A family of four, Telugus (I can recognize the language). They have two daughters. The father is diligently buying sandwiches and milk shakes. The younger daughter is in tears; she is trying very hard to hold them back but it brings them on even faster. Mom is speaking in a low tone but her voice has an unmistakable warning tone to it. She speaks in English and Telugu and apparently the girl wanted a different flavor in milkshake which wasn’t available. The mom is livid. She threatens her to behave herself. The father hangs around helplessly while the elder daughter is busy with her tablet.
I smiled to myself!
The food cart is being pushed along. Some passengers are looking bored; some are asleep; yet others are reading or listening to music. As always there are two ladies in uniforms doing this mundane task. They are dressed identically with their hair pulled back sternly. They seem to be wearing the same loud shade of lipstick with blotches of blusher on their cheeks. Clearly the difference in day and night makeup hasn’t crossed their mind. They normally have a fake smile pasted on their face which turns on and off faster than your old faithful tube light. But this one time, there is an enthu cutlet. She smiles. She talks to everyone. She runs around ensuring that each one’s smallest requests are met. She scampers if that is possible in that restricted space. And she even thanks you for tendering exact change. She was such a warm presence that it was delightful seeing her. I wonder what made her enjoy something which others like her take on as a chore. Did she also realize how many hearts she warmed by her smiling countenance?
I smiled to myself!
Waiting outside the trial rooms in an upscale mall for my niece to try on some clothes, chatting with my sister. An adjacent triall room has a lady inside it. A smartly dressed teenage girl hangs outside, supplying clothes for the person inside to try out. She is talking very softly for a teenager. After about 10 minutes, another older teenager again smartly dressed comes and joins this younger girl. They animatedly discuss something. The door opens a crack and both of them go inside. There is some conversation happening there. Suddenly a nattily dressed, pretty looking middle-aged woman storms out. Her parting words, “I will never forgive the two of you!” She is hastily followed by two pleading teenagers. Okay, Ekta Kapoor must be deriving her inspiration from real-life situations. A minute or two later, the younger teen is back in panic. An expensive cellphone had been left behind. She retrieves it and rushes out looking very somber.
I smiled to myself!
These two handsome men in uniform. I was always a sucker for crew cuts and military fatigues. They chat politely while filling their bottle at the water fountain. I await my turn. One of them turns to me and offers me his bottle to drink. I smile back and say, “No thanks!” I await my turn. When they finish, they even show me how to operate the water fountain. Rather silly yet cute!
I smiled to myself!
A couple traveling with two kids. One toddler seated on his mother’s lap and another son seated in the window seat. This toddler out of sheer boredom of being confined to the seat started wailing. Mom and dad tried to distract with a lollipop and a toy. He was distracted for a few minutes but then again was back to his wailing. I was watching him and all this drama unfold. I have been in this situation multiple times and knew exactly what they were going through. I looked at the toddler who was looking in my direction. I gave him a big smile. He stopped dead in his tracks. I could see him wondering who I was and what business I had smiling at him. Then like kids are wont to do, he started studying my face. Kept him quiet for a few minutes before he diverted his attention and began wailing again. His mom then put him in the aisle and got ready to run after him as he ran back and forth, gurgling and screaming, amusing some and annoying other passengers. Phew, I thanked myself for having outgrown that phase with my kids.
I smiled to myself!
Traveling solo is such fun. I actually get to observe people and life as it unfolds around me.
Do you enjoy traveling alone and watching people?
Pic courtesy: Freedigitalphotos.net
Aha! Those men were clearly angling for your attention! !! Offering you the bottle and showing you how a water fountain works? !! LOL!!!!
I got that, Roshni :D. It was fun, their eagerness to please.
Having done my good share of traveling alone — long journeys, long waits at the airports etc – I enjoyed reading this post and connected well. Because I too enjoy watching people especially when they are “in transit”, so to speak. Something so interesting about that whole experience of being on the journey, I think. But I am a big no-no on talking to co-travelers, for some reason 🙂 I like my quiet time and being with myself when I am at airports, in planes etc. I have even managed 36-hour-long train journey in India without talking to co-passengers 🙂
A very interesting post, Rachna about some wonderful observations on life in different shades!
