From Big Peach to Big Apple and Back!

This was my most awaited vacation after a long struggle with academics. Finally there came the day, when I was supposed to go to New York City (NYC), for a vacation. For beginners, Atlanta is referred to as Big Peach while NYC is referred to as Big Apple. This might give you the hang about where I started off to where I went. If you expect me to describe about the places that I visited and the things I did over there… you would be disappointed. This piece of writing is about my experience at the Liberty International Airport, Newark, NJ.

Before going to NY, I was totally fed up with the life that I was leading here. My schedule has been packed, right from the time I have been here. I can safely say that I am jaded because of the multi-tasking that I have been doing. The fun factor has been next to zero. In NYC, it was great to meet some of my friends, visit some of the land mark places. Also one of my biggest complaints about not being able to watch any bolloywood flicks was also answered when I watched the Aamir Khan starrer Ghajini in a theater. But I had gotten so much used to complaining that I couldn’t resist complaining even about a city like NYC. I stared on by complaining to my friends about the nasty weather; the high expenses and amount of walking one needs in every part of NYC. I felt that overall the condition there too wasn’t the greatest of ones.

After the trip concluded, I was on my way back home, pretty much complaining to myself. Now, all that I needed was to return home at the earliest. To add to this, I realized that my flight was moved up 30 minutes earlier to its scheduled time. So, I had to miss this flight. I didn’t know what next???

A person on the side walk, just outside the terminal of the Airport asked me to contact the personnel at counter 6, and pointed out towards a long queue. I was kinda frustrated and tried to call my mom, unsuccessfully, because of weak signal. I knew she was nearly 10,000 miles away from me and could do nothing more, beyond sympathetic words. The very idea of being last in such a long queue and the anxiety bothered me a lot. But, there was no option. So, I joined the queue. About a couple of minutes later, I saw another young man coming and joining the queue. In a way, I felt better, as I was not last member of this long queue anymore.

I was in no mood to start the conversation, but I was eager to talk to him as even he was travelling to Atlanta by the next flight. I guess he read this eagerness on my face and started the conversation. I told him about what my condition is… how it feels to be away from home for 5 long months… what were my challenges and hardships etc. He listened to all this with great patience and timely acknowledgements. Finally I too decided to ask him about his travel plans, where he was working et al. His reply was, “I want to cancel my today’s travel tickets. I will leave tomorrow. I neither work here nor in Atlanta. From there, I have connecting flight. I was home for Christmas, nearly after one year. I know how it feels to be away from home for a long time. So, I want to spend one extra day with my family”. I felt somewhat dreadful, as I was complaining about being away from home for 5 months and here was guy who was younger than me by two years and away from home for nearly one year. Before I asked him any further questions, he told, “But you are quite lucky to be in a safe country like US. Here, you have all facilities and there must a lot of folks from your country too”. Immediately I thought, “THESE AMERICANS! Huh, they always feel that their country is good on every front”. I answered, “Not quite; this is no doubt a good place, but transport isn’t as good as it is back home. Above all our food is quite different and I get to eat our kinda meals, just about 5-6 times a week.” To this he paused… and I asked him, “So, where do you work. Don’t you get your food, transport and other facilities at your place of work”. He smiled and said, “Not quite. It wouldn’t be fair on me to expect such facilities there. I am Second Lieutenant in the US Army. From the past one year, I have been posted to Iraq. Forget about facilities that you mentioned, I even don’t know whether I will be able to meet my family again, once I am out there.” I really felt ashamed and realized that how big a difference was there in my being away from home and his being away from home.

I politely said to him, “I am really sorry, I didn’t know you were in a battle field. I am sure that the conditions out there must be miserable and you must be hating every single moment of it. I hope and pray that you get shifted some other base in US as soon as possible”

To this, the reply that he gave, futher made me feel guilty of commiting another crime. “Don’t pray for my relocation. Pray that the war ends soon. But I don’t consider the condition to be miserable. When I joined the services, I was prepared for all this. It’s my duty and I should do it with fullest commitment. In life, you can either spend your time complaining about the things you do and achieve nothing or work hard and make the difference.” While I shook hands with him, he was called to another counter and I went to counter 6. In this process, I couldn’t ask his name. Actually, his name doesn’t matter at all. But his message surely does.

So, my New Year resolution for 2009 is “Stop complaining, Start working!”

Wish all the readers a very happy New Year!!!