Delhi :10:30 pm Another day in Delhi….I finished my work and went to the hotel room ordered curd rice and Panneer butter masala and settled with the tv remote in my hand. “Saath mein nahin chalega Sir “ the chef.
“ Hum Madhrasi ko sab kuch curd rice ke saath chaltha hai bai” I answered back calmly and hung up.

I loaded my boarding pass to the DigiYatra app and suddenly saw that the Indigo departure time was 17:20. Shocked I called the indigo help desk and told him that the flight was at 5:20. To that he replied , “Yes Sir the flight is on time 5:20 pm. Sorry that the 5:20 am flight has been rescheduled.

Frustrated I called my travel agent and told him that I have to reach coimbatore tomorrow morning. He cancelled the indigo flight and booked me on the delhi to chennai air india flight at 2:00 am and the onward to coimbatore by Indigo again at 8:30 am so that I can feach the hospital by 10am next day. I sacrificed my dinner and rushed to the airport and reached the air india help desk 2 minutes late. The Manipuri girl at the help desk wasn’t helpful at all.

“ You are late Sir. I can’t issue a boarding pass now”.

“ Iam a doctor and I have to reach coimbatore tomorrow .”

“Sorry.”

“ what a curt reply…This is what they call corporate profiteering,” I shouted
“So what did you and hospitals do during Covid Sir,” she retorted. I didn’t have the time and age to argue further.

“Doctor” somebody called for behind. I was relieved to see a senior airport officer whose vertigo I had corrected long back in coimbatore. He helped me board the flight and I found myself in chennai airport at 5 am. After checking out the the indigo flight to coimbatore was on time I took a short nap at the lounge. I was relieved that my flight took off on time.

“passengers please fasten your seat belts and crew to station please we will touch down in 10 minutes.”

Do dok… the soun of the landing gear.

“Passengers we are being diverted to Cochin and we shall refuel there and the land you safely in coimbatore.”

“ Enunga petrol illamaiya landing try panran?”
“Ofcourse inga, you need more fuel to land than to fly.”

There was no logic in her statement but no one dare counter some who speaks such chaste Kovai English as they are all upmarket people who add “Inga” to English.

After refuel ing we landed back in coimbatore. Relieved I boards the airport shuttle. A family of three followed me. The family man was in his late fifties his wife probably early fifties and a daughter who was clad in a Calvin Klein jeans and and tops with a computer hung around the shoulder.

Leaning forward the family man frowned and said “ See the tyres are all worn out”.

The dutiful wife turned towards him,” Enga theinju pona tyre oda nammala chennai to coimbatore kondu vanthurrukkan?”

“Aman di This is corporate profiteering,” he answered back.

“ Appa …Amma will you both be quiet…there was air traffic congestion in coimbatore..and that was the reason. “ the girl said without taking her eyes off the I phone.

“ Don’t think you can find all correct answers on google. I know from experience abot all these corporate fellows.”

“ Appa…” she called out frustrated. Knowing that this argument is never going to end I collected my luggage and quietly walked away………