Beloo, I have traveled solo a lot but more before I got married. Since I had kids, that has taken a backseat. So, now when I travel alone I truly enjoy it. Mostly I keep to myself, never trying to strike a conversation. The only times I make an exception is for hassled mothers. A smile or a soothing word works wonders for hassled parents. I know that out of experience :). Otherwise, I am happy with a book or plain people watching :).
I smile when I read the reasons for your smile , so mundane yet so powerful… I too am sucker for crew cuts and uniforms to the extent that I decided to spend my life with one 🙂
Wah, wah Rekha! How wonderful is that! Thank you for reading. Mundane yet powerful — perfectly put.
I loved this post! And yes, I am a sucker for men in uniform too 😀
It all seemed so real, you took me on your solo trip. Thanks! And yes…observing people is one of my favourite pastimes while travelling alone.
I find it a lot of fun. I also enjoy the unhurried, solo time. Since more often than not, I travel with kids, it is more an exercise in being alert all the time and controlling their antics. Glad you liked the post :).
A sweet and simple post…the first one, could have happened to our family….And I really liked the post about the air hostess too, every once in a while you meet people who are doing an exceptional job even though nobody notices them…
Thank you so much, Prasad, for reading and sharing! The first one could be my family too if you replace the girls with the boys :). Yes, this air hostess was such a cutie. I completely loved her energy and enthusiasm. You are right, some people do even the most mundane of chores with so much effort and love, and I think we all must appreciate them. I told her at the end of the flight how much I loved having her around. She beamed at me.
I love sitting alone and watching people. But I seldom travel alone. And a visit to the grocery store holds the potential for several blog posts. Kids crying to buy hazmola, couples bickering over which brand to buy, and confused men holding long shopping lists.
Absolutely, Alka! It is interesting how we can see life unfold when we observe. I love traveling alone except when it is sightseeing. There I prefer company. I used to travel a lot alone before I got married. Since then of course, the solo trips have come down. But when I do, I love the hassle-free me time.
This is one of my favourite post on your blog. I just sat back and read. Read what you were seeing and showing and telling. And especially seeing how the meaning of ‘smiled’ changed from scene to scene. Not just well observed but well put too. It doesn’t get any more real than this, Rachna.
Wonderful to read this. You make me want to go travel and look around solo now. 🙂
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I am delighted to hear that this post is among your favorites on my blog, Sakshi. Makes me so happy :D. You must travel solo. As a parent, you will feel a certain freedom, a huge change in your perspective and movements when you don’t have a family tagging along. It is a lot of fun, really.
I could actually picture every scene here Rachna. The way you described it was magical. And the way your smiled changed with every story was amazing. Travelling solo is fun, it shows you so many perspectives around that you would not have noticed otherwise.
Been ages since I traveled alone. This post makes me want to now!
Thank you so much ,Soumya, for such encouraging words. You must try it sometime. I quite had fun.
I would hate to be travelling alone.Rachana,you seem to be very observant while travelling.
Really. Why so? I enjoy traveling with family especially when I go to places where I sight see but for short trips I don’t mind traveling alone.
Enjoy doing and love traveling Solo lots..sometimes, whine my time observing families and many stories can be sketched that way. Sharp eyes u have, Rachna and I enjoy this post:)
Thank you, Vishal. Yes it can be fun sometimes.
Looks like I’ll give a try to travelling alone… never done it before!
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Oh then you must, Anu!
I think I would be quite distressed on this flight. It just sounds like there were too many wailing kids on it!
Great slice of life observations. Very engaging!
Arre nahin only one family with a toddler was on the flight. The rest were on the airport and in a mall. But yes I am a bit more tolerant towards tantrummy kids :-). Thanks for reading, Rickie!
The army guys wanted to show that they are indeed chivalrous 🙂 Nice try. Yeah, I have seen some interesting stuff while I used to travel from Ahmendabad to Bangalore by trains…42 hours and the train was like home to everyone traveling…and so you can imagine.
