April 21, 2008

• Never Ending Day Dream.

  I am not very good in writing prose. Still this is something that may
  interest someone. I hope I will get better in writing prose through
  this. Now what I am about to write is all that happened in USA. Some of
  my friends did not responded well as they don't want to really reveal
  all that happened. Still I will be writing down the good, bad, dirty
  and bitter of all that happened. If someone's life is going to get
  screwed because of this, so be it. From my initial estimate, it will
  take about a year for me to finish the whole thing. If there are some
  serious mistakes in phrasing or in grammar please let me know. I will
  fix it along the way.
  
  
  

  The Journey.
  

  
  The day woke up around me with a wonderful smile. The
  flares of light reached my face so early in the morning. The last week
  of March literally flared around and the temperature rose to nearly 30
  degrees Celsius. Just another day for the world. As for me, my mind
  literally swayed knowing what is to come. I went upstairs on the
  terrace. A place where I spent most of my younger years. Looking at the
  sky, learning about stars and once more I touched my little telescope.
  Touched the place where I used to practice cricket, walked around for
  sometime on top of the terrace. I wiped away the remaining ashes of the
  papers I burned the evening before. I burned away all the poems I wrote
  till that date, an action to erase all the good, bad and bitter
  memories of mine till that date. Then my cousin Humaid called from down,
  
  "Hey, get ready fast, we got to leave soon"
  
  I
  came down and it was a lot of good byes to all those who are not coming
  to Cochin the nearby city about 64 kilometers from where I lived. Then
  during the trip my cousin told me.
  
  "Don't be nervous about the flight, it is quite cool, the air-hostess will get you pumped up" he said.
  
  I laughed and told, him "not really, given a chance I will pump her inside out" Humaid told me "Hey reach there before you start the pumping, okay, keep it down".
  
  We
  had fun at the airport too, but when the announcement for security
  check came, all laughs were gone. my mom and sister held on to their
  tears. My entire family was there at the airport to see me off. When I
  walked into the security check they told me to take off the denim
  jacket, when  I was taking it off, I can see my hands are trembling. A
  fear came to my mind, about what, about whom, I don't know. I walked
  out to get into the plane looking back at the window. No one is
  smiling, when walking up the ladder I once more, turned around and
  waved my hands and I saw many, many hands waving.
  
  When I got into the plane I gathered all the courage I can and told to myself, piece of cake, nothing to worry... the airhostess
  disappointed me. One of the worst looking girls ever seen. She helped
  me to sit and told me she will bring something to drink and went away.
  
  When
  the flight was about to take off I whispered a prayer for the
  protection of me and the vehicle during the journey. When the flight
  took off, in my mind I said, wow, this is the first time I am flying,
  after looking up at the sky for years, yeah I am flying.
  
  I
  fell asleep and woke up hearing the announcement that we are going to
  land in Bangalore. After landing I walked out and there my friend Kim
  Thomas was waiting for me with another friend Rajesh.
  Kim took my hand bag and we went to get the rest of my luggage. We both
  were quite. When I saw my large luggage box coming, I really wanted to
  run away as the hard plastic box is broke and some of my dress,
  especially underwears were peeping out.
  
  I told Kim, " Hey we need to get into a hotel first, we don't have time to go to your place" He said "yes".
  
  We
  gathered all the things and put it in a taxi and we went to a hotel Kim
  knows very well. I met Kim Thomas first when I went for Mainframe
  Certification Training in Madras. He is 10 years younger than me but my
  skills in talking really got to him. We became friends there. I spent
  nearly a month in Bangalore with him looking for jobs for him there.
  After the certification I decided I am going to New Zealand and tried
  to find a programmer job there. But I couldn't find anything in New
  Zealand so I told one of my friend in Cochin to apply for any job that
  says Mainframe or Cobol
  and he posted my resume for all the jobs that came up on the net. I got
  the call from a US company called Keane, Inc. Got the job after taking
  a Tech-Check which is an online test.  Kim helped me a lot around
  Bangalore at that time too. Now once more I went around Bangalore with
  him.
   
