Memoir: My First Dance after my Passing out Parade

The  Air Force is a fine place and one of the services that has an aura and glamour of its own. Despite a PG in Nuclear Physics I joined the Air Force and trained hard to pass the course and become a Pilot Officer. That was the first rank in the hierarchy at that time( Now this rank is abolished). The culmination of a rigorous period of training was a dinner  dance after the passing out parade. I remember the passing out parade as nostalgic moment in my life as we passed out from cadetship to become officers to the band playing "Auld Lang Syne", a latin tune. For long the forces retained the Anglo marching tunes like " Colonel Bogey" and it was only much later that a few Indian tunes were incorporated, but the western tunes still hold sway. 

The passing out parade( I shall write about it later) is followed up with a dinner dance for the cadets ( now officers), their relations and and guests. Also invited are some girl guests who we had come to know during the times we were allowed to book out in mufti. The final training and dance was at Coimbatore.

I recollect that the first dance I attended was as a cadet. We  were all very apprehensive as none of us had ever been at a formal dance.  We confessed our fears to our Flight Commander a chap named Aminuddin Ahmed. He had a big laugh and told us not to worry  as you have the Air Force crest on your pocket and that itself is an invitation.We were not allowed to book out of camp without our blue blazer with the Air Force crest on its pocket and the cadet tie as well.

The flight commander was right as at the dance we had no problems looking for partners and most girls preferred to know us. I became close to an Anglo-Indian girl and it was a start of a wonderful time. I invited her for the passing out parade ( POP) as well as the dinner dance. I can say my mother was aghast and didn't like it one bit, but she came and we danced the fox trot to soulful music of Louis Armstrong. It was also the first time I tasted whiskey. This dance remains a memorable time to remember .

After the dance I dropped her home on a borrowed bike ( my flight commanders) and we promised to meet each other for ever. But before that we  drove miles and miles towards Siruvani the dense jungles around Coimbatore. I dropped her home in the early hours of the morning. But our affair, if I can call it that did not flower as she later migrated to Australia.  I have an old photo of the dance with me in Mess dress along with  Mrs Victor Srihari,  who was the wife of Commander in Chief at that time.  Well times and events take place and I do believe in what the Lord Krishna says " Not a leaf moves without my will"

Taking My Girlfriend in a Air Force Chopper

Here is something light for my readers . It’s a true incident from the past. As a young Flying Officer I was posted to Kerala in South India. After going there I realized that girls from Kerala and Tamil Nadu have a fixation for Punjabi North Indians. I cannot say why, but it’s very much there. I became friends with a young MBA student and I was keen to show her my prowess. I promised to fly her in the Air Force helicopter. Taking my Girl up

I got my chance soon enough and I was given a solo exercise one fine day. In the meantime I had asked my girl to drive down to a desolate field which I had identified earlier. After getting airborne in my Allouette I hovered and soon saw my girl. She recognized it was me and I slowly landed in the field. She rushed in and climbed in and without switching off I took off again. This was a thrill, here was my girl sitting next to me and I was flying her in an Air Force chopper. She was excited and kissed me repeatedly. Those kisses in flight have remained the most memorable ones for me.

The Return I was in touch with ATC all along and soon the flight commander asked me to return. I told her I would drop her and once again came down and my girl hopped off. There were 2 or 3 people standing among the bushes at some distance and I thought I was safe. Alas! I do not know how, but my CO and Flight Commander got whiff of my amorous escapade and I got a reprimand for it. “Heavens “said my flight Commander” man, don’t do it again”. I didn't, but that memory of our fight to bliss remains.

My Philipinne Girl Friend in Abu Dhabi

I am now in Abu Dhabi where many girls from the Philippines work. I have had many girl friends till I picked up Marie through an introduction. She works in an office as a computer operator, unlike most other girls from the Philippines who work as waitresses and attendants in beauty clinics not forgetting sales girls. So Marie is a cut above other girls from the Philippines. Marie is not very tall, but she is slim and looks fetching in a skirt with sculptured legs. She also is fair and has a lovely smile. She is Catholic and I am a Sikh, but happily this was not an obstacle. I got introduced and invited her for a drive in my Ford Mustang. She accepted and that was the beginning. She is very accommodating and has also visited the Sikh Gurudwara. She is great company and once you hold her hand in public all eyes are riveted as she is a lovely girl. How long will this last ? time alone will tell , but she is the best girl friend one can think off.