"THEY" WANTED ME TO MET MOTHER TERESA....

It was way back in the early nineties, I think the year was 1995, or maybe a little earlier than I was on a flight to Rome. During the nineties, Rome was the most favored destination for the crew. The reason was many. First, the flight pattern duration for the crew was for ten days. second, the crew would get approximately four clear days in Rome. Two clear days before the shuttle to geneva and two days after the shuttle. This flight meant an earning of 600 dollars for the crew including layover allowances and flight allowances. Such flight was only operated by the seniors and we juniors, then, had the options of going to Thiruvananthapuram or a Dubai QTA, { Quick Turn Around }.

I was doing standby for the flight. During those days we had flight standbys. which means that one is a standby for the flight mentioned and seeing my name in the roster as a standby crew for the flight I just cursed the scheduler for playing a dirty joke on me. I was sure that I will not be pulled out for the flight as such a lucrative flight no one wants to forgo. The reporting time of the flight was 2330 hrs and I was absolutely certain that I would not be required for the flight and so I had not ironed my uniform and had not packed. At around 2130 an Air India Transport vehicle came to my place with a DR to operate the flight. I panicked .( DR is a word from the WW II era where important and emergency communication was brought by the Despatch Riders who brought these messages by riding on motorcycles) Similarly to operate a flight in case the scheduled crew is unavailable due to any reason the standby crew is pulled out and it is on an emergency basis. The driver who brought the pull-out message was very understanding and realizing that I was not prepared he helped my ironing my short while I packed for the flight.

To cut the story short I was on the most favored flight of the network. I was going to Rome.

Now I was in Rome and I visited the Vatican for the first time and while Standing in the vast St. Peter's square facing the obelisk I had an unimaginable experience and I realized I had tears in my eyes.

Now I was in the airport coming back to Delhi and my Inflight Supervisor instructed all of us saying that we have Mother Teresa as our First Class passenger and that we have to make sure that no passenger comes to First Class to disturb her or for any other purpose like photographing or autograph or meeting her or talking to her. To my luck or you can say providence I was working in the First Class. I cannot explain the feeling I had about the whole thing. My being on standby, My being pulled out for the flight, My being in the Vatican, And My being working in First Class. I took it as signage from the almighty.

We were on board and passengers started to board a little later. The last passenger was the frail lady in her white and blue saree and a simple sandal walking down the tarmac and slowly climbing the step ladder to the flight. She came on board and blessed all the crew who were at the boarding gate and slowly walked to her seat. As she sat down I went to her with a glass of water and she smiled at me and took the water and drank it. While handing over the glass to e she asked my name and I told her my name. She said,"Oh tui bangali? baari kothaaye ?" which means Oh you are a Bengali? where do you live? I told her about me. She raised her hand and blessed me. What else would I want? being blessed by Mother. I realized that I was ordained to be in this flight for me to be blessed by none other than Mother Teresa.

The flight took off and after the seat belt sign was off the Captain made an announcement saying that we have the almighty traveling with us. Mother Teresa is on board. Hardly did he finish his announcement all hell broke loose. Every passenger stood up on their seat and each and everyone wanted to come and see and meet Mother.. It was a dangerous situation as passengers started moving to the First Class en Mass. My Inflight Supervisor gave me the opportunity to speak to Mother and request her if she would take a round in the Cabin so that we could restrict the movement of the passengers. I went to Mother and told her in Bengali about the situation and requested her if she would do a walk around the cabin. She just smiled and said of course why not you all are my children. My Inflight Supervisor made an announcement requesting all passengers to be seated and that Mother will take a round in the cabin.

To my utter surprise, Mother Teresa asked me to accompany her during the walk around. To date, I will not forget that scene and that day. Mother came into the economy Cabin and at once all the passengers stood up with folded hands, there was a pin drop silence except for the whines of the engines, Many of the passengers had tears in their eyes. Mother kept walking slowly towards the aft of the aircraft with her hands held in blessing. There was a small child in the last seat of the aircraft and Mother picked her up and planted a kiss on her forehead. The parents were dumbstruck

Slowly she walked back to her seat and then I served her a glass of water. That's when she asked me for a cup of tea and I served her the same.

I didn't want the flight to end but as it is said that everything and every moment has to come to an end so that the beginning of another moment can commence. So we started the decent procedure into Delhi and in Half an hour, we landed at Delhi airport. The flight docked at the designated jetty and as soon as the doors opened there was a battery of personnel to escort Mother to another terminal for her to travel to Kolkata. When Mother got up from her seat to go I touched her feet and she kept her hand on y head for maybe 10 seconds and with an electrifying smile she left. I stood there realizing that I was weeping. I will never forget that day. I feel blessed to have worked for Air India where I could be in the august companionship with the divine.