Srishti jumped out of the cab as soon as it stopped in front of the airport. She hurriedly handed the cabbie a fifty and two ten rupee notes and yanking her trolley and her kit ran in. She was already late! The flight was to leave in 20 minutes’ time. As she quickly reported for duty, she kept thinking the same thing. She had forgotten to pack underwear for her husband and her son… They had left for Mauritius by the morning flight. She had been in a tremendous hurry as she had had a hundred things to do for them. Once they had left, she had to take Kiki, her dog to the K9’s for a three-day stay as she herself would be away. Then there was Maaji. She had to take her mum-in –law to her brother –in- law’s place with all her paraphernalia of medicines, knitting and books. With all these things to do before getting ready for her own flight, she had forgotten completely about the their underwear till she got into her cab.
Shrishti! Where were you! You are late by half an hour! Cathy came running towards her. Cathy! You won’t believe this, Manoj and Vicky left for Mauritius without their innerwear!! I clean forgot to pack any!’ ‘They’ll survive,’ said the ever practical Cathy..but I don’t know if you will…. Gramps is livid you are late!’ OOOOH! Gramps is flying today. Just my luck! She said as she hurried through the formalities and boarded the aeroplane. Surender Bakshi, was a very senior pilot who would not tolerate any nonsense from his crew.
The flight from Mumbai to Dubai was full today. Even as she helped all the passengers settle down, she was preoccupied! How could she have forgotten to pack their innerwear? She knew there would be a showdown when they returned. Manoj hated disorganized people. He hated when the house was left unattended, which it often was, thanks to her irregular working hours… Her work was the bone of contention between them these days.
She passed the tray with swabs of cotton and sweets in an absent- minded manner. As she returned, Cathy told her to demonstrate the use of safety gadgets while she announced the safety instructions. Carrying the oxygen mask and the life- vest, Srishti moved to the front of the economy section. ‘ Krupaya…dhyaan de. Anthar rashtreeya niyam ke anusar…..” Cathy’s voice droned on while Srishti demonstrated the use of the oxygen mask and the life jacket. She paused after the announcement in Hindi got over. Then the English version started. “Ladies and Gentlemen, as per international flight regulations….”
Srishti mechanically started miming the procedures and let her mind wander. Manoj and Vicky planned to do a lot of scuba diving…she couldn’t imagine what they’d do without their innerwear… What if the waters were shark- infested, she worried. Then she consoled herself that if sharks attacked mere underwear was not going to save them! But still, they should go to the nearest outlet and buy some. Vicky could wear those Bermudas she had packed… She loved the look of concentration on his face as he dressed himself….” She was jolted out of her reverie when Pushpa shook her. She returned to the present. There was pin drop silence inside the craft. All eyes were on her. She looked at Cathy who was frantically waving at her. She looked down at herself. In horror she realized that she had donned the life jacket pulling it up her legs like she would wear her panties!! My last flight! She decided, as she hastily removed the life jacket and hurried to hide herself from the laughing eyes of the passengers!
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