I am asked to fly to Lucknow at short notice

A team of officers had come from Air Headquarters for a meeting with HAL Nashik. It was a long and never ending meeting that began after lunch and went on till dinner time. The dinner was in the HAL Guest House along with the visiting officers. After dinner, the team assembled in the computer room because the subject was related to computerization and the computer staff including some of the girls had been asked to stay back.
Suddenly, my boss took me aside and told me to pack up and go home. The reason? I would have to leave for Lucknow the next day to obtain the latest status on Lucknow and Korwa supplies for a meeting of the MDs of the two complexes. I would have to fly from Mumbai to Lucknow and my air tickets would be kept ready in the Mumbai Guest House.

Well – when I arrived home my wife was surprised. It was around 9.30pm and she had not expected me so early. I explained to her and then rang up Mumbai Guest House. The Manager had already got the message from my boss and confirmed that the air-ticket would be kept ready.
Relieved, I packed my briefcase and went to sleep. Next morning I left by bus for Mumbai and arrived at the Guest House by afternoon. I rested for the night and the company car dropped me at the domestic lounge of Santa Cruz airport. My flight was an Indian Airlines Mumbai-Lucknow flight via New Delhi.
At New Delhi, there was a halt. Most of the passengers alighted and a few new members boarded – they were for Lucknow. One of them was a burly woman loaded with several bags. Most of the bags contained toys!!
Anyway, when the plane landed at Lucknow, I got out of the lounge and was nabbed by cab drivers. There was a pre-paid booth from where I could get a cab but the counter was empty. The drivers standing around were enjoying my predicament.
Finally one of them came up to me and agreed to take me to HAL Guest House and gave me an official receipt also for me to claim the expenses. (to be continued …)

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