Episode 144 : Hyde in America, Part I

Alright I confess. Keeping with the tradition I dangled a red herring in the previous episode.

It all began a week before the birthday.

'Do you have a visa?'

'I used to, but it expired almost a year ago.'

'Ok then, apply for a visa. I don't want you to miss out on an opportunity just because you don't have one.'

So I got the forms and worked on it at a slow pace, each day forgetting to bring documents needed to fill them. Three mornings after I went to Chitradurga for the weekend, I logged into the office network and checked my mails. One mail, that was CC-ed to me, stopped my world for an instant.

'Hyde has made good progress. Do you think he can come here by February 12 and work with us for a few weeks?'

I'll be damned. Feb 12 is only 3 weeks away and I don't even have a visa, I thought. I shifted to overdrive, but could get an appointment only on Feb 20. Two years and a few days after my visit to Calcutta where I did the same...

Paranoia does play a role, and when I think things are slowly settling down, they get unsettled again. So I kept the trip a secret and told as few people as possible. Since I managed to get through, I suppose keeping things a secret works in my favour. But the plan of surprising my friends in this continent backfired with two. The Altruist and Hank weren't pleased!

Fast forward to March 2. I boarded the Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. Ms Blue Eyes caught my eye, and I had to force myself to keep my eyes open in case I missed the blonde German air-hostess passing by my seat. I had every reason to curse the travel desk of SpecificGravity. I got a window seat when I had specifically asked for one on the aisle!

Frankfurt welcomed me with rain, and I think the pepper on the tissue paper started it all. By the time the aircraft began circling Boston, I started showing symptoms of a cold. Boston welcomed me with snow melted in places and a cold wind. Forecasts aren't encouraging and I am sure I will lose a few fingers in the next few days.

I checked into the hotel, dumped my luggage and picked up the phone. I checked the time and told myself that it is time I set things right.

I set my watch to local time for the first time since I left Bangalore.

So, my first work assignment outside India is in the United States of America. But my first stop outside India was in Europe. I guess I got the best of both worlds.

But there is one thing that surprised me throughout the travel episode. The feeling of being on international flights, flying with a lot of non-Indian passengers and hearing English spoken in German and American accents did nothing to me. It felt like I was in a part of India I had never seen before, or was wandering in the lobby of a very luxurious star hotel.

'I am in a foreign land, so?'

It finally sunk in when I switched on the TV and noticed what was "available" for entertainment.

God bless America!