conversation was shaking his head in disapproval, as he clearly felt it was cutting it too fine. But I decided to keep quiet and avoid hearing, “Have I ever missed a flight?”.
September 9, 2018
I live some anxious moments from 06:30 hrs till 06:45 hrs as no call comes from Suraj. Finally, I decide to call Suraj. I am reassured by the words, “We shall leave soon”.
By 07:00 hrs Lalitha and I decide to get dropped at Thevara Jn along with our bags and wait by the roadside, instead of waiting at home. Vehicle glides in, Suraj places our bags inside and we take our seats. By coming to Thevara Jn we have saved 15–20 minutes and made up for the delay, Lalitha and I think.
Suraj, “Dad. Just relax. Everything is OK. We need to turn back. Sole has forgotten her phone. We are going back to Fort Kochi!”.
The vehicle takes a U-turn. I disengage and start staring out of the window!
I can hear frantic calls to the hotel reception. Can you check for a phone we left behind? It could be on the table; try here, try there!
As we approach the hotel the reception confirms that the phone is located and is kept at the reception. We zoom-in, snatch it from the hands of the guy waiting at the steps and zoom-out.
I am relieved and in half-jest ask, anything else? Sole smiles and asks Suraj, “Shall I tell him?”
“I forgot my running shoes at Nutmeg Greens”!
Nutmeg Greens is a place beyond the airport. We had spent 3 days there till 7th evening.
“Are you suggesting that we go over to Nutmeg Greens to pick it up?”
Fortunately, it does not get that bad. Other options are discussed.
Courier? To Nairobi? No. Too slow!
Can we find someone to rush it from Nutmeg Greens to the airport? Frantic calls are made. There is no one at Nutmeg Greens who is crazy enough to pick up a pair of canvas shoes and rush to the airport with them!
Suddenly Suraj recalls a cab we had hired on September 4th (5 days earlier) to pick up my elder brother and bring him to Nutmeg Greens. Frantic efforts bear fruits. Cab driver’s number is retrieved from the call list.
Suraj, “Do you remember me? I had taken your cab for a ride to Kacheripadi and then to Nutmeg Greens on 4th?”
“Yes, sir”
“Can you do me a favour?”
“Tell me, sir”.
“Kindly rush to Nutmeg Greens, where you dropped me off on 4th. They will give you a packet. Pick it up and drive straight to the international departure terminal T3. I shall meet you there. Hurry. No time to lose.”.
Ten minutes pass and the cab driver calls from Nutmeg Greens.
“Sir. They have handed over a pair of shoes!!! Is that it?”
“Yes, That is it. Rush to the airport now”
We reach T3. Suraj and Sole deliberate — should Sole enter departure lounge, drop off bags and wait inside for shoes? Or wait outside? They choose the latter option.
Finally, the cab arrives. A beaming driver hands over a pair of canvass shoes. He would never have got a ride of this kind in all his life. Sole collects the shoes, takes leave and disappears into Departure lounge?
“Have they ever missed a flight?” No. Never!
I shared the draft of this item with many relatives. Youngsters reacted, “that reminds me of my dad/mom”; and oldies reacted, “that reminds me of my son/daughter”. How true!
Having narrated this about my son and me; let me step back in time and recall and narrate an incidence between my dad and me. When my dad was around, I always thought he was unnecessarily worrying about such matters. eg. If we agree to leave home for the railway station at 17:30 hrs his fidgeting will start at 17:15 hrs.
Once I decided to put him at ease. We all had discussed and agreed to leave home by 17:00 hrs to catch a train. Then I said, “Let us leave instead at 16:00 hrs. We will reach the station well in time to step into the restaurant for hot snacks, coffee and can leisurely board the train.” I thought of it as a masterstroke to please and put my dad at ease.
Evening arrived. Sharp at 15:45 my dad started with his restlessness. . .
Long live gen gap!
