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Sometimes clouds do have a silver
lining; occasionally the din does give way to a melodious
symphony. Caught up as we are with the channels screaming
negativity about our governance systems and the political class,
last night was a refreshing change for me as a private retired
citizen, or should I say mango person!
My daughter and my grandkids flew in from Bangalore last night to
spend puja with us. They flew the new Boeing Dreamliner of Air
India; yes the same plane that many have termed an inappropriate
choice for an airline so close to the precipice.
In the melee that ensues with a large aircraft landing late at
night (an hour late at 11:45 p.m.) and having to take care of two
small kids, she forgot a bag on the coach. The bag had articles of
significant economic value, a few gold ornaments passed on by her
mother which any self-respecting Bengali girl would like to wear
to the puja pandal.
Besides, my daughter had just returned from Germany on an official
visit and by mistake a few left over euros were also in her bag.
Thus, she was justifiably panicky when she failed locate her
vanity bag! After she had all most given up, two gentlemen, Manish
Arora, Assistant Manager (Commercial), Air India and Jagbir Singh,
a senior Delhi Police officer, took the matter in their hands and
found the bag, with all articles safe and sound after a
comprehensive search for more than an hour. She could not believe
when she found each of the articles were there, as she kept them
before!
She did not know that how to reciprocate and was surprised when
these two gentlemen only requested for a written recommendation
from her, which she gladly complied with - and declined any
monetary compensation.
Last night after listening this rare story from my daughter, I
slept very comfortably, realising that in this prevailing vitiated
atmosphere of competitive corruption in the country, there are
still such people, that too in the much maligned public services,
who still believe in honesty which is supposedly a basic human
value.
Knowing that while Rs.71 lakhs may be too little for some class of
citizens in our country, 71 minutes is long enough to rekindle my
faith in our countrymen!
(Animesh Banerjee can be contacted at banerjeeanimesh@rediffmail.com)
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