A Stranger Fed Me at the Airport!

Exactly 10 years back, on a July, I had met this stranger on a flight. On the flight from Delhi to London, we shared seats in a row. I had the middle seat, and she was towards the aisle. The window seat was vacant.

I was wearing a sweaty shirt and jeans, and my phone was shut down, shoved somewhere deep in my backpack.

She was wearing a parrot-green salwar kameez and was glued to her phone.

We had no similarity. We didn’t even greet each other. At some point, I moved to the window seat.

We reached Heathrow airport. I had about an 8-hour layover. So no hurry.

I was not even airport-savvy, so I thought I would sit somewhere and then figure out my next move.

I saw the woman in the parrot green dress walking towards me. She said, “Next flight USA? Let’s go to the security check line together.”

I was already sold. She asked me in Hindi! She knew my destination and was offering a solution. I followed her.

She put all her cosmetic bottles in ziplocked bags. I had none. A lipstick maybe. I put that in a ziplocked bag for fun.

After the security check, we could have gone our ways. But she said, “I have homemade aloo paratha. Let’s sit somewhere and eat.”

She had come to Delhi from Jaipur, like I had come from Bhubaneswar.

I trust strangers very much. I accept their offerings, and the food they share tastes like nectar to me!

So, I had no reason to say no. I was hungry anyway. Who says no to homemade aloo paratha?

We ate the delicious food. Afterward, she even gave me a slab of Cadbury chocolate.

It felt like I was with an elder sister protecting and pampering me.

I am not sure what we talked about. I just knew she was going to Houston, Texas, while I was going to San Diego, California.

Since she was married, I asked how long she had been married and if she had kids.

She said, 12 years and no kids.

At that time, I was married, but having kids was not even in my mind. I was a Master’s student in a difficult degree.

But I felt, given the traditional folks we Indians are, not having kids after 12 years is not common.

She didn’t even seem comfortable. I did not ask more.

Then we had coffee from the kiosk, and she left for her gate.

I was exhausted and slept like a baby, on a chair, despite the immense cacophony of a busy airport.

When I woke up, I had only 2 hours or so left for my boarding.

I felt so stupid. That’s why traveling with a companion is better.

As I was going towards the departure area, I thought of the woman who fed me. I thought her flight had departed two hours before, and she would be halfway across the Atlantic.

But then I saw the familiar parrot green dress. She was standing in the departure area for the Houston-bound flight.

I approached her. She told me that after bidding bye to me, she went through the security check, and then took a nap. When she woke up, the flight had left without her.

Photo by John McArthur on Unsplash

She went through the hassle of calling her spouse, depositing money in her bank account, and getting another emergency ticket.

I was shocked to hear that.

I hope she reached her place well, as I did mine.

She had an unfulfilled personal life and made a big blunder at the airport, but why I remember her is for her love and kindness that day!

Even a decade later, I remember her name. She said she was ‘Kalpana,’ which means imagination.

I hope you liked the story. Have you met such helpful people on your travels?