Just the other day I was going through the paces of taking an early morning flight. I waited in the queue for a few minutes and put my bags into the X-ray machine, and went to the frisking platform. A delightful surprise awaited me.“Please raise your arms Sir!” said that tough looking cop very politely. Finished the frisking and stamps the boarding card with a genuine “have a good day Sir”. He made eye contact, had a real smile on his face. I am delightfully surprised to see that attitude displayed from an unexpected quarter.

A little later I was in the aircraft. The tickets were checked at the stairway to the craft. The official from the airways company that claims to be among the best in the world was busy tearing the stubbs off the tickets. It was my turn and he did exactly what he did to the person in front of me : took my boarding card, teared off the stubb, said, “have a good day” without taking his eyes off the ticket! He did not even have time to look at me, let alone smile!! Routinely waits for the next ticket to come to his hands. “You don’t have to wish me if you don’t feel like it” I said. It seemed to jolt him out of his assembly line demeanor. So much for the “be polite” – Standard Operating Procedures and training. Give me the desi warmth any day, spare me the stylised routine.

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