Do not call me Aunty!!

Training Centres of  the Indian Air Force are a  'unique University'. They change the overall personality of a trainee . A complete makeover takes place during those two years period.  Training centres change a civilian in to  an Air Warrior, a teenager in to a man and a raw school boy in to a skilled tradesman. 

A few words  like 'bloody, get lost, double -up,  fall-in, weak trainee and sentences like  "Do not walk like a pregnant lady" , Do not teach your father how to ---" are added  to the vocabulary of a trainee and a few words like 'Bhaiya, Uncle , Aunty etc are deleted from the dictionary . Now come to the story.

 

Trainees from Tambaram used to visit Tirupati Balaji Shrine. We also made the plan and it was duly approved by the authority. We were provided  with a service transport and a JWO Sahab  and a Sgt Sahab (along with his wife) were accompanying us. 

As book- outs from Training Centre are limited and time bound so we were very happy and excited about our pilgrimage. We all including our instructors were in civies  so it  felt  as if we were going for an outing with our guardians. JWO Sahab was sitting on the front seat and Sgt Sahab with his wife was sitting with us.  We were hesitant to talk to Sgt Sahab because even civies  and civil environment could not bridge the gap of an instructor and a trainee  but his wife got mixed up with us freely. She made us comfortable and offered some home made sweets. Very soon we got homely with her and  one of my close friend Akhil (Name Changed) asked her, 

" आंटी जी, आपकी दी हुई मिठाई खाकर घर की याद आ गई।" 

She did not respond to it and kept looking outside window as if she has not heard anything. After some time Akhil had a query ,

 " आंटी जी, आंटी जी अभी कितना टाइम  और लगेगा तिरुपति पहुँचने में??" 

This time she turned her face towards Akhil and asked angrily,

"Whom are you calling Aunty time and again?" 

 "आआआ आंटी जी, आपको ही बोल रहा हूँ और किसको बोलूंगा । " Akhil said innocently. 

I do not know whether  it was the child like innocence of my friend or something else but she calmed down,  took a deep breathe and told us a lesson to be remembered throughout Air Force life. 

"There are no Aunties in the Indian  Air Force . All the ladies  are either 'Bhabhi' or 'Madam' but  no Aunties at all irrespective of their age."

A lesson learnt at a very early stage of Air Force Career!!!!