When I told colleagues I am flying via Vienna this time to India on Austrian airlines everyone had a strange look which I couldn’t explain. My landlord was a bit more daring and said Austrians are our ‘strange cousins’ . I thought these Brits! They will always have problems with some one or the other.

I went for the check-in and the girl on the counter kept fussing over the extra 1.2 kilos (Indians are so accommodating….I was almost beaming with pride) but the airline crew was wonderful and so was everything about the flight. I knew the Brits were being oversensitive in their judgment of Austrians. This is what international politics at the ground level  or may be underground level!

I switched my music on and as the plane took off and the glowing restricting signs went off I reclined my seat and …and…it bounced back to upright!!! Gosh! There is some problem with the springs…I should not have left my High Commission job, they gave us business class tickets..anyways I made another attempt to recline it and it bounced right back with a thud this time. I wasn’t sure if I heard some screams along with. Naturally I was horrified with the mixed thoughts of springs, business class, Austrians and with my music yelling in my ears by then. I didn’t know which issue was to be addressed first so I just sat there thinking..policy people always spend time in planning first!

I switched my music off, then took the seatbelt off and then tried again with all my strength and this time I knew it wasn’t hallucination.. it indeed was someone screaming so loud that nearly everyone was looking at me with hatred. But..but..what the hell did I do I am only trying to sit comfortably. Then I realized behind me was a old couple (Austrian!) must have been in their 80s. Every time I had attempted reclining the 'not so gracious' old lady was pushing it right back (and she was so much stronger than me man!! What chakki ka atta do they eat?? ) she was also yelling at me that I am not meant to recline and why the hell I want to do it when no one else is..claiming this is a very lazy generation, can’t you see there is not enough room, you are so bloody arrogant etc etc. I made the cutest possible face and asked her if she was talking to me but that only made her eyes light with fire (conclusion - I don’t look cute when I make a cute face ) Not giving me even a chance to speak.

So , I sat down once again calming myself down thinking of Gandhiji, tolerance, patience and those other virtues whatever they were and as a result I was looking at her and listening then with all my might I signaled her to stop and she did! I told her - Maam if you speak softly I am more likely to understand as I only understand very limited English (haha!) I spoke with a typical accent too. She got confused and started speaking even faster. By then I was enjoying it too and I turned and said ‘for your information this is the way seats are in economy all across the globe‘. This was the last straw and she said ‘you bloody Indian’ I will report you and called the crew who obviously explained that it was my right to recline and I can’t be expected to sit upright for next 9 hours. Guess what was her next question to the crew - You should have similar system in my seat as well then..crew showed her how to do it and she was a mixture of embarrassment, hatred, anger and what not!

This was my time- I turned back and told her that if you are having your meal please let me know and I will move my seat and also we bloody Indians are very courteous and considerate, had you asked me politely and explained your inconvenience, considering your age I wouldn't even mind sitting upright for 9 hrs or atleast would have helped you with your reclining questionnaire. If and only if you knew how to ask!

Lesson learnt - eat properly and be strong enough not to get pushed by anyone. Jai Malleshwari