Soumya recounts a chance meeting with a young Sikh gentleman, from the armed forces, during a flight. An interesting friendship was marred by a strange suspicion. An exclusive for Different Truths.

This was just before the COVID-19 lockdown had started.

I was at a busy airport in India, on my way to Delhi.

I encountered a young Sikh gentleman, obviously flying for the first time, completely bewildered in the unfamiliar setting, speaking only Punjabi, which no one seemed to follow. Although he was in casuals, his typical army canvas bag indicated that he was a soldier.

I encountered a young Sikh gentleman, obviously flying for the first time, completely bewildered in the unfamiliar setting, speaking only Punjabi, which no one seemed to follow. Although he was in casuals, his typical army canvas bag indicated that he was a soldier.

Always keen to try out my pidgin Punjabi, and eager to help a member of our armed forces, I approached him and asked him in his native tongue if I could be of help. He seemed really relieved and rattled off in rustic Punjabi, whose gist I could follow.

I have had this experience in various places, whenever I tried my rudimentary knowledge of a language with a native speaker outside his home turf. Whether it is Punjabi cabbies in Canada, US or UK, or Oriya chef or Assamese trainees in fancy hotels, or Nepali waiters in Chinese restaurants, or Lepcha guides during trekking, my attempt at bonding by using their native tongue always works, and my rudimentary knowledge is forgiven.

Whether it is Punjabi cabbies in Canada, US or UK, or Oriya chef or Assamese trainees in fancy hotels, or Nepali waiters in Chinese restaurants, or Lepcha guides during trekking, my attempt at bonding by using their native tongue always works, and my rudimentary knowledge is forgiven.

Anyway, I could figure out that he was a soldier on leave and was on the way back to his village in Punjab. He had tickets to Delhi and wanted to know where the plane was.

I had performed similar guide duties for his brethren at the Delhi airport for flights to Canada and the UK and gladly leapt to the task, being glad to be of some use to the guardians of the nation.

I guided him through the baggage screening and took him to the check-in counter for the Delhi flight. The flight was almost empty, and as a frequent flyer, I received an automatic upgrade. I urged the booking lady to extend the same courtesy to one of our gallant young soldiers, and after a consultation with her supervisors, this was done.

The flight was almost empty, and as a frequent flyer, I received an automatic upgrade. I urged the booking lady to extend the same courtesy to one of our gallant young soldiers, and after a consultation with her supervisors, this was done.

He told me that he was a new recruit, with the sappers, where incidentally my cousin had been a CO, and posted to a remote area, now going home on a short leave. He had travelled by bus to the city, taken an auto to the airport, and from the Delhi airport would take an auto to the bus station to catch an overnight bus to his village.

I saw him through the security check and took him to the boarding gate.

He was very grateful and offered to share with me the meal he was carrying. I told him they would provide meals on the flight, and he can save his food for dinner on the bus.

He was very grateful and offered to share with me the meal he was carrying. I told him they would provide meals on the flight, and he can save his food for dinner on the bus.

They had given him the seat next to mine, and he seemed really happy that this was so, and as I showed him the seat belt and explained other instructions he kept expressing his gratitude and shaking me by the hand.

After the flight took off, I asked him jokingly, why this hurry to get back, was he going to get married or did he have a girlfriend?

He shyly explained that girls are far from his reach and he has many responsibilities before thinking of marriage.

He went on to explain that as two guys in his unit had fallen sick, although they were proved to be altitude sickness rather than COVID-19, and the rest were all tested and found clear, they were given fifteen days leave and given special permission to fly home while his two comrades were under observation.

He went on to explain that as two guys in his unit had fallen sick, although they were proved to be altitude sickness rather than COVID-19, and the rest were all tested and found clear, they were given fifteen days leave and given special permission to fly home while his two comrades were under observation.

I panicked, rushed to the washroom and thoroughly washed, asked if they had masks and sanitizers, which they didn’t, those being the early pre lockdown days, and requested a change of seat.

I could see the hurt in his eyes, as he assured me that he was all right, but I avoided his eye and his contact, all my admiration for the guardians of our frontiers gone in sheer fear of the virus.

I left the flight with an embarrassing nod to him on reaching Delhi, wishing him a happy holiday, and he saluted me, looking hurt.

I left the flight with an embarrassing nod to him on reaching Delhi, wishing him a happy holiday, and he saluted me, looking hurt.

Photo from the Internet