The interview.

"Do I have to prepare specially for the interview?" I asked my brother anxiously. The flight had just landed in San Francisco and we were at the airport. "No, not at all. They will just ask very simple questions", encouraged my brother & I had a sigh of relief.

We reached the airport entrance & my brother left me in the 'visitor's 'queue' & left.

This is the first time I am coming to the US of A from India & hence the anxiety.

The 'queue' started moving. I was watching the people who stood before me to gain some tips in vain.

Just before me was standing an young lad, may be a student.

The interview took longer, than for the others.

Somehow I could notice that things are not okie, because the student like guy, went on answering questions & finally opened his briefcase & was showing some more documents.

This was enough to make me panicky. What, if the same situation continues to me also? I just have my passport, no extra documents to show even :(. Supposing if I could not answer his questions will I be refused entry to US? Then who will escort me back to India?

'Yes madam', I heard a voice calling me & I came back to my senses.

I am sure, I was too distracted by the guy who stood before me & so the beginning itself was shaky for me.

The interview started.

(Here, in my anxiety, I presumed that the one who is interviewing me at the counter, is well known to my brother since my brother is living in USA for the past 30 years).

The interview started.

"So, why have you come here?

"To visit places of interest."

"Have you come alone?"

"I have come with my brother"

"Where is he?"

I got irritated because he does not seem to believe me & wanted me to show him :(.

"He is standing in the normal queue" I replied; (thinking to myself, my brother being an American citizen, no need for him to stand in the visitor's queue).

The visa interviewer was puzzled, lifted his face up & asked "Normal queue"???

Hearing this, I became nervous & thought that the visa guy may be thinking that I am hiding some thing.

So, I started giving the full background. "Sir, my brother came to India........", here, the visa guy interrupted "where is he?"

I again pointed out the queue he was standing, saying "he is there."

The visa guy got irritated & said "here, there,..... where?"

I dint realize my folly still :(.

Next, the visa guy tried to get the information by shuffling the question & asked "so, how much money do you have?

"500$!!!."

He gave a startled look. (He would have thought how 500$ would be enough for a person to visit places in USA?!)

This is enough for me to open up the whole history. I started "Sir, my brother came to India to have darshan of Lord Mukthinath!."

I gave a 'pause' here & looked at him, since I am talking about the Lord!!!. I knew, that expecting him to 'prostrate' is too much, at least he could have folded his hands since I mentioned "The Lord''!!

I could not see any 'reactions' from him & was totally disappointed.

I went on to proceed, "since this is the first time I am coming to USA, I needed a travel companion & so came with my brother."

He still didn't give up & changed his question & asked "Is there anybody here to support you?".

"Yeah"

"Who is here to support you?"

"My brother".

"your brother?".

"I was almost on the verge of tears since he goes on asking me questions & is not convinced, even after my giving him so much of details.

Controlling my emotions a little, (after all I am an educated woman & not an illiterate), I patiently replied, saying "Sir, my brother came to India from USA."

The visa guy asked "USA?!!!" I could see his face brighten up.

Now I gained little confidence; "Yeah! my brother is in USA & is an American citizen".

The visa guy exclaimed "American citizen""!!! & took a glass of water & stamped my visa finally, much to "his, as well as my relief"!!.

"why did it take so long for you? my brother inquired, "Longer than the usual?."

"I don't know; I gave all the information I could. In fact, I even told him that you came to India & had a darshan of Lord Mukthinath!!", but still he is not convinced & went on asking questions", I replied.

"Finally I have to 'remind' him that you are an 'American citizen'; then only he left me".

"'remind' him?"

"Yeah! You are here in USA for the past 30 years & have flown several times to India; so he knew you pretty much is it not"? I asked.

My brother gave me a weird look.

"See, now i understand why the interview took so long'"; "When you said that you have come with your brother, he would not have been impressed, because he would not have known where I live..."

(oru naalaikku oru latcham paer USA kku varaa, poraa, andha visa aalukku eppadi maa ennai theriyum?").

"But you are in USA for the past 30 years & ......."

"That does not mean that all the visa officials should know me".

Secondly, How can you expect a visa interviewer to know about 'Lord Mukthinaath' & how did you assume that this detail is going to help him in granting you a ' tourist visa'?".

(avaa kittallaam poi 'Mukthinaath' nu sonnaa avaalukkellaam eppadimaa theriyum?").

Finally it stuck to me that I have made a blunder :(.

All said & done, I could not avoid feeling sorry for the 'visa' guy who was patient enough to hear all the (unwanted) details but kind enough to grant me a visa:).