Pervade and Faint

Chapter 12

The bumpy take-off made me feel uneasy for a while. But I drifted off in the dim and serene lights of the airplane, unaware of the fact that the pilot announced a turbulent storm coming ahead (he also announced not to panic, which I guess no one paid attention to). Pandemonium broke in the plane. I, for some reason remained calm, thinking that it was the wisest decision at the moment. The plane jerked with a violent quiver and that just amplified the noise, which had been blasting in the airplane. People were really showing their most detrimental behavior.

The balderdash took place for quite a while and went smoother as the pilot applied some of his dexterous skills. There exists a special attribute in those people who have to brazen out and deal with many people. Like pilots, economists, politicians and much more. They know how to quench the thirst of an ocean with solely a glass.

After another nap, I woke up with the noise of the same people. But there wasn't a single trace of anxiety in their voice. As a matter of fact, the people seemed pretty glad and vibrant. I came to know that we reached New York. Despite the fact that I had lived in New York for seventeen years, there wasn't much of a charm in it for me. Charm is always in accordance with people. It didn't take me much time to figure that out as I found myself lonely and desolate. In the most viscous crowd of New York, I still found myself with literally no one.

After about half an hour, I was out of the airport, with my bags and thoughts with me. Trying to evaporate my thoughts, I stopped a taxi and sat in. The taxi driver helped me place my bags in the car.
"Where to young one?" he asked, as I buckled my seatbelt.
"Safety first, destination second", I said and ended my line with the click of my seatbelt, to which he smiled. Perfect timing, I thought.
"Harvard University", I said and waited for him to start the car because he seemed transfixed when I said Harvard.
"Son, are you speaking the truth?" he investigated, astonished. I nodded and took out the consent letter, which I kept in my pocket with my passport and ATM card, which dad introduced me to just a day earlier. He informed that that he would send me money every week, which I would be able to withdraw through any ATM in the vicinity. The driver seemed comfortable talking with me, oblivious that he was yet sitting with a stranger.

The symptoms of the university began to manifest. The enduring and evergreen trees compelled me to think about the long time duration of their growth and development. The maintenance of the university was just amazing. It was much better and upgraded than the college, back in Pakistan. There was a spacious parking lot, in which the taxi driver had been circling his car for a while. I didn't bother inquiring. The driver finally stopped his car, on his own. I unbuckled my seatbelt and waited for the driver to tell me my fare. Most of my money was in the ATM card. But fortunately, I had some money except of that, which had been in my card. When the silence grew stronger and seemed peculiar, I asked him what my fare was. He sighed and looked straight in my eyes, as if he was in search of something.
"Young man, I _unfortunately didn't step in a school my whole entire life. And the result is in front of you", he said and gestured towards the wheel.
"And when I see kids like you studying, I want to tell them to read, it's the only good in life. But peer influence blinds and hampers the view of most kids nowadays", he said and sighed. He stared at the steering wheel for a while, lost in his thoughts. I felt his sympathy.
"Young man, I can't take any fare from you. And that's the least I can do", he said and patted me on my shoulder. I was utterly mesmerized with his sentimental conversation. I thanked him several times and insisted him to at least receive a tip, but he clearly denied.

I got out of the cab and the air of Massachusetts hit my skin. It was pleasant. It was a clement day, which was just perfect for a picnic. My mind reallocated from everything else to my stomach. I ate nothing in the plane. I didn't know whether I was hungry or not. But merely thinking about the fact that I ate nothing in the plane strengthened my appetite. I strolled for a while until I found an office. It was much more of a separate university than an office. There were security guards, even in front of the office.