Air pilots and gallantry

by Padma EDIRISINGHE

George Orwell is one of the writers who gives a colourful picture of the British colonies of the 18th and 19th centuries along with some of the social comedies enacted. For example the Burmese butler speaks better English than his master and the secret is his mastery of the language via the dictionary. Was the master pleased? No. He liked his servant better when he hunted for words and murdered his king or queen.

The butler did not mind using even out of context ..the new words he found... We too while we tend to forget that we owe the English language to the White man too warp its use at times.

A guide would say ,”Now you overlook that landscape“ while what he or she really means is a request to “ look over or look at.“

Gallantry in proper English usage could correspond to graceful acts by males to females, for example Sir Walter Raleigh spreading out his overcoat to his queen to walk over a mud pool during a country visit. But the word gallantry, the ex—colonial citizenry , could dare to use to cover graceful acts to humans by other humans .in the absence of any other suitable word.

Thunderstorm

I was reminded of the use or misuse of this word when on an air flight I noticed something socially amiss. Towards our destination, perhaps just past the Western coast of India, perhaps there was a violent thunderstorm outside and flash of streaks of lightning in the skies. Orders were given to close the windows and tighten seat belts. Though everybody tried to look balanced I knew that each one was praying separately to their gods. Who wants to die with their land peni peni. (just in sight)?Like the species of salmon coming home to die.

Then I heard an officer make the announcement that we are about to land in Colombo and he gave all the instructions for apt behaviour. Then he thank the Captain or Chief Pilot or whoever it is for a brilliant landing. Immediately there was a mad rush as though the world had come to an end even before the date given by the Mayan calendar. Men and women just got up as if propelled by electricity and made for their bags to be ahead in the line of exit. I thought to myself, in the absence of a fitting word, where is our gallantry? Why was not a round of clapping by the passengers as an applause to the Captain given ? It would have made him so happy.

No. But everybody was lining for exit once the bags were got . Gallantry or something akin to it forgotten completely. The Captain may be a giant of a man all cocked up in brown uniform and all but he had been growing up for years sensitive to the reciprocal appreciation of a good and clever deed done.

Personal experience

But here was a pack of wild men and women running out to the wombs of the wilds with their acquired gatherings. But even they with their banshee cries behave much better.

There was my own personal experience of an act of gallantry. Preceding the earlier in a mad mood I got intoxicated with an idea to view the glory of Europa that I had missed on earlier occasions except a visit to Netherlands.

My children thought I was mad to set off like a young lass but I thought now or never. Next year by this time I could be transformed into a Lankan mummy. The rest of the group and tour leader would have no doubt wished that I had turned into a replica of the Egyptian mummy much earlier.Anyway no one seemed to notice the knee trouble I had developed except when I was approaching the plane enroute from Rome to Colombo on the way back on August 17, if I remember correct. For some official reason or other, the Captain or Chief Pilot and his staff were there just at the entrance to the plane.“What is the matter with you?” the Captain asked me.“Knee trouble to my ill-luck. And it gets worse cramped inside the narrow seats of the plane.”

God ! I thought, was I talking to my brother ? This was a mighty prince scouring the very heavens while a millions of lights spangling below celebrated earth’s glory and man’s handiwork. He himself was responsible for 1000 s of lives.

Who did I think I was to dare a cool tete-a–tate with such a person just because I had made headway in two careers? Maybe the travel covering about ten Europa countries was heading me towards Mulleriyawa now. I noticed a discussion at the other end. And, Oh,my Lady of Miracles, I was informed that I would be favoured with business class travel for this flight. I could stretch my legs comfortably, the bad one and the other, I was told, I got all the fitting treatment from the stewardesses too.

Windfall

While enjoying the windfall I remembered the autobiography of President Premadasa , Mini Muthu (Gems and Pearls). When he was just an MP he was on a state visit to USA. And he was seated in the normal class when the Captain drew apart the curtain and dramatically that he was about to nominate one person to the business class.Everybody waited in anxiety till the choice was made and finally Ranasinghe Premadasa was chosen. He was later told on inquiry that he had been chosen because of his pristine white suit and his simple looks. The suit stood out when all others presented a fancy dress parade in different colours and styles.

White, however, is not my favourite colour for I always get some muck on it as the ink drew designs on my school uniform centuries back. As for simple looks if the face I have inherited from the Pacific Islanders can be called simple it is okay.

So, what propelled the kindness of the captain? My now bloated ego tells that he was bestowing a hurrah for human endeavour (some would say, human folly ) or at least simply bestowing kindness as the Holy Prophet of his faith has always advocated along with the Maitree of our Buddha and Love of Christ.

My legs actually got better after this, a physical and mental reaction. Relatives in Australia please copy this obituary, sorry, newspapers in countries where Arabic newspapers flourish. For this Captain is indeed an outstanding ambassador for his own culture and upbringing.