They were well mannered. I found them cute :-). Yes trains are great places to observe people. I have done many solo train journeys too. We must share our experiences the next time we meet.
That is so true Rachna ! Even I love traveling by myself. Somehow you have all the time in the world and no obligations to fulfill. I love the leisure and the space that I get if I travel alone. Your experiences with various slices of humanity were very interesting to read !
Thank you, Ash! Yes no obligations and all the space to do what we want at the pace we want is a lot of fun.
Oh yes.. i love travelling for sure..as yiu described it is such fun just watching people.. i think in our rush rush we sometimes don’t watch..
It is funny how people behave .. when I was posted at the airport it was such fun.. especially the Friday holiday flights to ibiza or majorca. . Teenagers had such beaming smiles as they were going out and the same faces next week on coming back..
Well the British weather does not help but still..
And oye hoye.. crew cut and uniform achaaaaaaaaaaaa hmmmmm….
Haha Of coursr, you are crew cut and uniform and courteous too. I am sure you have some fantastic tales to share.
Ah! Well! A pleasure I have ALWAYS since I have to travel solo almost all the time 🙂 I smile to myself 🙂 Was sorely tempted to add that line, so gave in to the temptation 🙂
Hehe Suresh! Well said. But I don’t like travelling solo all the time, just once in a while.
I loved reading this Rachna… I love travelling alone or maybe I should say now that I loved travelling alone! These days whenever I travel alone I leave someone behind and it makes me so sad! Sigh!
I know where you are coming from, Naba. Once you have kids, you do crave doing things alone sometimes :-).
Really charming post! And after you did it so many times in a day, I smiled to myself too now 🙂
How sweet, Ili! Always a pleasure to have you over.
I do the same. Travelling alone or being alone outside is more fun. I even went for a movie alone.
That sounds like fun. I have never seen a movie alone :-).
Slice of life … now I’m smiling to myself 🙂
That brings a smile to my face, Ritu :D.
My first visit and enjoyed this post! Thanks.
Thanks so much, Dilip! Welcome here and hope to see you around.
Nice observations, Rachna. I could imagine them 🙂
The last one made me say ‘Phew!” Thank God we have overgrown that wailing-kid phase 🙂
Oh absolutely, Anita. I can’t help but count my lucky stars :). Thanks for reading!
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This post has been selected for the Tangy Tuesday Picks this week. Thank You for an amazing post! Cheers! Keep Blogging 🙂
Thanks a lot :D.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Yes, I to enjoy observing people while traveling 🙂
Congrats on the Blogadda pick. 🙂
Thank you, Shail! Glad you liked the post. I had fun writing this one :D.
Enjoyed reading this post, Rachna and I smiled with you too!! Observing life around you is simply fun and interesting. I love doing that too, so many stories unfold in front of you by simply observing! Congrats for the Tangy Pick 🙂
Thanks, Shilpa. I remember the posts you wrote while traveling in a train. Isn’t it such fun just seeing people around you and noticing the small things that we otherwise miss.
oh yes its fun isn’t it? 🙂 I liked how you observed all the little things around you 🙂 I plan to observe a lot more when I travel solo next, your post has inspired me to 🙂
And it would be so much fun to read your observations, Seeta :D.
I travel solo quite a bit, and I’ve always enjoyed watching how different people behave differently.
There have been times when I’ve pretended not to know the local language just so that co-passengers speak too freely in my presence. No ulterior motive, just for fun!
You used a phrase “enthu cutlet”. While it’s self-explanatory, where did you pick it up? 🙂
Sometimes, people normally assume that just because you are speaking a particular language, you are not bound to know theirs and that has given some hilarious situations. Once I was in a train journey and there was a family speaking Kannada spouting hate speech about North Indians especially Hindi speaking folks. Our family was speaking Hindi so they naturally assumed that we did not know Kannada. I understand Kannada. At the end of the journey, I just told them one sentence in Kannada. The expression on their faces was priceless :). About enthu cutlet, it is an endearing term I use, don’t really recall where I picked it up :D.