The climate outside was still cold in July 2008. I had moved to Columbus, Indiana just the day before and
was still experimenting with different routes and modes to reach office. I had
a USA driving license but it had to be validated through some procedures at the
Columbus, Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles Office. This I thought would take a
few days as I had to wait for my colleague who was familiar with the process and had promised to take me in his
vehicle for the same. And so, I thought it would be best to avail of the bus service that
the city of Columbus offered. The frequency of the service was pretty low, but
still, since I planned out my time well, I could board the bus most of the time.
Buses in the two cities in the USA where I had been as part of work, offered me
a special experience quite different from what I had gone through when I had travelled
in the local transport buses here in our different cities. And one of them
arguably was that I always got a seat.
I thought the daily travelers would have gotten used to
me by this time, as a few weeks had slipped by since I had landed in Columbus and they
always greeted me with their warm smiles when I boarded the bus. Over the last
few years that I had gone by, I had noticed that my sneeze pattern had
changed. It had been two in one go for decades and over the last few years it
had become three.
The most embarrassing
moment came when my sneeze caught me unawares while on the bus. I had just
boarded the bus and was yet to swipe my card. Holding onto a supporting bar
near the door, the three sneezes shook me one after the other with beautiful timing.
And after every sneeze, I could hear the whole bunch of fifteen travelers
inside chime in with the words “God bless you” 😊. It was a first-time heavenly experience for me and for a long
time I did not make eye contact with anyone and quietly
sat near a window. I got down when my stop came and made my way forward.
Looking back at that happening today, while into a
pandemic world, I am not sure if that travelling bunch or any other person in
that country, would have showered me with their blessings whenever I gifted them with my sneeze bunch.
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