The subtle differences between Army and Air Force lifestyle has been brought out beautifully by Lt. Col. Ankita, in a tongue-in-cheek manner. An exclusive for Different Truths.
By now everybody knew that I was married via TOI matrimonial column …ladki dikhana drill ….and as the inter-service nomenclature arguments took place over a plate of kaju katli …. it was gobbled by the ladki herself, while the ladka walas gaped and waited that the ladki will leave at least the last one piece for the prospective groom, which she didn’t!
I was simply observing the blue environment assimilating as to how will I have to behave like a cool wife!
After marriage, my sky-blue hubby decided to impress me with his popularity as a Pilot Officer in his first unit when he was a bachelor officer staying in the officer’s mess single officers’ accommodation. So, we took leave, packed our best civil clothes, took a train from north to south and reached his first unit. “See unlike in your Army, life in the Air Force is cool.” He announced proudly as he took me around his first unit. I was simply observing the blue environment assimilating as to how will I have to behave like a cool wife!
While in the Army each unit in the Cantt has its own officer’s mess; in the Air Force, it is one big Officer’s mess that caters to many units in that Air Force Station.
The moment we entered the huge officer’s mess dining area to have our breakfast, the No. one waiter, Maniraam, came running with an extra-large grin to show his affection to his favourite officer i.e., my hubby.
The moment we entered the huge officer’s mess dining area to have our breakfast, the No. one waiter, Maniraam, came running with an extra-large grin to show his affection to his favourite officer i.e., my hubby. “Saheb aap shaadi banaya waaaaah” he shrieked leaving me wondering if it was a happy shriek or a sad one! My hubby patted his back royally like a king, turned his head towards me holding on to his haughty smile, and whispered in my ears, “See unlike your fauji waiters in the Army, how close our civilian waiters are with their officers because we are not khadoos with them like you guys are.”
“Memsaab, bahut khushi hua aapko dekhkar aisey …… aap aati thee naa saheb se milney idhar.” He welcomed me with full josh almost expecting an instant gift on that ferocious closeness he just proved and demonstrated with my hubby.
“Before my hubby could express regret about his closeness to the waiter, I smiled and said, “Maniraam mein woh wali nahi hoon, main toh first time is shahar mein aayi hoon aaj life mein.”
Visuals by Different Truths
Lt. Col. Ankita Srivastava with a flair for natural narration wears multiple hats. A veteran Army officer who later walked beauty pageants’ ramps. She won Tanishq 2008 and in Gladrags Mrs. India 2009 she won the ‘Most Vivacious’ award. An author, poet, a military humour writer, her books are ‘The Pink Scarecrow’ and ‘Ahsaas’. A contributing author in 15 anthologies, she authored kindle fictions. Her next novel is ‘From Olive Green to a Beauty Queen’.
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