Evening in the airport

Continued from Unsuspecting travellers of...

The airport looked empty. Almost all the flights for that evening had left or was just about to leave. Even though I knew there was no way I can afford to purchase a ticket to Paris, (or any place for that matter!) I went to the Air Berlin counter. The cheapest fare they had was of 320 Euros almost as high as what the Air France or Austrian was charging as the last minute fares.

Now I had to crack how I was going to get out of this place. My only option to stay put in a place in Vienna that night was Maya. May be I could also borrow some money to purchase the flight ticket to Paris. It was the first time we met in five years or so and I wasn't comfortable at all at this idea. In any case, I decided to give her a call and let her know my status.

Once I went to the phone booth, I realised to my horror that the paper on which I had scribbled her number was in her living room and that my mobile phone was out of battery to retrieve any numbers to call my friends in Europe!! So I dialled (the only number I could remember by-heart,)Nick's number in Brighton only to hear "Hi this is Nick, Sorry I can't take your call, please leave your message, Cheers!" The meter was ticking away and I left my message as brief as I can and even gave him Maya's MSN id to drop in a message.

Just before the post office was closed, I managed to reach Nick on his mobile and I heard from the other side, "Shit". I had few more coins remaining and the miracle had to happen before I ran out of those. He had managed to leave a message on Maya's msn to which we had no idea when she would respond. She was supposed to be going out that evening and I had to be extremely lucky for her to change that plan!

My other concern was to let FP know somehow that I haven't boarded the flight and am not going to land in Paris that evening. Knowing her, I am sure she might be fuming waiting for me in the airport since evening!!

I walked around the empty airport thinking of various plans. When you don't have any money in your pocket, all your have is your guts.

With the remaining coins in my pocket (which I have to save for probably one or two last calls!),I had a chance of accessing internet in a cafe for probably 15 minutes. This was a time when most of my friends are online and I could probably take that 'suicidal risk' of spending whatever was remaining and wait for the divine intervention!

It was then the idea came!

Bangalore © GP 2007