35. Second Visit to America.
Neyaz once again started insisting for my visiting America, He informed that Sibbi (Nayyara’s daughter) was going to India and I could go with her on her return. Shahnaz was in Delhi those days. Visa was granted without any problem by Ejaz who had come from Patna to see me off. In Patna, Ejaz youngest brother in law was getting married . His proposal had been initiated by me with Zareen daughter of Zaki Bhai of Muzaffarpur. Due to my program, poor Ejaz could not attend the wedding. Amaan, Aamir and Ejaz all of them went up to the airport. Thereafter, I was on my own. There was no trace of Sibbi. I completed all the formalities myself. When the departure time approached they announced the flight has been delayed and now will leave at 4 AM. I signalled to all the children waiting outside to go back but they wouldn’t budge. While waiting there suddenly Dr.Mrs.D Singh appeared who was also going to America to her daughter Pinky who was there. In the last hour I finally saw Sibbi arriving at the airport. From her hotel room she was in touch with the airline enquiry.The plane had to go through Canada this time. Eventually we landed in America. There were a number of counters for the immigrants. As Sibbi was an American Citizen she just had to show her passport and coolly exited and left. My understanding of the English was limited and the counter clerk asked me for some papers which I couldn’t understand. When the process for every other passenger was over he took me with him to the exit gate and with the help of Neyaz completed the paper formalities. Nikhat Qamar and Shama had all come there. And then left for Nikhat’s place.
This time Neyaz had shifted to a distant city after disposing his previous house. I stayed with Nikhat for a couple of days initially an gave away their presents. Neyaz was now living in a rented flat in a huge multi-storied building. The flat had three bedrooms, On the ground floor there was a large hall where the community washing machine was kept. That was fully automatic but required one dollar to be inserted before you can start. A number of Muslim families were there in the vicinity. Also there was a mosque in the neighbouhood. Asif was also staying close by. Overall I liked the place as it was quite lively there. Shama was now working in a mall and used to go there for a few hours. She had a huge van of her own which she used to drive for going to the job.
“why such a large van for such a petite person”. I asked Neyaz.
“ she wanted a tall vehicle to see the ground well, and also it is safer”.
The kids used to go to school very early in the morning. Danish used to
leave when it was still dark, to catch his school bus. When I got up for my
morning prayers, I noticed him taking his bath. He preferred to have just the
ice-cream or a glass of milk before leaving. Lubna used to leave after that.
She prepared her own tiffin in her own funny way. Half carrot sliced, half
cucumber and sliced apple and sometimes sandwiches. Next was Neyaz to get up
and he will make tea and at times will have corn flakes. I also used to join
him. As Shama used to watch TV till late at night and didn’t had office to go
that early in the morning, she woke up late, took her shower in a
leisurely manner and then used to come and make tea. As I insisted on her
having at least a couple of toasts, she will have them with tea before leaving
for her job.
During this visit, one thing satisfying I observed that every Muslim
family was over concerned to make their children more inclined towards
Islam. Neyaz too used to take both his kids to the mosque
every Sunday for the congregation. Asif was in a major way
instrumental for this trend there though he himself was quite distressed with
his heart problem and severe osteoporosis that was extremely painful. Others
who followed Islam religiously were, Amber the younger brother of Monawwar, and
Arif and Tarique, the two brothers from Pakistan.
One day, I went to meet Asif, and Shama was driving. Our car had to cross
the road diagonally but from the opposite sides vehicles kept coming without a
break. She waited for a long time but there was no respite. As the traffic
thinned for a while, Shama tried to negotiate the turn. As bad luck would have
it, right at the time a car was coming from the opposite direction at a very
high speed and banged the side of our van head on. There was a series of
collision. One small car got totally crushed . Ours was a sturdy huge van that
saved us but its body still was damaged. The police arrived immediately and
recorded their statements. One heavy built negro had to physically detach my
side of the door from the body to enable me to come out of the van. It was a
major accident but Allah was kind enough that we remained unscathed. The police
took us in their car and I thought that we will have to go to the police
station but they dropped us home. With the contribution from the insurance
company clubbed with his own contribution, Neyaz got a new car,
Neyaz had craze for cars which is a family trait. The place where he
earlier lived, there was the factory of Ford car. These cars were lined up in a
large open space after coming out of the assembly line. Whenever Neyaz passed
through that area, he would get down and inspect the various models and feel them
with his hands in admiration. This kind of fascination for cars, I had earlier
seen in Bhaiyya. Neyaz was still very young probably 12 when he would put a
pillow on the driving seat of the car and started learning how to drive. No one
ever taught him how to do it and on his own he managed. There was a huge
compound in our house in Muzaffarpur that was of the size equivalent to four
football fields. He used to have his test drive there and he wanted someone to
sit with him while driving to appreciate his newly acquired skill.
“will you like to sit with me in the car as I drive”. Once he asked me
when no one else showed much interest in his new fascination. His tone was
skeptical anticipating my fear of an impending accident.
“ Sure son” I readily replied. “ my life is not as important as you”.
Neyaz and Ejaz both have been good mechanics themselves and car repairing
has always been a hobby for them.
Coming back to my trip to America, Nikhat then came over and took me along
with her. There also I met a lot of long lost relatives and acquaintances
Nayyara once invited all of us for Aftaar party and insisted on my staying with
her for a few days. There was lots of warmth in her
interaction. Four months had passed by and I was thoroughly enjoying
my stay there , But the winter was approaching I started getting
scared as my level of tolerance for cold weather is fairly low.
Moreover, the return air ticket I had was now about to expire.
After the return reservation was booked and all preparations done, one day
Irshad called from Saudi Arabia and informed that this was not the right time
to go to Patna as there was severe communal disturbance there and even Delhi
was affected. Thus my return journey was postponed for the time being. Once
again I shifted to Neyaz’s place. This gave me an opportunity to experience the
snow fall for the first time in my life.
I was surprised to find that despite the snow fall, the temperature didn’t
go down further. It all looked very attractive and far more fascinating was
young children they all came out in boots and gloves and started playing in the
ice. I was too scared to go out but Neyaz insisted and ultimately we went for
an outing and enjoyed thoroughly.
My air ticket had now expired and Neyaz had to bear the cost of a new
ticket. Shama and Lubna also come to India along with me. Despite three
passengers, there was once again the problem of overweight due to excess
luggage ultimately and I had to leave quite a few items there, which could be
brought back only when Neyaz came over to India, the next time.
Later I came to know the Patna was really disturbed. Ejaz who had just
joined Ranch was staying alone there and had to flee from there and somehow
reached Patna. Reyaz had come back from Saudi by then. The panic was so
widespread that all the females used to go spend the night at Banwari Babu’s
house. Reyaz, however, still stayed alone in the house with Ram. His close
friend Kanhaiya used to come and give him company during the night, Mehar is
quite meek hearted so they shifted over to Delhi where her eldest brother
Monawwar was then posted. However, when I reached Patna, the
turmoil had settled down.
I had initially contemplated that I will finish off my book
after writing till this stage of my life. Now I get the feeling that it will be
highly unjustified if I do not cover the impressions of the most coveted
journey of my life. A famous couplet of Ghalib reflect my feelings:
Hazaro khahishen aisee, ke har khahish pe dam nikle
Bahut nikle mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter
INDEX.------------------------------------
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