American Dreams - 2

Avasanam 11.30 aayappol security check in kazhinju, arnd 12.15, flightil kayari..athinu munpum nerathe paranjathu pole kure chodyangalku utharam parayendi vannu..ente seat nadukkathe aayirunnu..appuravum ippuravum 2 payyanmar….friends, hotel managementinu padikkunnu..avarude randinteyum samsaram ente thalaykku mukalil koodiyum kaykalikku meleyum koodi aayapol njan seat maaramo ennu chodichu…angane pinne valiya shalyams illathe , aavolum foodum adichu, kure thara hindi padangalum kandu njan new york JFK-il, athayathu americayil kaalu kuthi…aadyam oru immigration clearance…avide vachu oru chechi kure Qs chodichu, pinne ente photo eduthu..athum passportile photoyumaayi yathoru saamyavum illaathathu kondu kurachu neram ente facial features avar padicheduthu..pinne passportil , kochu 3 maasathekku ivide karangi nadanno ennum paranju oru sealum adichu kayyil thannu….port of entry aayathu kondu customs clearance undayirunnu..so baggage edukkan trolley ku vendi moonu dollar kodukkendi vannu..eeshwaraaa…aa trolley kku vendi njan 120 roopaaa kalanjalloo ennorthu kannukal sajalamai….

Vallavidheneyum trolleyum unthi customs checkin sthalathu ethippettu..avide vachu , sandals, hairclips, watch, bangle, enningane kure sadhanangal okke azhichu vachu parisodhana okke kazhinju ini adutha flight-nulla boarding pass oppikkanayi nadannu..

Nadakkan thudangi, but engottanu nadakkendathu ennu oru ideayum illa..samayam 8.30, enikku pokendaa flight uchaykku 2.30…avide kanda ellavarodum chyoyichu chyoyichu ( kadappadu : lalettan ) avasanam aa JFK muzhuvan karangi adichu, oru counteril ethi… avide kanda oru karutha chechiyodu , boarding pass tharumo ennu chodichu..she pointed me out tht it is an international check in counter n I am supposed to find a domestic one..

Eeswara, ini athu thappi njan evide pokum ennu vishamichu ninnu…avar enne kannurutti pedippikanum thudangi…avasanam ente mukhathe bhavangal kandappol, avar murumuruthukondu ente tkt vangi boarding pass thannu…ee sthreekku athangu nerathe cheythaal porayiruno ennum manassil orthu kondu njan adutha security check in –le kadannu…security check in kazhinju njan avide kanda police karante aduthu boarding passum kondu chennu, onnu seal adichu thaa chetta, checkin kazhinju ennum paranju.. nammude indiail aanengil ethra seal aanu avanmaar adichu vidunnathu…american policekaran enne etho vichithra jeeviye kandapole onnu nokki…angeru aake confused aayi…pinne paranju, mole ithu America aanu, anganathe thara paripadikal onnum ivide illa ennu.
Hmm…vendengil venda, enikkenthu ennum paranju njanum nadannu, enikku pokaanulla flight-nte gate number-um thappi…

Samayam 9.30… iniyum undu manikkoorukal…urangaan lavish time..

Cheruthayi visappu vacho ennu oru thonnal…avasanam gate kandu..avide kutiyiruppayi..niraye kunju kunju coffee shops..but dollar koduthu engane vanganam ennu oru confusion..bagil undayirunna hide n seek biscuit eduthu thinnu thudangi..opposite irunna ammachi onnu nokki, biscuit koodu avar kandittilla ennu thonnunnu.. njan avare mind cheyyathe theetta thudarnnu…laptop bag ullathu kondu chumma karangi nadakkan madi, athum thookki nadakanam…kurachu vellam kudikkan nokkiyappol avide cup onnum illa..vellam ingane oru mini fountain pole varum, vaya vachu kudichonam..ithu America thanne daivame….angane vellavum kudichu vannu, urangaan thudangi…

Sat there like a statue till 2..then realized my flight will b at anthr gate , which was quite near by..went there, ..waited for sometime, then boarded the flight..relatively a very small flight..nammude pandathe air deccan pole…kudikkan oru cheriya kuppiyil vellam, ore oru biscuit..onnil kooduthal eduthaal thirike vaykkan parayunna airhostess..

Angane aakashathirunnu kondu Burlington kandu , jeevithathil aadyamayi….
Ninraye pacha, pinne water bodies..cld nt believe for a min tht I was in America…
Burlington airportil irangi, luggage anveshichu nadannu….ellavarudeyum luggage vannitum entethu kaanane illa..Vilikkan varaam ennu paranja , IBM Bangalore-ile collegue aaya Hari-yeyum aa parisarathonnum kaanan illa….in an unknwn place, among unknwn ppl, enthu cheyanam ennu ariyathe wonder adichu nilkkumpol, oru karuthu thala kandu…
Nalla Indian cut, he s also starin at me…kanda oru parichayavum enikilla..he came and asked me “ are you Hari’s friend “ ..daivame…enthoru samadhanam ayirunnu….he is rachappa , anthr IBM fellower..Soon Hari joined us and we thought of filing a complaint for missing luggage…approached the lady at the delta counter ..when she heard my name,she smiled at me , went to the back and came with my luggage..the very first genuinely nice response which I got from am American..:) …they dropped me at Hawthorns…there was some confusion with the reservation made in my name..Once it was resolved , we went to the room…they left me there to take rest… I was having a nasty headache, probably becoz I didn’t hav anything tht day except for a few biscuits…took bath n slept like anything…

Prathibha called me at night , and askd abt my dinner.. I was too tired to get out of bed..I said gn to her, n slept off..hopin the next day woul be a good one..