¡°Captain, I¡¯m confused,¡± the Co-pilot said.
¡°Confused? About what? The aircraft, the airport or some systems?¡± the Captain asked.
¡°About my career.¡±
¡°Why?¡±?
¡°I want to change my job.¡±
¡°You want to stop flying?¡±
¡°No. I love flying, but it is getting difficult¡¡±
¡°What happened?¡±
¡°Sir, you know we hardly got any salaries during the pandemic. But after that also, things have changed little. After paying the EMI for the huge education loan, there¡¯s almost nothing left in hand. And now, seeing my continued poverty, my girlfriend is threatening to divorce me.¡±
¡°Girlfriend divorcing?¡± the Captain shouted in surprise.
¡°I mean¡ she thought I had a great, glamorous job, and we had planned to marry, but now she¡¯s having second thoughts.¡±
¡°Oh. But why is poverty continuing?¡±
¡°I was under training during the pandemic and got a pittance as a stipend. Had to borrow from my parents just to survive. At that time, my father paid the EMIs. Now I¡¯m repaying him plus the bank. When the money comes, it gets over in a day after I pay off everyone. I am confused about whether to stay here or go to another airline.¡±??
¡°Tried any other?¡±
¡°Yes, but airline A will not give me my hometown as a base, and I cannot afford extra expenses on rent. Joining airline B involves a change of aircraft, so additional cost of training.¡±
¡°How about airline C?¡± The Captain asked, ¡°I read somewhere, they¡¯re offering a good salary to expats.¡±
¡°But a friend, who has been a captain for many years, went to them, and they said, ¡®Join as a Co-pilot now and we¡¯ll make you a captain in 10-12 years.¡¯¡±
¡°10-12 years?¡±
¡°Yes! Is he Pitamah Bhishma to live for 120 years and work till he dies?¡±
¡°What about the airlines in the Gulf?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have enough hours to meet their requirements.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry, things will improve soon. Someone recently predicted an aviation boom in India. Then there will be lots of jobs and choices.¡±
¡°Sir, someone also said there are 3000 jobless pilots in India. Shucks! I¡¯m confused.¡±
¡°I¡¯m confused too,¡± the Captain said.
¡°You too are confused, sir?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°But sir¡ª¡±
¡°I have another problem.¡± The Captain interrupted him.
Looking up at the sky, the Captain said, ¡°I have no time. I¡¯m 61 and have 4 more years to work. But I don¡¯t know. Two friends passed away suddenly, and a third is going in and out of hospitals. I have some money, but my time is fast running out. I don¡¯t know how long I can burn the candle at both ends¡¡±
The Captain sighed. ¡°Long innings in aviation are taking a toll on my health. I want to work, but I need to rest. Wish I could work 9-to-5, only 5 days a week. But that¡¯s not possible in our job. I¡¯m tired, fatigued, exhausted, and I don¡¯t know what. I feel like a kohlu ka bail (bull at a village oil-press) going round and round. It has gati (speed) but no pragati (progress)¡¡±
The Co-pilot was speechless, and the Captain continued, ¡°I came across a poem online.¡±?
He pulled out his mobile and read aloud,
There was a very cautious man
Who never laughed or played
He never risked, he never tried,
He never sang or prayed.
And when he one day passed away,
His insurance was denied,
For since he never really lived,
They claimed he never really died.
The Captain sighed again as the co-pilot shook his hand.?
The Captain patted the Co-pilot on his back, and, for the first time ever, the Co-pilot patted the Captain on his back.
The writer is a former fighter pilot of the IAF and is now a commercial airline pilot. He is the author of three novels and many blog posts, available at?www.avinashchikte.com