May Their Tribe Increase!

Panjim Airport. Dabolim. Gate G. After two intense days with a client, I was relaxing while waiting for my flight. I was drawing the people around me in my sketch book - my pastime at airports.

I rested a bit and kept my book on the seat next to me. My flight was called and I left.

I realised that I had left it behind only when I dug into my bag soon after we started taxiing. Too late.

It was an ordinary 200 page notebook filled with my sketches – done mostly while on travel. Drawn while on the move on a bus, waiting at train stations, bus stands and airports. In the hotel rooms. Views from the windows of hotel rooms.

So many memories. This was a visual diary with no dates, no names, no words. I knew every small thing in that book - where, when, who, what, the weather.... practically everything but the date and year.

Now gone.

A friend asked me to call the airport. I did. No one picked up.

I posted the loss on Facebook and Twitter with the hope of increasing the chances of getting it back.  An artist friend who saw the post called me to suggest that I call the duty manager at the airport.

Here comes the bright part. I found a landline number on the web and called. The gentleman heard me out and said, in Hindi, that he was actually the apron manager (what does an apron manager do anyway?) and generously gave me the mobile number of the duty manager.

I called the duty manager. His line was busy – in three languages. Drat! I waited a few minutes before trying again and he called! He was returning a missed call! How nice! He was patient too and heard me out. Talked to the people around him (as I could visualise) and told me that they had not received the book.

I asked hesitantly, if he could send someone to check. He said he would. REALLY? He asked me to call again in the morning. When I did, he picked up and as soon as I started explaining, he remembered and asked the people with him if they had received a book. He had actually sent someone to check. But, alas, no. No book.

The gloom of the loss was mitigated by the praiseworthy behaviour of these gentlemen. Thanks - whoever they are!

We are so used to people in authority of any sort being unhelpful. I have had my share of those.

But I have had a good measure of the exceptional ones too. But I always make it a point to praise them and their kind, when they are nice. Here.

May their tribe increase!