München

Bangalore

Seems to be in a "flying" mood these days. Or at least memories go back to flights or airports!

Even 10 metres away from the counter, I could feel the negative energy radiated from the moustached Border Police man. I just couldn't make out what was wrong, but there was this strong feeling of something really nasty.

The trip to Munich was quite good. Made some business contacts, even met couple of old friends . So it had to be about something that was to happen.

I reached the counter with my electronic ticket number scribbled on a paper and my blue passport. The policeman didn't even return my "Guten Morgen", instead very grumpily asked me for "all your travel documents now!".

I smiled and showed him the small paper where my electronic ticket number was written and then my passport with visa stamped on it.

Rally of questions starting with:

** "Why are you in Germany?" (yeah, yeah, I have heard this before! even once in France! Next question please)
** "Why do you have a visa from the French Counsulate even when your first leg of the trip is to Germany?" (That was the first time I was hearing something like that!)
**"Why are you not carrying all your travel tickets from India until here?" (I have been travelling from one point to another in the last two weeks)

Initially I thought he was joking.

He wasn't.

Either he had a nasty fight with his wife before he left home or he just didn't like my face!

He was firing on full throttle. I haven't seen any one so rude in any of the airports I flew through.

Still, I remained cool and believed that he was trying to pull my leg.

Though the first question sounded a bit racist, I just explained him that I was on a business trip and showed him my "visa d'affaires" from the French Counsulate in Mumbai.

For the second question I told him, "I hope you know that with the Schengen agreement, I can apply for my visa to any countries that are signatories, including France and Germany. Why do you have to be so arrogant like this?"

Even while he was pushing me further into an argument, I was quite calm. (though it was another moment of those OTS (one-tight-slap!))

Anyways, he wasn't the one ready to listen.

Instead he told me, " NO ARGUMENTS HERE! IF YOU ARGUE MORE, I WILL HAVE TO DETAIN YOU!"

Oh what the F*&^ !!

I wasn't ready for none of that!

It was just few hours before SK was telling me about some of her Indian friends who had tough time with the police as well as from the Neo Nazis soon after they took the green card for Software engineers. I ridiculed her and told her that she was biased.

Several thoughts went through my mind in a splash. I was confident about handling the situation. I knew I would come out of the situation well, but was just thinking about some poor guy who might be travelling out of a developing country and that too with a dark skin and totally lost about the immigration or airport rules!?

I stood my ground.

When he told me that I could miss my plane and that I would have to wait until his boss comes back etc etc, that was the limit for me.

I told him. "Hey Mr. There is no reason for you to behave the way you are behaving. You are most welcome to detain me if you wish and I would like to see on what grounds?!" (Other than booking me for "arguing" for my rights!" I guess!).

I was the last person who was concerned about missing a flight from Munich out to London! I demanded that I see his boss even it means that I miss my flight! I think I was pretty clear when I told him that I knew my rights quite well in this part of the world.

Even while I was fuming and shivering, I asked him to talk to me with respect!

Bastard!

My voice could be heard in the whole hall. I started getting stares from all over and no one intervened except for those passengers complaining about their chances of missing flights because of my arguments!

© GP 2006