(a belated tribute to an air hostess who covered the extra-mile with a genuine smile )
Tall, blond, big eyed, stylish and pleasant personality are usually considered as the ingredients of a golden girl. She had none of those attributes. Yet she was golden.
When we boarded the Karachi bound Fokker Plane at Panjgur airport, she greeted us at the entrance with a routine smile. A girl of medium stature and ordinary features who, in the strict sense, was not attractive. I remember a couple of gossips from nearby seats stating that PIA had compromised its standards. Another voice commented "they do so on smaller routes like ours”. The plane took off after the last passengers came on board, a couple with a baby. They were adjusted in the rear as the gentleman was a patient, crying mildly out of pain. Fokker used to take about an hour to reach Karachi.
We were approaching a destination almost in flames. Karachi was burning due to the protests of united opposition demanding resignation of Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto at all costs. The news from there were terrifying. Street were littered with burning vehicles, tyres, properties. Arson scenes were commonplace. Therefore, no body was eager to take a trip to Karachi except in dire need, particularly for health reasons. My father was seriously ill. So me and my younger brother Dr. Hameed, then a student, were accompanying him. I remember I had numerous apprehensions and weird thoughts, like wether we would reach the doctor. If suggested, whether Labs would be working. Even sometime I also considered the possibility of curfew and thought what would I do in that case. In nutshell it was a visit utterly dominated by fear and uncertainty.
Since then, a lot had happened. I had the opportunity to travel to a number of important countries, from Japan, China, US, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Central Asia etc. and availed services of various airlines. I still have a reasonable stock of experience and observations based on those travels. You can say that I had been hosted by multinational crew on a number of flag carriers on international routes. Some good tempered others not so good. I remember while travelling from Chicago to Boston, I enquired from the air hostess whether the food tray carried any pork or ham ( suvvar ), she gestured negative. But when she came to collect the tray, asked me ” if you eat pork you will die ” ? And I replied, ” no mam, it is not that simple ". "O, my God ” she exclaimed. She was blond and hence golden, at a cursory glance, and so were so many others. But none could match the golden girl of PIA, whose dedication was phenomenal.
Let us get back to the Fokker cabin. She was in a haste to serve refreshments and once she did that she withdrew to the rear where she was transformed into a very caring nurse, applying first aid to the patient. That was the time the real ‘She’ took over. As learnt latter, the gentleman was coming from a nomadic background and was critically injured as a result of a family feud. His left foot was cut off and detached which the family carried in a small basket as hand baggage, in the hope that doctors in Karachi would relink it. He was continuously bleeding too. The golden lady was engaged in consoling them, putting cushion after cushion under the chopped leg to contain flow of blood. Not knowing a single term of Balochi language she was communicating with family with remarkable fluency. The family was going out of their mountainous home place for the first time and could only speak Balochi. They were too poor to travel by air. God knows how they managed it.
It seemed that she was bent on saving a life by all means. Her lone struggle was multidimensional. But then she thought of calling others to extend a helping hand. After managing the wounds, she approached various passengers explaining the case and requesting if they could spare some money to help out the poor family wrapped in crisis beyond their affordability. She did it with some confidentiality, maybe for reasons that it was not allowed by the rules. But mind you, she was covering the sacred extra mile. She collected some amount and after adding from her pocket gave it to them. By now we were approaching Karachi and she was putting things in place calm and dignified.
Then she came to me. ” What for are you going to Karachi ? I explained the position, that I was taking my ailing father to his doctor. Then another question, ” Who is with you ? My younger brother, sitting over there, I indicated. ” Please, do me a favour, you leave your brother to look after your father and go with this patient who is critical and knows nothing about Karachi, even cannot speak or understand any language other than Balochi. He needs to be taken to a hospital immediately. Please help him ". My ailing father allowed me to go and once we were on the ground we took two different directions.
I accompanied her to the Ambulance Office of Karachi airport. A gentleman occupying the service desk heard us and flatly refused to provide any ambulance at all. ” you do not realise the situation on roads leading to city. Those are the worst … they are out there burning vehicles…. I cannot take this risk ".
She got furious … ” Look, you must realise that your ambulances are meant to save lives………..good. Here is a most deserving case ….. he will die in next half an hour, if not taken to a hospital …… tell me your ambulance is more precious than his life……. then what for are you sitting here …… seeing people die at your doorsteps”.
” Who will be responsible if they burn the Ambulance ” ? The gentleman turned bitter. Pointing towards me ” he will be responsible if it was set on fire ". Then addressing me, "Bhai, get burnt inside, if Ambulance burns, don’t leave it, it is more precious than you and me”. She had tears in her eyes. And perhaps that is why she prevailed. The gentleman half heartedly allowed us the Ambulance after charging a certain fee amount. She victoriously came out and hurriedly helped the family settle in it. I remember well, she waved us while the Ambulance took the turn and left for the city.
Then PIA proudly ruled the skies for a number of merits, including the human touch. Years have passed, I still recall her. I still salute her and think, coming to saving lives, how the zeal of a single individual can make a big difference. I witnessed the Golden Girl of PIA walking the extra mile in the service of humanity with dignity and profound confidence.