  Our first aim was to by a big box to carry my luggage. We bought that put Rajesh at the hotel with the bag who agreed to pack everything up. Then me and Kim took Rajesh's Yamaha bike and went to get the tickets confirmed. My ticket is from Cochin to Bangalore which I came, then from Bangalore to Bomaby
  which is not the confirmed leg of the trip. We went to Delta airlines
  office and they told they cannot help me as it is a busy route and the
  ticket is by Indian Airlines. We went to Indian Airlines the airlines
  run by Indian government so what I found was a bunch of idiots with no
  ethics. They told an unconfirmed ticket means nothing. It is the Hajj
  season, lot of muslims
  from India are travelling to Bombay, so come later.  Now I am in a big
  jolt, Kim told lets go to some other airline and get a ticket. We went
  to every known airlines office, nothing. In the end I told Kim, lets go
  to Indian airlines office, bribe them or blackmail them, or do whatever
  I must get into that plane. The flight is at 8:15PM and by 4:00PM we
  are back at the Indian Airlines office in the airport. One man at the
  office told, be here at 7:30PM we will do something. That's the best he
  could do.
  
  So me and Kim went back to the
  hotel, we all went for food. Then we went back to the hotel, I took a
  crap and a shower. Then we went to the airport after a lengthy check
  out at the
  hotel. The moment we reached the airport I told Kim, "Fuck man, this is
  a big fuck" there was about 50,000 people there, people going for Hajj
  pilgrimage, their relatives all stuck at one door to the airport.
  
  Kim
  said "There is no fucking way you are going to get into the airport" he
  pulled my hand with one hand and took my big luggage box with the other
  and tried his best to push ahead. Nothing working, I told Kim "We have
  to find some other way". He agreed and we came out of there.
  
  Then Rajesh
  said there is a window there, no grill or anything blocking it. So we
  ran there and Kim first pushed me in, then  the boxes and then he
  jumped in after  that. We rushed to the Indian Airlines office, our guy
  is missing in action. I told Kim "Looks like a pretty good start" Kim
  smiled and said "All will be fine man".
  
  Then
  the officer came he told "Look at the crowd, do you think I can do
  something?" I told " I must be in that plane, look, I am not going to
  Saudi Arabia, I am going to Frankfurt from there I am going to New
  York, If I don't get into that plane I am going to lose the job I got
  in USA." He looked at me and said "Wait here, some way will come up,
  but right now, it don't look good at all"
  
  I
  waited in front of that office and I told Kim "I am a last minute guy,
  you know that, Something fantastic is going to happen now" Kim was not
  paying attention to me, he was looking at another guy. I shook him and
  asked, "What is going on man, are you okay?" Kim asked back "What
  company you are going to work for?" I told "Keane, in Milwaukee, near
  Chicago".
  
  Kim said "Look at that guys bag" I looked at the bag it is written on it, "Mani Perumal, To USA, Keane, Inc" I was like wow, We both rushed to him.
  
  I asked him, "are you going to Milwaukee?" the guy turned and told "Yes, are you Riaz?" I said "yes". Then I told him my ticket situation. Mani have a confirmed ticket so he is fine. We met another guy called Anand who is also going to Milwaukee for Keane.
  
  It was 7:45PM and I still don't see the airlines guy. It was time for Mani and Anand to go for the security check. Mani's mom started crying and Anand
  a married guy was also emotional in leaving his wife.  Then Mani's mom
  held my hands and told "you should take care of him I am leaving him to
  you". I told "Sure I will take care of him don't worry" I gave my word
  and left them there to go and look for the airlines officer.
  
