โOn account of bad weather, the seat belt sign has been switched on. Please return to your seats and fasten your seat belts.โ
Sia looked up from her Ipad as the air hostess aboard the Mumbai-Delhi flight made the announcement.
Deeply entrenched in the twists and turns of Chake De! India, she hadnโt quite noticed the turbulence.
Siaโs co-passenger on the window seat shifted uncomfortably โJust look at that!โ
Accepting the invitation, Sia leaned forward.
She gasped โ a thick swirl of grey-brown lay directly below them and seemed to be growing bigger.
โThere is a dust storm over Delhi and we are diverting to Jaipur. Sit back and relax.โ The Captainโs reassuring boom echoed from the cockpit.
Oh good! She would be able to finish her movie. Sia smiled to herself as she turned her attention back to her downloaded movie.
โHow can you watch a movie at this time?โ The guy next to Sia glared accusingly at her. โWe are all going to die and you are sitting here watching a movie?โ
Sia sighed and took off her earphones. โWe arenโt going to die. We areโฆโ
โYes we are! Canโt you see the thick billowing clouds? Can you not smell the dust?โ
โRelax! Didnโt you hear the Captain? We are diverting to Jaipur. Itโs all clear there.โ
โBut what if we die en route? What ifโฆ?โ
โYikes!โ Sia jerked up straight in her seat. โI never thought of that! I better get back to my movie, it has been on my bucket list for agesโฆโ
โItโs not funny!โ
โNo it isnโt.โ Sia straightened her expression as it slipped. Her eyes strayed to her Ipad.
She sighed and held out her hand. โHello I am Sia.โ
โWhatever.โ
โWhatโs your problem?โ Sia asked.
โMy problem is that you donโt have any problem!โ His voice rose in affronted indignation. โWe are going to die and all you are concerned about is your stupid movie.โ
โSo what would you have me do? Die before it is time to die?โ
Frustrated, he glared at her. โAt leastโฆโ
โI could panic a bit?โ Sia twinkled at him. โHave a fit or two?โ She twitched and rolled about her seat.
He rolled his eyes.
The aircraft dived and steadied. His knuckles turned white.
โIs this your first trip to India?โ
โLast trip.โ He mumbled, his eyes determined closed.
Sia laughed.
He opened his eyes. โHow can you laugh?โ
โHow can you begrudge me my last laugh before I die?โ Sia shot back.
He rolled his head as they hit another bad patch.
โAt least tell me your name.โ Sia coaxed.
โWhat good would that do? We are all going to dieโฆโ
โTalk about yourself.โ Sia settled herself comfortably. โI am not going to die.โ
โHow do you know?โ
โI just know.โ
โYeah right! So Ms Know-it-all, do tell me, am I going to die?โ
Sia looked at him over.
She pursed her lips and tapped her head with a contemplative finger.
He rolled his eyes. โHey come on! Cut the dramatics would ya?โ
Smothering a laugh, Sia finally shook her head. โNope.โ
His lips twitched.
โSo when am I going to die Ms Sia?โ He folded his hands and bowed.
Sia raised her hand in blessing. โI say never.โ
She was rewarded with a laugh.
โThe dust storm has passed and we are heading back to Delhi. The seat belt sign has been switched off but forโฆโ
As the announcement droned on, Sia pinned him down with a smug expression.
He returned her look expressionlessly but gave up. He threw up his hands in defeat. โSia maiyya ki jai!โ
Sia clapped her hands. โVery good! I am impressed.โ
โI thought you would be depressed.โ He looked out of the window trying to hide his embarrassment.
โNever mind,โ Sia consoled, โit happens to the best of us.โ
โBut I am better than the best!โ He turned to her. โTell me werenโt you scared? Not even a bit?โ
โOf course I was.โSia confirmed. โBut not of dying. Of crashing down, breaking bones, hospitalizationโฆโ
โOh those! Thatโs all reversible. I am talking about dying.โ
โI knew I wasnโt going to die.โ Sia said.
โBut how?โ He was all at sea.
โIt’s all thanks to you.”
“Excuse me?”
Sia burst out laughing at his confused expression. I knew I wasn’t going to die because you didn’t let me watch the movie. And I wasnโt going to die without seeing the whole movie.โ
โWhaaa!โ He stared at her open- mouthed. โCrazy.โ
โYep! We Indians are like that. Crazy.โ
He shook his head. โHow do you do it?โ
โComplete and unquestioning faith in destiny. โ Sia was serious. โIf it is meant to be, it will be, if it is not,โ Sia shrugged.
โWell your way of thinking beats me.โ He scratched his head. โBut thank you for not letting me make a fool of myself.โ
โMy pleasure, and more than happy make the Lufthansa TVC a reality.โ Sia grinned mischievously at him.
He frowned.
โWhen you have time, check out the advertisement, but for now, after that near-death experience,โ she twinkled, โdo you think you could tell me your name?โ
He held out his hand.
โBond, my name is James Bond.โ
***
A/N This is my first time participating in an indiblogger contest. I found the details in the mailbox this morning and voila! this happened. ๐ ๐
Thank you for reading and do let me a note. Have a super day.
#MoreIndianThanYouThink
โThose who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.โ โ Rachel Carson
โHow does one become a butterfly? You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar.โโTrina Paulus
โAll through my life, I have been tested. My will has been tested, my courage has been tested, my strength has been tested. Now my patience and endurance are being tested.โโ Muhammad Ali
This one is at the left corner and its branches intermingle with the middle one – almost as if they were one. If you visited my earlier post 
They were both here, right under my nose. That’s the middle mango tree on the left and the third one on the right. I don’t need to ask you if you can see the difference between the two mango trees.
One is lush green and yellow, overloaded with fresh luscious leaves, heavily pregnant so to speak, just waiting to pop out mangoes. And the other, stuck in a time warp with its dark sparse leaves, stagnant and unchanging through the seasons. As if it had given up on life, barely hanging on – a gust of wind would be enough to snap it, end it all.
Within the dry hard winter leaves nestled tender, fresh shiny leaves, lime and brown.ย Canย you see?
Don’t they look like unruly children trying to escape? And do check out the tiny top hat on the middle rod – Warden in charge perhaps ๐
Look what I found in my mum’s garden! Not at all camera shy ๐
Where there’s smoke there’s bound to be fire right?
Some fiery orange blossoms
Bright yellow flowers hanging upside down – anyone know what they are called?
Nice summery feel to this garden isn’t there?
If you are looking for something that is really combustible – here we are. Probably guilty (at least partly) of the global warming ๐
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