“So you are going to Dubai”
“Yes sir”
“What is the purpose of your visit” (now that reminded me of all the English movies I have seen . Where the immigration officer asks the bad guy “What is the purpose of your visit , Business or pleasure” and he says “Pleasure”)
But then I thought pleasure would be too much of an answer for the Indian immigration grey haired uncle ..... so I said visiting friends and family. Now I don't know why but there was this pause between friends and family. Like I was thinking , or trying to cover something up (“Lie To Me” seems to be getting to me)
“So when are you coming back”
“7th November sir”
Mr. Grey haired immigration officer somehow felt I was hiding something . So he asked with a doubting look “Visiting friends or going to look for a job”
I have no idea which expression on my face gave away my hidden wish to find another job but then he over exaggerated my wish by saying I was going to look for a job in Dubai.
So I said with a smiling face as if I am saying the most matter of fact thing “No sir nothing like that”
Next question he asks is how much do u earn . I had half the mind to tell him sir I am already married so no point in gauging me to get married to ur daughter... I swear man nice job to gauge prospective grooms ... how much do u earn , wonderful question... neways he was the boss so I gave him the answer ...
Next question “Where do u work” .... I said Hexaware... and then something unusual happened, something that very rarely happens to me ... he said ... hold your breath (Cymbals playing in the back ground)........ he said (rolling snare drum) “Yes I have heard of that company” I felt like jumping over the desk and giving him a hug and thanking him... he knew the name of my company and recognized it ... I mean how many of you knew it before I started working there :) ....
Then he hits me with another shot and snaps me out of the seventh heaven I had reached.... so are you getting a better salary in Dubai ... I am now getting pissed and still putting up a smiling face and telling him “No sir I am not going there to get a job”
“No its ok , u can tell me , its good to look for growth in life, thats what we all should do" .. Oh yes that piece of sweet enlightening words and I will just fall on my knees and tell him sorry sir but I am going there to look for a job ... if he is so good I guess they should put him at the security check and not immigration .... he would be such a great asset ..... “Are you carrying any arms or explosives today sir? You can tell me if you are , its ok we all are frustrated in life , but things can be sorted out” … goodness , he was just getting to my nerves with his “Job in Dubai” thing... man whenever I am going there for a job I will surely come to ur counter and do a full confession to you before I leave ... but then yet again I had to put up my smiling face and say “No sir I am not going there for a job”
Then he hit me with a shot that my whole group has been hitting me for ages.... he commented about the virginity of my passport ... I have been getting this for years... first it was the fact that I did not have a passport , so I got fed up and got one.. then days became months and months became years but my passport never came out of the drawer I had put it into ... it remained a virgin for over 2 years .. that became the topic of discussion later... Sajan's passport is virgin ... to a point where it got to my nerves and my gang knew that u never mention the virginity of Sajan's passport... ever..
Mr. Grey haired immigration officer had to do it one last time before taking away my passport's virginity for ever..... this was the last supper , the calm before the storm, the final nail in the coffin .... he scans through my passport “Traveling first time?” ... I gave him a “May you Burn in Hell” look and said “Yes” ..... he said “Ok , have a nice journey” and stamped my passport .... there.. thats how my passport lost its virginity .... Mr. Greyhaired Immigration Officer took it away ....
