Our first sale on flight

Written by Ajaa |

Some of the most unexpected and pleasant things happen at the most unexpected places. This time in the blue autumn sky!

After ‘Threading texts within contexts’ by our revered and so dear Maxine Berntsen, was released at Goa, Maxine and I took a flight back to Hyderabad; a bit tired, elated and refreshed at the same time. We were at adjacent seats on the flight but in different rows. Maxine was with a family with kid (who kept us engaged and amused on the journey) and the overhead closet at their seats didn’t have an oxygen mask so the family with the kid was moved to my seat and that of my co-passenger Captain Sapna Patel. While I was happy to be with Maxine for the journey, Captain Sapna too seemed delighted and smiled. She was travelling with us to Hyderabad off-duty but was in her uniform and it was just inevitable to talk to her. So Maxine began the conversation and Captain Sapna was warm enough to close the newspaper and engage with us. She has been flying for 26 years and stays with her 13 year old daughter in Hyderabad. She actually flies every day except Sunday, the one day that she gets with her daughter at her home in Hyderabad. Sapna started flying at age 20, though it wasn’t her passion at all but she says it just happened. She overcame air-sickness on job! She told us that when she started flying, Air India had just 12 women pilots. She is also a trainer at the Training Centre for Pilots in Bowenpally, Hyderabad.

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As we exchanged our background details we revealed to her about the just released book and Maxine’s work in India. To our surprise, Sapna considered meeting us as a good omen for her own life. She told us that she had been thinking for quite a while about quitting her job and writing a book and even open a school. She was happy to meet us and said ‘It’s a signal from God that I must launch my ideas now. That’s the reason that I am meeting people like you…’

Sapna later waited for us at Hyderabad airport while we collected our baggage and purchased the book from us (our first sale as we landed in Hyderabad). We exchanged numbers and bid bye to Captain Sapna to register this rendezvous in the autumn sky forever in our memory. Another beautiful memory is threaded !

1 comment

  1. Captain Sapna Patel

    Good morning , Ajaa . Capt Sapna Patel here . What an Awesome Surprise for me this morning , I got your link from my niece in UK ! What a small world . Thanks a ton , for writing about me in your blog . It shows , U were as impressed by meeting me as I was meeting Amazing Ms Maxine and an inspiring young girl like u . U both Did guide me to my calling ! I am in awe of Ms Maxine and her zest for life .. Hope to see you’ll soon .. Working towards my dreams .. Au Revoir .

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