Gate No:17

As her flight was at 7:10 pm at night, She packed her office bags, kept all her things and taken the boarding pass without a miss, for on time boarding and to avoid any delay she started from office by sharp 4 pm. It was a huge traffic on the way which was not up to the usual expected level, as that day was the chat Puja and the roads are fully crowded. She was very happy that after a successful meeting she going to home after two days where she left her one year kid with husband, who is leaving next day for an official meeting out of town. Finally, the cab reached the airport and left her at the gate. She enquired with the security at the gate about the Jet Airways flight arrival, where her return ticket was booked.

When security checked and told the jet airways flight does not come to this terminal, so the obvious next question she asked where is the other terminal, thinking it is next to it and the time is 6:10. All her happiness and excitement comes to an end there, when he explained that it is about 4 kms from here and she has to rush quickly there, otherwise she may miss the flight…………

It was 1st time when she got an opportunity to travel to her corporate office, which is in the city of the dreams, Mumbai. She has travelled many times in the flight before with colleagues but never alone. Happy, confident and excited for visiting the corporate office 1st time where she will meet all the big people of her office.

Now outside the airport she was all alone, worried, holding 2 bags, asked two of the auto guys there, to leave her in Terminal 2. But they refused. The time is already 6:15. She reminded about the driver who left her in airport which was booked by office, called the cab driver. For her luck, he picked up the phone and agreed to leave her at Terminal 2, but for him to reach her it will take 5 mins.

She begged him to come to the Airport and but he could reach to her by seven minutes and tried all his best to make her reach in terminal 2 by 6:30. Now to her surprise, she is seeing the biggest airport ever and it is fully dazzling with lights, all stylish people around, all together a different place, and no idea where to go.

Since she has gone to Mumbai, that to the corporate office for the very first t time on an official tour was wearing a body fit dress, which looks very good on her, got a new pair of hills to match her heights of aspirations. Packed three nice pairs of dresses, but limited herself to keep it as carrying cabin baggage along with her and of course the Laptop bag, with all official stuff, which made her more heavy with all the uncertainties to catch the flight.

They advised her to rush to the gate no 17 after security check-in, now it’s 6:40 and they are announcing the boarding will get closed. After checking in now she is not able to see any of the desktops which are showing the flight is at gate number 17, she does not know where to go with all the tension that she would miss the flight. She requested an airport trolley cab driver there to drop which was already occupied with one old couple, who were going to the opposite gate.

She just took her heels in the hand and running madly toward the gate number 17. The flash of thoughts running in her mind, whether she will make it to the gate, what if she misses the flight, where she will go at night, no one known to her in this big city Mumbai If her husband will go to the office meeting leaving the Kid alone, how will she book the next flight, what the office people will tell that she didn’t do this also, what others are thinking that she is running madly at Airport carrying the shoes at hand and dress which is not apt for running in the Airport. Meanwhile asking the support from people for the way towards Gate no 17.

What happens whether she made it to the gate?

To her surprise and the good luck, the trolley driver came back with the request of the old couple and asked her to sit there and dropped her at the gate. Taken a breath of relaxation for the moment. She could make it to the gate. Reached home safely, with one of the thrilling experiences of her life..

And remembered and thanked in her heart the taxi and the trolley driver, who helped her to make it to the gate.