Its not everyday that you meet someone, strike a firm conversation and wished it haven’t had to end that soon. That was this morning for me. When I was being dropped to an auto shop back from returning the rental car, I was tensed to miss my weekly official meeting. The guy who dropped me introduced himself as Mark, a republican American. On the first look, I prejudiced him to be an introvert, extra pounder with thick glasses, about 55 years of age. Things started rolling by when he started to ask me about Indian restraints, about garlic nans, chicken biriyanis, worse sambar(which is called as lentil rice here). I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He said he had been a aircraft wing consultant, worked with boeing, Singapore airlines, Air Nippon, and a bunch of others.
It was his job that bought him to India, made him stay 6 months in Chennai and 2 years in Pune during which he developed a love for Indian cuisine. I was just laughing when he was advising me about the combination of spices that were the best. I asked about Santhome church in Chennai, some army place in Pune. I was telling him about the extent of damage that the tsumami caused in south India, esp Nagapatnam and Nellai districts. He was fluent with anything Indian. Man, he started to explain about the aircrafts, Boeing’s plans, and how Airbus is trying to cop up with loss of customer base and many others that provoked good interest in me in the field of consumer and corporate airliners.
My destination arrived, and when I got down he got my number, gave his card, and said he’d call me next time he is hosting an Indian food party to his friends(hosting Indian dinner party?? Man, I give up to him!!)
