Night flight to Venus: B(oney)M’s Symphony

 

 

As a sequel to my earlier blog and as an opportunity to introduce the members to the world, I took two decisions with (out) your permission.. First thing to conduct one match in some other country outside India, for that  I contacted Spielberg through e-mail who was in a mood of producing a film on the basis of our own “lagan”.

Both were happy as they got what they wanted. I informed sallu about the second move also. Immediately he was excited to sponsor our team. So two birds in one bullet!

 

 Second thing was the change of Team members. The new additions are:

 

1.Aneet.R  2.G.s.prasad 3. Anila

 

As this is a long tour, it has been decided to have some reserve players. They are:

1.Pradeep  2.Braj mohan

I think now the team will be well balanced. The d-day was also fixed for the departure of our team to New York. The team members were advised to assemble in Mumbai (stay has been arranged in Trident!) and the dep for Newyork will be on AIC 123, B747 from Mumbai  .

 

Mumbai CSI Airport International terminal:

 All of the players   checked in time. The lounge was brimming with people. MJ was enlivening the ambience with  his song “make it better place for you and me” from . I gave a look around the people. Kanak & jayasree were purchasing   books(definitely not M&b). Venkatji was having a chat with a fellow passenger (I think he has leant  a new thing). Durgesh was having a “serious discussion” with counter staff. (Later I enquired about that, he told, it was about flying time. He asked “How much time will it take to fly from Mumbai to Delhi. She said “if it goes direct, 40 min and if it goes via Kandahar 4 days!”)..  . pradeep was reading some magazine. I was chatting with Station Manager of Air India for the allotment of seats together. He has promised for the same. Around 1 hr went like this. The ground staff with her sweet voice announced the boarding. “Passengers bound for New York in Air India flight 123 are requested to proceed for the aircraft. Thank you for flying with our airlines.” all were ready for boarding.

 

Within 10minutes all were inside the first deck of the aircraft. I just gave a look, whether all were comfortable. Kanak, jayasree, anila sat together. Venkat sat with vishy. Durgesh was “missing”.gt,pradeep,arun sat in nearby seats. Myself, Braj,G sat together. Others were busy in arranging their hand baggages. Some of them were little bit excited, as it was their first flight travel. Luckily our aircraft was first in departure sequence. The cabin crew asked us to tie our seat belts.   Still durg was not seen in his seat. I became nervous and looked at the side of venkat he was calm and showed sign that nothing to worry. I sat halfheartedly. The door was closed. Some interesting developments were there. We came to know that two of the air hostesses were also missing. Pilot was seen shouting at somebody.  Immediately I looked at venkat, he again smiled with a meaning. I understood the whole thing. In the last minute, durgesh came with raised eye brows and occupied the seat next to me. He was little bit tense.

 

I asked with eyes, “what happened”. He replied, I will tell later . please wait. The aircraft taxied out. All were in a joyful mood except durgesh and me. I could not control my anxiety and asked durgesh again. Then he whispered, looking here and there”I can smell some thing fishy here!”. Then I told after taking a deep breathe “nothing.. I am getting a good fragrance! Are you suffering from cold?”. He replied angrily “this is not the time for jokes yaar.. I saw two “suspicious” people in this aircraft with “dangerous things” in a tension filled voice.  I got what he meant but  I wish to confirm and asked “you mean.. “Terrorists?””. Durgesh replied “don’t shout.. Yes.. Just see the person in the last row..”I turned and saw. He was somewhat nervous and looking at his bag!”. “Then see the first person in the row in the front”. “Yes.. He is  also little bit tense.” Then I became little bit worried. the situation is really “DANGEROUS”. The mind machine started working over time. As the flight had taken off and started cruising at a level I removed my belts and started observing them. First they had an argument with air hostesses. Showing signs to move front  and back respectively. The flight attendants  were also confused. I went to venkat ji and just discussed this issue with a soft tone. He told”ok. Shree you just convey this to Pilot. Using your ATC language!”. .”Yes it’s a  good idea”.  I contacted one of the air hostess with a request to meet the Captain. . But she refused. Meanwhile one airhostess was about to enter the cockpit with the food. I got one idea. Secretly I took one tissue paper and wrote the message in Aviation language narrating the situation and the alternate course of action they can take, which only pilot can understand!. Venkatji gave another idea, “you can contact any of your friends in ATC by phone and inform them”. This was also an excellent idea. I did that. That’s enough to set the stage. Any how we have to prevent the things from “BAD” to worse.

 

 

Within five minutes the cockpit door was closed. My worst dreams became true. We came to the conclusion that  somebody had entered the cockpit and closed the door. Meanwhile the other one was fighting with attendant , which further confirmed the fears. I just peeped outside the window the moon was lighting the whole world, the lights on the earth reminded me the scene that the stars have descended on earth from the sky. But I was not in a mood to enjoy the nature. Inside the scenario was entirely different. Friends were chatting as if nothing had happened. What will happen after some time, the persons will be armed and threaten” the flight is under our control”. That’s the night mare of the every air traveler. Oh.. No.. We should allow that to happen.   Yes. After ten minutes, the Sky Marshallers appeared in the scene. They signaled everybody to hide under the seat. We did the same.  Every where pandemonium has set in. after taking position the sky marshals jumped into action. Firing started. Israel made uzi guns, with silencers pumped in bullets. Now I realized, we had been caught in a cross fire. Heart beats increased, naturally the hormones started malfunctioning. I felt like staging a “THRILLER”.

 

Everything fell in place in ten minutes. The two suspected hijackers fell down like pack of cards.”Blood on the (dance?) floor” The high voltage drama came to an end, though abruptly. Everybody started congratulating our Bm members. Durgesh   became a hero (once again!). Everybody sighed with a big relief. I sat quietly in my seat with closed eyes. The next day’s scene came before my mind. The world media  is flashing the news. Congratulations pouring in from Indian govt, American president, etc. Obama’s invitation to BM members for a lunch. Clinton’s (minus ML) invitation for a dinner. The day belong to bm.. Slowly due to exhaustion I slipped into deep sleep.

 

 

“At that time nobody knew that we will have a ‘hard landing’ and our dreams will hit the ground with a ‘thud’.”

NB: For those who were thinking, what the title meant! ‘Night flight to Venus’ is a famous song by BONEYM in 1980s.

 

Now its time to have some fun. Can anybody write next blog starting with the above lines? Let us see how many ‘Jeffrey Archers’ are there in our BM! Are you ready for the challenge?