I was flying back from Mumbai to Bengaluru, in the company of a senior colleague. The thing started badly. When we got on to the aircraft, the a/c failed and it was unbearably hot. It was some time before it was set right.
We approached Bengaluru airport and then the aircraft started circling over it. No hint of landing. After some time, the captain announced that the ground staff had some problems keeping the runway lights on and hence we were circling. When we were over the airport again, I could see the runway lights go on and go off again.
After a few more flypasts, I told my companion, "Just watch. The captain will say that we are running out of fuel and hence we will fly to Chennai". It was just a hunch and I wanted to see if it would come true. It did.
After the captain had made the announcement, we could feel the aircraft straightening out on its trajectory and gaining height. There were whoops of joy and clapping by some co-passengers who were obviously from Chennai.
After we had stopped gaining height and leveled off, I told my companion, "Now, the captain will say that the runway lights are on and we will return to Bangalore". I could not believe it myself when that came to pass too. This time there were groans from Chennaiites and whoops of joy from Bangaloreans.
We could now feel the aircraft banking and heading back. After about ten minutes a logical thought came to mind. I had been in the Quality Assurance business for too long not to have great faith in the divine Murphy and his law. I asked my companion, "Sir, (he was my boss and that is how I normally addressed him) what if the runway lights go off as we near Bengaluru? The captain has already said that we are short on fuel. We can't even go back to Chennai..."
The poor man really paled. He was a particularly religious and superstitious man. To be fair to him a far more responsible man than I, by nature. Two of my predictions had already come true and now I was saying this! He protested and reassured himself that such a thing would not happen and I SHOULD not say such a thing.
I (cruelly, I admit) started laughing. His protests were stronger this time. He admonished me. "Don't laugh!? How CAN you laugh?" I could hear a sense of desperation in his voice. It tickled me further. I was and am an optimist. I KNEW (Don't ask me how. There is no sensible answer to that question.) that no such thing would happen. My first predictions coming true was mere chance. I laughed louder or at least with greater mirth. He now tried to order me not to laugh. The poor man was now sweating. He asked again, rhetorically, "How can you laugh?". I was insensitive enough to answer him. "Sir, if I have to die, I would rather die laughing.."
This direct talk of death was too much for him to bear. He ordered me to keep quiet. Finally some sense and sense of sympathy entered my thick skull and I relaxed and tried to tell him not to worry. He continued to sit stiff and perspire.
There is no need to tell you that we landed safely without much ado, is there?
Let me admit that the brave talk of dying laughing is as far as it goes. I wonder how I would have reacted if what I had predicted had come to pass too.
You would never know, would you?
We approached Bengaluru airport and then the aircraft started circling over it. No hint of landing. After some time, the captain announced that the ground staff had some problems keeping the runway lights on and hence we were circling. When we were over the airport again, I could see the runway lights go on and go off again.
After a few more flypasts, I told my companion, "Just watch. The captain will say that we are running out of fuel and hence we will fly to Chennai". It was just a hunch and I wanted to see if it would come true. It did.
After the captain had made the announcement, we could feel the aircraft straightening out on its trajectory and gaining height. There were whoops of joy and clapping by some co-passengers who were obviously from Chennai.
After we had stopped gaining height and leveled off, I told my companion, "Now, the captain will say that the runway lights are on and we will return to Bangalore". I could not believe it myself when that came to pass too. This time there were groans from Chennaiites and whoops of joy from Bangaloreans.
We could now feel the aircraft banking and heading back. After about ten minutes a logical thought came to mind. I had been in the Quality Assurance business for too long not to have great faith in the divine Murphy and his law. I asked my companion, "Sir, (he was my boss and that is how I normally addressed him) what if the runway lights go off as we near Bengaluru? The captain has already said that we are short on fuel. We can't even go back to Chennai..."
The poor man really paled. He was a particularly religious and superstitious man. To be fair to him a far more responsible man than I, by nature. Two of my predictions had already come true and now I was saying this! He protested and reassured himself that such a thing would not happen and I SHOULD not say such a thing.
I (cruelly, I admit) started laughing. His protests were stronger this time. He admonished me. "Don't laugh!? How CAN you laugh?" I could hear a sense of desperation in his voice. It tickled me further. I was and am an optimist. I KNEW (Don't ask me how. There is no sensible answer to that question.) that no such thing would happen. My first predictions coming true was mere chance. I laughed louder or at least with greater mirth. He now tried to order me not to laugh. The poor man was now sweating. He asked again, rhetorically, "How can you laugh?". I was insensitive enough to answer him. "Sir, if I have to die, I would rather die laughing.."
This direct talk of death was too much for him to bear. He ordered me to keep quiet. Finally some sense and sense of sympathy entered my thick skull and I relaxed and tried to tell him not to worry. He continued to sit stiff and perspire.
There is no need to tell you that we landed safely without much ado, is there?
Let me admit that the brave talk of dying laughing is as far as it goes. I wonder how I would have reacted if what I had predicted had come to pass too.
You would never know, would you?
2 comments:
Nice experience, Anil. And how could you laugh at such a situation, I wonder! But all is well that ends well, innit?
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