‘What is your employer’s name? Will I get to meet him?’
His eyes twinkled. ‘Most assuredly. He will introduce himself when you land in India. I am certain he would like to converse with you.’ He shifted his gaze to the back of the plane for a moment and then back to me. Smiling with an encouraging expression, he added, ‘Are there any other questions?’
‘So you’re kind of like his vice president?’
The Indian gentleman laughed. ‘Suffice it to say, he is a very wealthy man who trusts me completely to handle all of his business dealings.’
‘Ah, so you’re the Mr. Smithers to his Mr. Burns.’
He quirked an eyebrow at me. ‘I’m afraid I don’t understand your reference.’
I blushed and waved a hand. ‘Never mind. They’re characters on The Simpsons. You’ve probably never seen the show.’
‘I’m afraid I haven’t. Sorry, Miss Kelsey.’
Mr. Kadam seemed slightly uncomfortable or nervous when talking about his boss, but he enjoyed talking about planes, so I encouraged him to continue. I wiggled in my seat and shifted. Kicking off my shoes, I sat cross-legged in the chair and asked, ‘What kind of cargo did you transport?’
He visibly relaxed. ‘Over the years, the company transported quite a collection of interesting cargo. For example, we won the contract to convey Aquatic World’s famous killer whale, as well as the torch from the Statue of Liberty. Most of the time, though, the cargo was quite mundane. We transported things such as canned goods, textiles, and packages, quite a variety of things, really.’
‘How on earth do you fit a whale into an airplane?’
‘One flipper at a time, Miss Kelsey. One flipper at a time.’
Mr. Kadam’s face remained serious. I laughed hard. Wiping a tear from the corner of my eye, I clarified, ‘So you ran the company?’
‘Yes, I spent a lot of time developing Flying Tiger Airlines. I very much enjoy aviation.’ He gestured to the aircraft. ‘What we’re riding in here is called an MD-11, a McDonnell Douglas. It’s a long-range craft, which is necessary when traveling across the ocean. The body is spacious and comfortable, as you might have noticed. It has two engines mounted under the wings, and a third engine is located in the back at the base of the vertical stabilizer. Of course, the interior is built for comfort and relaxation, and we employ the pilot, ground crew, as well as other staff to ensure security.’
‘Hmm, sounds . . . sturdy.’
He leaned forward a bit in his seat and spoke enthusiastically, ‘Though this plane is an older model, it still provides for a very swift journey.’ He began numbering its features on his fingers, ‘It includes a stretched fuselage, a large wingspan, a refined airfoil on the wing and tail plane, and brand new engines.
‘The flight deck features the most modern conveniences – electronic instrument panels, dual flight management, GPS, central fault display – and it also has automatic landing capability for bad-weather conditions. Of course, we also kept our original company name and logo on the side, which you identified when we boarded.’
He had become eagerly spirited during his technical ruminative. I’m sure it all meant something, but what exactly, I had no idea. The only thing I got out of it was that it was a pretty darn good plane and sounded like it had three engines.
He must have figured out that I had no clue what he was talking about because he looked at my perplexed face and chuckled. ‘Perhaps we should discuss something else, eh? What if I share some tiger myths from my homeland?’
I nodded enthusiastically, urging him to go on. I drew my legs to the side and tucked them into my chair. Then I pulled my blanket up to my chin and leaned back into my pillow.
Mr. Kadam’s intonation changed as he went into storytelling mode. His English articulation dropped off, and his brisk accent became more pronounced, the words more melodic. I enjoyed listening to the cadence of his rhythmic voice.
‘The tiger is considered the great protector of the jungle. Several Indian myths say the tiger has great powers. He will bravely combat great dragons but he will also help simple farmers. One of his many tasks is to tow rain clouds with his tail, ending drought for humble villagers.’
‘I’m very interested in mythology. Do the people of India still believe in these tiger myths?’
‘Yes, especially in the rural areas. But, you will find believers in all parts of the country, even among those who consider themselves a part of today’s modern world. Did you know that some say that a tiger’s purrs will stop nightmares?’
‘Mr. Davis said that tigers can’t purr. He told me that big cats that growl and roar can’t purr, but sometimes I swear Ren purrs.’
‘Ah, you are correct. Modern science says that a tiger cannot produce the sound identified as a purr. Several of the larger cats make a pulsating noise, but it isn’t quite the same as the purr of a housecat. Still, there are some Indian myths that speak of a tiger purring. It’s also said that a tiger’s body has unique healing properties. This is one of the reasons why they are regularly hunted and killed and their bodies mutilated or sold for parts.’
He leaned back in his chair, relaxing. ‘In Islam, it is believed that Allah will send a tiger to defend and protect those who follow him faithfully, but he will also send a tiger to punish those he considers traitors.’
‘Hmm, I think if I were Islamic I would run away from it, just to be on the safe side. I wouldn’t know if it’s coming to punish or to protect.’
He laughed. ‘Yes, very wise of you. I confess, I have adopted some-what of the same fascination that my employer has for tigers, and I have studied numerous texts regarding the mythology of Indian tigers, in particular.’
He trailed off for a moment, lost in thought, and his eyes glazed over. His index finger rubbed at a spot on his open collar, and I noticed he was wearing a small, wedge-shaped pendant on a chain that was half-tucked inside his shirt.
As his focus turned back to me, he quickly dropped his hand to his lap and continued, ‘Tigers are also a symbol of power and immortality. They are said to vanquish evil through various means. They are called life givers, sentinels, guardians, and defenders.’
I straightened my legs and angled my head back into the pillow. ‘Are there any damsel-in-distress type tiger myths?’
He considered, ‘Hmm, yes. In fact, one of my favorite stories is about a white tiger that sprouts wings and saves the princess who loves him from a cruel fate. Carrying her on his back, they relinquish their corporeal forms and become a single white streak journeying into the heavens, eventually joining the stars of the Milky Way. Together they spend eternity watching over and protecting the people of Earth.’
I yawned sleepily. ‘That’s really beautiful. I think that one’s my favorite too.’ His soft, melodic voice had relaxed me. Despite my best efforts to stay awake and listen, I was falling asleep.