The wheelchair mate

I found wheelchair assistance to be an excellent option for air travel these days. On my recent journey home, I went through the process like a breeze at Liberty International Airport. The service provider quickly got me to the boarding gate and the aircraft’s entrance. The security process became more accessible, considering the long lines of wait.
As I buckled my seatbelt, I noticed the woman in the neighbouring seat was also travelling to Bangalore. She smiled at me and said hello. I smiled back and introduced myself.
“I’m so glad to be going home,” she said. “I’ve been away for too long.”
“I know the feeling,” I said. “I’ve been in New York for more than a year.”
In a few minutes, I realized I was in for an extensive “listening” exercise until I reached Bangalore.
The conversation started with a simple greeting in Kannada. I just realized that the monologue would last for the next 18 hours. I downloaded two new books on the Kindle, reviewed the entertainment section of Air France, and picked two movies to watch before I left for the airport. I decided to set aside my plans after listening to the opening remarks of “the mami”. She determined my meal, tea and sleep breaks. She would continue the thread the moment she saw me awake. The toilet break was the only time I did not hear her voice. She continued her conversation during the transit in the CDG terminal in Paris as we moved from location to location in a battery-operated vehicle. She had tremendous energy to carry on the conversation even during the transit.
The mami was a very talkative woman, and she loved to talk about herself. I tried to be polite and listened to her intently. She spoke of her family, children, grandchildren, and life in Bangalore. She was a retired school teacher and had a passion for gardening. She had travelled worldwide and had many exciting stories to tell. I tried to engage in the discussion, but getting a word in edgewise was challenging. I was tired of the conversation but didn’t want to be rude.
After a while, I started to feel sorry for her. She was alone in the world and had no one to talk to. I realized she was lonely and looking for someone to listen to her. I decided to be a good listener and listened to her stories for the rest of the flight. I learned much about her and was glad I could make her happy.
When we finally landed in Bangalore, I was exhausted. I thanked the mami for her company and got off the plane. I was glad to be home but sad to say goodbye to the mami.
I was fascinated by her stories. She had such a rich life experience, and I felt like I was learning so much about her. I was also impressed by her energy and enthusiasm. She was in her late 70s but seemed younger than many people I know in their 50s.
As she parted, she said, “Thank you for listening to me. I don’t get to talk to people very often.”
I smiled and said, “It was my pleasure. I enjoyed hearing your stories.”
I was finally home. My driver was at the airport, and I went home. I left the airport and took a deep breath of the fresh air. I was so tired that I fell asleep when my head hit the pillow.
The following day, I woke up feeling jet-lagged. I got out of bed and went to the kitchen to get a cup of Tea. As I was drinking the hot cup, I thought about the mami. I wondered how she was doing. I hoped that she was okay.
I finished my Tea, and I went to my computer. I opened my email and saw a message from the mami. She was quick. She thanked me for being a good listener and said she had enjoyed our conversation. She also told me she planned to return to New York soon and asked if I would like to meet. I was surprised that she did not want to meet me in Bangalore.
I smiled. I was glad that I had met the mami. Mami was a kind and attractive woman, and I was happy to have made her acquaintance.
I wrote back to the mami and told her I would love to meet up with her when she returned to New York. I was looking forward to seeing her again.