The Crowd Commentary

In the US consulate for Visa interview; some sights:

A lady in her late thirties dressed in a green sari. She had a gold chain around her neck comprised of two thick strands which reached till her tummy. May be she wanted to impress the Visa officer with her show of plenty. May be that would keep him/her from enquiring about the financial affordability of her visit to US!

The young wife who sat next to me, who will be flying Etihad with her hubby to Chicago. Thanks for making that small talk to me which soothed the small wannabe butterflies in my stomach. Also, it made me feel better and confident when I saw the response in your face when I told "Harvard".

The old grandma Vasantha Bhoopathy, whose name I know because I filled up your passport delivery form. Hope you got your passport. Mine is nowhere in sight.

The young girl who came out dressed in the chic office attire of beige trousers, black top and a bright red necklace. I'm sure the VO was distracted by the red of your necklace.

The men, boys and guys. Who notices them who are dressed in drab trousers and shirts?! One however did not escape notice -it would have been difficult not to notice - when he was dressed in a blazer and tie in the sweltering Chennai heat.

All those young guys and girls who came out smiling and were received by their moms and dads with warm embraces and proud faces.

Those hapless fellows who were swamped by auto drivers the moment they stepped out of the consulate with the bewildered look on their faces like prisoners who came out of solitary confinement.

A confluence of dreams, dejection, aspirations, prayers.