  Time
  was ticking by and nothing happening the last call came for the
  security check. I can see Mani waiting for me without entering the
  security check. Then the officer came from behind and told. "Come with
  me"
  
  He took me inside and told, "here take
  this" and gave me a boarding pass. I asked "Should I pay anything for
  this?" He said "No, just go fast" I hugged Kim and Rajesh
  and went in for the security check. Mani told me "Without you I would
  not have gone man" I laughed. We both rushed through the check in
  process and got out. The comedy started there at that moment. We can
  see two planes and from both planes people are calling waving hands.
  Mani turned around and said "what is this, private bus stand in
  Cochin?" Mani said lets go to the right one and we both ran to that
  plane. There the flight attendant looked at the boarding pass and said,
  "You two are at the wrong plane, the one in front of this plane is the
  one you should board". "Run" I said to Mani and we fools started
  running not thinking that the plane will not leave without us as our
  baggage is already checked in.
  
  We both got
  into the plane sweating and gasping for breath. The flight attendant
  told me "you should go to the front gate" I rushed there and got in, I
  sat down and looked around. All old guys in full suit. The flight
  attendant came with some moist tissues and wiped my face. that wowed
  me. Then I understood, damn I am in first class. The Indian Airlines
  officer gave me a first class ticket. Good upgrade.
  
  I
  relaxed a bit got some orange juice and biscuits then without much
  thought I slept. The flight attendant woke me up asking me to keep the
  tray locked for landing. I noticed people around me looking at me in a
  queer way. In my mind I said "whatever". I landed in Bombay. Where Mani
  and Anand
  told me they are going with another friend to the international airport
  and one of my friend, Ajay George and his dad were waiting for me. Ajay
  and his dad took me to the international airport. Ajay gave all the
  bags to his dad and took me in a taxi for a ride around Bombay. He
  knows Bombay like the back of his hand. We got out near a coffee shop,
  I had tea and I smoked like four cigarettes then me and Ajay sat there
  and talked and talked for couple of hours. Ajay George about 6 years
  younger than me, we first met when I was doing my Honors in systems
  management at Cochin. We spent about 3 years together and no girl who
  came around us left in the same shape at least mentally. We were that
  naughty or wild.
  
  After going through some
  talk we both got back into the taxi and came to the airport. Ajay said
  good bye hugged me and left Then I looked for Mani and Anand,
  no sign of them. Stood in  a long line to get into the plane. In Bombay
  there were vestibules so, no need to run around looking for the right
  planes. Once inside the plane I saw Anand waving at me. Mani was on another row. So I am relieved that everyone is in  the right place.
  
  I
  sat on an Aisle seat. The air-hostess came and asked me what I need to
  eat. I told too early to eat anything Tea will do. She said fine. and
  brought me tea and some nice crispy cookies. I drank tea before the
  flight took off and the flight attendant took the cup away... I don't
  know, I felt sad then when the plane was going through the runway in
  full throttle, I was afraid, once it took off my mood changed to anger.
  Then I vowed, "I was born in India for a reason beyond my control and I
  will never live in boundaries drawn by stupid humanity, the concept of
  mother land is the biggest hoax created by mankind. I will not suffer
  for the wrong doings of stupid traditions and culture. My life will be
  lived in the right of truth which binds my soul a supreme being way
  beyond every imagination of mine or anyone, I will never come back to
  India to live here permanently." Starting at around 2:00AM I left India
  for good. I saw only darkness when looked out through both windows. Be
  most of it that happened to me in there remain in the dark forever. I
  once more prayed to God for the  protection of me and the vehicle that
  is carrying me.
  
  
  
  The air-hostess came again and asked you want some food, I told, not
  now, I am fine and told her " I need some sleep, had a long long day,
  wake me up in 3 hours" she said "yeah you look tired, I will let you
  sleep now and save your food" I said "Thanks" she is probably around
  40, nice looking lady.
  
  
  
  Looking at her actions all around the plane I slowly fell to the dark
  friend who comes to me every night, not knowing that everything I know
  till now does not exist with me anymore, it is me, myself and myself
  from here on.
  
  
  

  • 2:31 am
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