Shame!!!

Being an Indian brings out a lot of emotions in me - pride, sense of responsibility, hope, even frustration at times. I never thought shame would one day get included in that list.

A few days ago - we were on a flight from Abu Dhabi to Delhi (yes people we're back in India - for the 2 week long Eid holidays). The flight was full of desi-bhais (fellow Indians). Even before the flight took off - the air-hostesses were seen looking hassled as passenger upon passenger demanded blankets. O sure nothing wrong with asking for blankets - you're cold, you wanna snooze off - you need a blanket. But do you need 2??? One that you sneak into your hand luggage to take home as a souvenir. And I'm told the airline allows to take one blanket off the flight - as part of their customer service stuff. And still you want 2. Come to think of it - I'm sure the airline staff has no option but to smile beatifically as passenger after passenger walks off with the said blankets. Might as well - call it a gift.

Since its the month of Ramazan - the staff asks you if you want to eat on flight or want a take-away. If you're fasting they give you a pack of dry lunch. And yet the man in the seat next to hubby - pulled out a plastic bag and emptied the contents of the food tray into the bag - to take home. And food included some dal, Chicken and rice with kheer as a sweet dish. Why? I seriously dont know.
The man behind me asked for a take-away. When the steward returned with his take-away box, he asked for another. He explained to the steward in really broken English, that the take-away box contained inadequate amounts of food and he needed more. He continued to pester the steward till the man told him that they had a veg box left. Was he still interested? Sure he was. Then he gloated to all the men seated next to him that 'maangne se milta hai' (if you ask - you'll get it).

No, none of this caused shame. I oscillated between despair and frustration for my fellow desis.

The shame happens now.
The captain announced that we would land in 30 mins. Like bullet out of gun, the man across the aisle jumped out and got his suitcase down. When I stared, he told me - 'time bachta hai' (you save time if you have your stuff in your hands). Of course the air-hostess gave him an earful and demanded that he return the bag to the over-head bin. To which he says ' theek hai - khud rakh do' (fine keep it yourself). So I leaned across and explained to him that it was his bag - he had to do it. Suddenly all the men around me, (apart from the airhostesses, there were just 5 other women on the flight - I counted) started having a loud, free for all debate about keeping the bag back. 10 rows away a man got up and yelled 'abbe rakh de - kaahe paresaan kar raha hai' (come on - put it back dont be a nuisance). Man agreed - order was restored.

The plane touched down and was still taxing when all the seat-belts opened loudly and suddenly all the men were up on their feet, opening the over-head bins, taking out their bags. Whats the fucking hurry, I thought. You anyways have to wait - they will have the business class disembark first. The steward politely announced in English -asking people to remained seated. No body bothered. And the plane is still moving. Suddenly a loud, shrill announcement happens in Hindi - and really rudely the stewardess asks passengers to get back to their seats "fauran" she said. Immediately. 'Abhi plane ruka nahin hai - jab aap se kaha jaayega tab apni seats chodiye' (The plane hasnt stopped yet - leave your seats when we ask you to).It kind of sobers these mad idiots and they scramble back to their seats, laughing - as one laughs at a mad professor. Still a couple of men continue to get their stuff down. Stewards, physically get them down. Only then do they remain seated.

Finally plane halts - and like bullets these men are out of their seats. Fearing for our safety I remain seated. The air-bridge gets connected. 2 men stand at the window and loudly yell at everyone 'abhi bridge lag raha hai - bus bhi aa gayi hai. shayad bus se le jaayenge. abee hume kahe khada kar rakha hai - bhai jaldi utaro'. (the bridge is getting set. the bus is here too - maybe they'll take us by bus. why the hell are we still made to stand here - get us off quickly). I sink deeper and deeper into my seat. I could have well been an the Delhi- Patna Express - given the mentality of the crowd.
When the crowd thins off I manage to get up and move towards hubby's seat (last min reservations meant - we were in different rows) - he's slumped in his seat too. I see a man ahead of him - open the bin and take out our bag - and he moves towards the exit. 'Hey' hubby runs after him - 'thats my bag'. 'O is it' - he queries and turns towards a man at the rear - 'Sajju which one is yours?'. We move off.
There is no stewardess standing to wish us good-bye at the door. Thank God I thought - how would I ever meet her eye after all this.

Immigration queue - there is man actually putting people in queues, for there are enough people wanting to jump the line. And all those early birds who ran off the plane are waiting for others to fill the Immigration forms for them. O wow - I thought - they cant even fill the forms. We're waiting in the line - and the man who took off with our bag is behind us. The agent waves off one passenger and before we can move, this man has shot off. I yelled. the man manning the queues, yelled at him too, both of us gave him an earful. Smilingly he tells me - 'hume laga - aap bad nahin rahe ho - hum hi jaaye' (I thought you werent moving - so let me take your place). 'Hum yahan kya prabhu bhajan ke liye khade hain?' I screamed. Suddenly all around me people are saying 'Chodiye behenji' (let it be sister). Sister? Who me???

Anyways we finally left the airport.

Deeply ashamed of our fellow-citizens.

"Its no wonder", hubby summed it up well, "why air-hostesses look towards Indians like we're puke or worse. We probably deserve it."

Why us, God? Why us???