Tabish Mir
Srinagar
Lunchboxes which supposed to be opened once airborne, were opened at the Srinagar International airport today when all flights designated to leave the Kashmir were cancelled .
The few kiosks at the terminal had more faith in the deception game that the weather plays, and have shut down long before the wee hours of dusk.
The airports authorities must be happy with the patience the passengers exhibited after having been shouted and disrespected by the security officials for having broken a queue.
Growing signs of public tolerance, or numbness, I think.
A woman kept nudging me to get her boarding pass from the authorities, this being her first flight out of Kashmir; or not. This she did, while holding more boarding passes in her hands than she should have. Is it legal to be collecting more than a few dozen boarding cards?
Must be family. Who am I to judge.
The food stash in the plane (in case of an apocalypse) had to be distributed among the passengers on the plane, while carefully also shutting off the engine, so the passengers won’t have enough oxygen to enjoy the snacks – must have burnt a huge hole in the corporate Air Indigo’s pocket.
No complaints though. 554 was the only flight which braved the (nubile) snowstorm naked on the runway. Those long arms must hurt. It is, no doubt, very cold.
This woman elucidated the resumes of her entire family, but hers. Passive patriarchy I think. The raging nepotism is almost considered graceful now.
I did grit my teeth when this khakee brushed past the crowd and gleefully hopped into the cleared area. Should I grit my teeth? I would have wanted the same. Oh, the salutes he got. A patriotic chill ran down half my spine, which travelled back up halfway when I remember what had just happened.
The big bellies have no nerve endings or they would feel their bellies prodding my lower back, which was vulnerable and very sensitive.
Not sensuous. And the breath on my neck was not particularly welcome either. Not today.
The machines are whirring and buzzing every 10 minutes, the drivers probably giggling, knowing that nothing is going to take off today. Not these giant mechanical birds, at least.
