First time when you board a flight

It was my first time to travel by flight; it’s a childish pleasure when you do something eventful for the first time. Like the first time you went for a swim, first time you bunked your class and went for a movie….First time you cooked and starved everyone else….
Quite naturally, I was excited and was waiting to experience how it will be like when the plane is going to soar high.

The plane had two seats in two corner columns and five in the centre. I wanted very much to witness the night life at Chennai from above, and got my seat near window. Lucky me I thought!! Not knowing the lurking unusual events sooner to be unfolded.

I have this habit of getting to know people sitting beside me in any train or bus that I travel and possibly strike a good conversation. There was an old gentleman (around 55) who came and boarded the flight at the last minute. He had a brooding face with a casual smirk on his face. Seemed not to be friendly and I decided it’s better to enjoy myself in my own euphoria this time.

The flight is a direct one from Chennai to Atlanta for seventeen hours. Being precautious, I got tidbits from my colleagues how to while away time in a single stretch of 17 hours journey... You better go for strolls in-between else you will feel like a stiff barbeque when you get down. That was the word of caution from everyone.

Ten minutes passed, Uncle Tom (For convenience let’s christen him as Tom for the time being) went to an immediate nap with his eyes revealing blissful gaze as if he is dancing at heaven. I couldn’t have judged him sleeping had he not started with a rhythmic snoring sound.
Dear, what a company!! My conscious was chuckling and said, First time you are flying, your wish to meet a romantic prince is not fulfilled, but you need not have ended up with a snoring Uncle beside you!!!
So What!! I snorted back - Let me enjoy clouds around me and not let Uncle Tom’s snore upset my exhilaration.

Three hours passed and Uncle Tom didn’t even stir. I was astonished and wondered how a person could just sleep without admiring man’s conquest against the mighty sky. What if he is aboard a rocket to space? I wondered whether he will still sleep the same way. Might be, who knows!! Then it striked me, c’mon it might have now become regular for him to spend his sleeping hours in the flight!

I felt bored. Can I just wake him and go for a walk?? He seemed to be blissfully asleep. I am no Samaritan. But I do have some sense not to disturb someone when they take a break from this frenzy world.

What do I do now? Relax my dear; I started humming my favourite song... “Sutrum vizhi …” and was gazing thro the window. Half of the globe was under dark blanket and the other half laden with bright sunlight. Not a daily sight to witness, day and night at the same time…

Four hours passed and still Uncle Tom was still the same, snoring occasionally and yawning. I had a sudden urge to shout at the crowd and suggest for a merry go around… Good gracious!!! How can everyone be turned into Egyptian mummies in an aero plane.
Not bad if I just ask him to give me way and again go back to sleep?
I muttered, Sir, Excuse me (Impersonating a debonair is no easy). .No, he won’t budge. I raised my voice a little and again repeated. He had a good glance and again went back to his sleep... … This is impossible. THIS CANNOT REALLY HAPPEN. WHAT IS HIS GREY CELLS MADE OF?

No other choice, I went back and took a novel I carried, Let me not spoil my mood; let him have all the sleep in his world. After one hour I am really going to chew his ears if he is not going to get up.

Two hours passed, and a lovely airhostess brought steaming food, He just woke up and said its better she wont resort to wake him again for any holy reason. I was not so hungry, so munched a sandwich and continued to read the novel. Goodness I at least brought the book!

As hours passed my excitement got drained and I felt like I was traveling in a bus with the worst ever co passenger I could ever have got. Got to spend ten more hours!
Hmm……

I don’t know whether such an anguish thought had any dry spell over me, I was soon asleep, probably the best spent hours in my journey.

When I woke up, it was only two more hours. I wanted to pop up and run around. I was sure, that was a pretty long nap to call it as one. Can you believe he was still asleep? You can’t but there he was well crouched and divinely asleep.

There was a round of tea served. Flash!!! I had a brilliant idea. With a jerk I spilled my tea over his lap and his blue suit turned with a new design of brown amoeba floating… He should now surely get up and I will have my way! Dear, you are really superb I patted myself

To my horror, He just woke up and again curled back in his couch. THAT WAS A NICE SUIT. He should have called me by all names!!!

Finally to my relief, flight landed. (WO)MAN! Now he has to get up!!
That was when he bothered to utter some words.

Before getting up, He said “Lady you are the most impatient human that I have traveled with after my death “.

I squealed “What? “ - being not able to comprehend what he is coming to say.

He replied “Yeah, in my last flight journey to US three years back, I grew impatient after a young man who was seated in the same seat as yours, made me to get up ten times and I stranded him to death with my tie. I was then executed for homicide. My government gave me capital punishment just because I was impatient. That was too atrocious, isn’t it young lady?”

I was at the verge of losing my sanity. I couldn’t reply back but just stared him…

He said “I spend my time here when I am bored to death “
A dead person getting bored to death! I was aghast at those final words…

When I woke up, I was shivering convulsively and drenched with sweat. Gosh!! I am at home. I am supposed to travel tomorrow…

Next day when I was seated in my window seat, an old gentleman who was beside me said, “Hi, I am Tom; I am traveling to US after spending my vacation here and what about you? “ Do I need to tell you that I was not eager to reply him back??