My flight here was almost 6 hours late (this is usually expected when you travel with the Air Lines) taking off 2 in the morning from the scheduled 8 the previous night The Airline staff had to arrange our dinner in one of the lounges. You would understand the lounges are usually small or small for an audience of 200 odd passengers, there was a queue leading up to the buffet table. The limited number of table meant that as soon as you finish your dinner, on a table which you are sharing with your co-passengers, you make for the next one so that they can also have their meal. When I reached my table, there was already two guys enjoying. One I can say was travelling for the first time, by the looks of his unsure methods whilst the other was a seasoned traveller and I think accustomed to this delay.
Me joining with them would make a complete set of a rookie, a pro and an occasional player in me. The fourth seat was occupied, later, by a japanese lady. (Dont get your hopes up, this is happening with ME, shewas not pretty !!)
Since the wait was pretty much tiring and there were not many things available to eat, I guess I was not the only one hungry. All three of us had hit for a second set of helpings. All this, as I tell you, was happening without anyone of us talking to the other. We hadn't introduced ourselves to each other, and there had no reason also, I was going to hit the sack as soon as I land myself an
aircraft seat. The rookie unsure of what he was required to do of the plate has slowed down his eating so that he could figure out the same from the pro. He could have asked it, but I tell you, rookies are not good at asking stuff which may seem very obvious. I must tell you, it was not obvious for me too, but I had it figured out from what I saw of happening at the other tables,largely due to a better sitting place availing the view.
As was happening, the pro, after finishing his food, simply wiped himself clean and headed outside, leaving his plate on the table. This being India, none of us would have found anything wrong with that. With a sigh of relief, the rookie, finished also and did the same. So on the table now, left was only the lady and me. The foodie I am, I still had to finish off. In the meantime, the lady after finishing her meal and leaving her plate behind like the rest of the guys, gathered all the plates and cups on the table, and kept them in a neat orderly fashion, one on top the other.
There was no reason why she should have done that , given that we don't usually have the attitude of picking up others' used plates. The look on her face was not a revealing one of her thoughts, thought only i could make out that she was pretty exhausted with the long wait. I didn't really understand what to make out. What shocked me was not that she cleaned up the table, but she did what people usually dont like to do even if they are paid for it. But whatever it is, It made me realise you can do things the way you want to, even if the general public does not
approve of it, or does not want to do it themselves.It kept me pondering, and I still do it.
You want to know what I did my plate ?? I left it where I ate my food and not on the pile tacked by the lady !!
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