We're going home.
The past days have gone by busily and often we have no answer to the eternal question:
So, how does it feel? Knowing that the 2 of you will be together always now?
We don't know how it feels. We haven't had a free moment to think about the consequences. We've been busy trying to go somewhere, visit someone, drive somewhere, cook something, try not to fall on your bottom and more.
Who knows how it's going to feel?
After breakfast we start packing up all the packed up stuff and I start moving it out from the guest room to the car, piece by piece. It's very cold outside.
Melanie and Carsten have decided to make it a fun out for the kids. They're going to take the Touareg to the station and catch a train to Frankfurt. The little boy loves trains and airplanes. Today will be a real treat for them.
Jenny has decided not to sell her car. Yet. The market is down and she has only just cleared the loan off. The price of the used Opel Corsa will be too low to sell. She is going to leave the car with her Dad and hopefully either use it on our next holiday, or maybe sell it off if her Dad can find a good price for it.
Everyone else is coming on their own. Thomas is to take us to the Airport in his car but due to some confusion we leave in the corsa and then transfer all (ALL?, Yes all.) the luggage to his car.
Seriously honey, they can never allow all of this as check in. it's just too much.
No, they said it's OK. I spoke to the guy yesterday.
Who is this guy.
You know Gautam na? His relative knows someone who knows someone in Air India at Frankfurt. but that guy is on holiday so he has asked another Indian guy to help us, that guy is stationed at the airport.
But why are so many people trying to help us?
Because that is the Indian way!! lol
We listen to a few songs, Frankfurt is just 30 minutes away. I'm expecting a lot of tears and have left, armed with a whole roll of toilet paper. One may think of this as frivolous stuff, but imagine travelling with a snotty teary person and no paper!
But first - check-in.
As always, Air-India outsources its checking in to Fraport. There is a line of German ladies at the counter. To our luck, we stand in front of the sternest looking one.
We hand over our passports and printouts.
I start loading the bags onto the belt. The bag area is full, my trolley is not. She looks at me, then looks at the baggage weighing belt and then at my trolley.
Jenny looks up at the sky.
She speaks to Jenny in German. Here is a rough translation.
How much luggage do you have anyways? Uhh... I'm not sure, I stopped packing at about 60 kilos but there is more.. uhh.. One moment please she says, looking angrily at us and then her computer.
Jenny looks at me.
I knew this was not going to work. This is crazy and honestly, quite embarrassing. What if we have to pay now huh?
Relax. It will all work out.
I am flying Air-India. My friend Gautam has made this work. I am Indian and this feels like home turf to me. So what if the lady in front of me have unfortunately has turned out to be a
khadoos. We will see.
Her computer has a message. Contact supervisor. She tells us, looking even more annoyed at the fact that she cannot slap us with a huge charge right away.
The supervisor is a kindly round smiley German lady.
Herr Kapasi und....
Frau Schöffel ja? Ja, I say - nodding brightly.
She turns to
khadoos.
Alles gepacken ist OK. Khadoos looks like she's been stabbed and spit upon. Shaking her head and muttering angrily she sticks all our baggage tags on. I am smiling triumphantly from ear to ear. Jenny is still embarrassed, though I cannot understand why.
At McDonalds we meet the entire family, laughing and chatting and eating. Everyone looks very busy and interested in something or the other. No long drawn emotional scenes have occurred.
There's no
apna khayal rakhna, roz ek apple khana kind of scene here.
This is a nice way of dealing with goodbyes I think. Still, it's not like India where every person who goes away for a week brings Chunnu, Pinky, Mummy, Daddy, Honey and the cook with him to the airport.
Jenny's family is big and conspicuous at the airport.
We've spent too much time at McDonalds. We have to rush for departure. Near the gate just as we're about to say goodbye, Jenny needs to find a restroom.
I speak to the family, deciding to keep it light and funny, instead of a
Don't worry she'll be fine etc. kind of speech. They know she'll be fine.
Hey guys, while she's gone to the toilet, can I have a picture of all of you waving. Just pretend I'm Jenny and you're saying goodbye! It'll save me some time. What's wrong with you guys. You look like you're all HAPPY that she's leaving. Is this how you want her to remember you? Now look a bit sad for God's sake.
The family that laughs together, always stays together,even when they're miles apart. Right after this photo, everyone cracks up laughing as jenny returns.
Oh great, I'm leaving and you guys are cracking jokes and laughing.
I quickly hug everyone and say my goodbyes. Nobody says it but everyone's eyes say the very same thing to me.
Take care of her.
I step aside and let her say her goodbyes. It is emotional and private.
As we run towards the gate, I hear Jenny's younger sister break into a loud song. By the third word all of them have joined in and the generally quiet Frankfurt Airport is alive with the sound of the Schoeffel family, singing loud and clear, we can hear them singing all the way to the X-ray machine.
All my bags are packed
Im ready to go
Im standin here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin
Its early morn
The taxis waitin
Hes blowin his horn
Already Im so lonesome
I could die
So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that youll wait for me
Hold me like youll never let me go
cause Im leavin on a jet plane
Dont know when Ill be back again
Oh babe, I hate to go....
Jenny bursts into tears as we cross the various X-ray machines. I run into a little extra trouble because of the metal content in my Timberland boots and the metal detector. While I gather my things, she gathers herself and has stopped crying.I buy a few things at the duty free. It's weird. Germans look at Jenny and I holding hands and speak to me in German and look a little surprised when I answer in English. Indians stare at me when they see me talking in German to Jenny as she holds my hand.It is great fun.While we wait for the flight, I take my customary photo.
Jenny is a mix of wanting to speak, wanting to remain silent and her phone keeps ringing too.
Soon we board the flight and are on our way. The flight is uneventful, the food is excellent as is the hospitality. Once again, Jenny and I reconfirm our decision to fly Air-India whenever possible, lol.
She sleeps a little and looks tired and sad. Still a lot better than I expected. About halfway into the flight as she nods off to sleep on my shoulder and as I hear her breathing in my left ear it finally occurs to me.
The Yeti is no longer single.
No longer am I master of my own will and desire, I have a life to share and responsibilities towards this wonderful lady. Bringing the
Braut home is just the first step.
Life itself will be the next.
The end.