Neutral country

 “Sameer… Sharma…, 30 years old…, Nepali citizen… departure from King Fahd International Airport, Can you tell me the reason of your visit to Paris sir?” the lady official in the terminal asked me after she checked my passport and boarding pass. My chain of thoughts suddenly split. I couldn’t grasp what she asked me, and looked at her anxiously. After all that I went through, it was certain for me to lose my mental balance for a while. I was lost in thoughts. All those mishaps in my life that too in a week time had made me lethargic and my mind wasn’t working properly. And over that I was going through a qualm that, maybe all this effort would go in vain.

“Pardon me”, I said, “for I didn’t understand what you actually asked me. I am going through so much trouble in recent days that I am not able to concentrate my mind promptly.” I regretted as soon as I asserted the fact.

She looked irritated first but now she smiled and asked again the same question. “Your purpose of visit?”

“I am here to see my wife,” I replied.

“Is she the citizen of France? Do you have the address?” she asked me more questions.

“No, she is not.” I said this and then produced a brochure of a hotel. Hotel Mathi’s Elysees was written on the top of the brochure and there was the picture of hotel in it. She looked at the brochure and asked me if I had a reservation. I didn’t have a reservation and I said the same.

“Where do your wife stay in France?” She asked again.

“She doesn’t stay here. She being brought from Tel Aviv,” was my reply. She could clearly judge me in a rush and really frightened. Unfortunately that made her suspicious against me.

She looked irritated hearing me say so. She stared me for a while, looked down to my passport and then picked up the phone and called spoke something in French that I couldn’t understand at all. She asked me to step aside for a while and then called next. The man behind me approached the desk with his passport and she began the similar questions with him.

Anxiety covered my body. “oh, god not again”’ I prayed. I didn’t know what was coming next but it was sure for me to go into yet another interrogation. In these few days a lot had happened to me. My anxiety increased, heart beat was rapid and the whole week came before my eyes in flashback as I waited. The brutal phone call informing me that Siksha was unconscious and taken to the hospital. Then came the blow of her being diagnosed with the spinal injury. I was so sad and worried for that I couldn’t be with her in her pain. Tears rolled down my cheek as I realized how pain she must have felt being alone in such difficult situation in a foreign nation. I felt a shrill of gloom and cursed myself for putting her in that situation. I shouldn’t have let her come at the first place. I was earning good but my greed of being wealthy instantly and my ego against my in-laws had lead my love of my life in the situation of life and death. I suddenly realized, she must have already arrived and must be waiting for me. I grew impatient. I just wanted any procedure I was being put into to be over soon and I could do whatever or sign anywhere to meet Siksha as soon as possible.

I tried to maintain my calm and smiled at a man that approached the desk. He nodded to the lady, who signaled towards me and asked me to follow him. He didn’t speak at all while he escorted me through the passage and into a small cabin with a chair and desk. He gave me a small form and asked me to fill it. He then went outside and shut the door. I was detained, I realized. My mind went blank and I froze with fear. I felt like my body parts are paralyzed and I started to tremble. I was losing my hold. I looked at the sheet. I had to fill my personal details, nationality, purpose of visit, etc. I picked the pen to fill the form when suddenly the door opened and a man in a black coat appeared along with the man who escorted me here. He observed me carefully and then took my passport out of his pocket and started to flip the pages.

“My name is Denis Baton, I am the senior security in charge of this airport. You don’t need to fear of anything until you answer all my question honestly.” He said in a harsh voice.

I tried to console myself and behaved as calm as I could.

“What do you do in Saudi Arab?” He asked.

“I work in the Al Yamama construction company.” I told him the truth. I spoke with utmost courage because I knew only that could get me out of there.

“How much do you earn monthly?”

“Around 2500 Riyal,” I replied, surprised at his question.

“Why are you in Paris?”

“To meet my wife. She is very sick. Her medical report says that she is suffering from spinal injury.” I couldn’t control but cry. I couldn’t hold longer. I tried a lot but neither the tears stopped nor I could manage to stop sobbing. He stared at me, said nothing. He signaled the other man something and the man rushed outside. He came back with some tissue paper. Denis forwarded the tissue towards me and asked to maintain my composure. He assured me that I will be soon let to go if I was telling the truth.

“Where is she staying in Paris? We’ll confirm about the condition of your wife from the hospital and you will be freed.” He said.

“She doesn’t stay in France. She is being brought from Tel Aviv. Please let me go, I’ve this weird feeling that if I cannot get to meet her now I will not be able to meet her again.” This feeling again masked my mind with guilt and glooms and tears again flowed from my eyes and I started to sob.

Denis was irritated and could take no more. He ordered me to stop crying. “Stop this drama,” he shouted. “You cry baby. I see frauds like you every day. You think that I will believe everything you say if you cry? Don’t ever think that those fake tears can convert your lies into truth. What are your intentions? Why are you in France? Are you Muslim?” He asked fiercely.

“I am Hindu.” I felt dominated completely. I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. I was getting impatience. “I am telling nothing but the truth. Please consider me for the sake of god. I will never be able to forgive myself my whole life if I will not get to see her the last time.” I was broke, nothing was left. I was fainting. By the tone of Margaret’s voice I had known that Siksha’s condition was too critical. And this feeling of not getting to meet her, or console her that everything’s going to be all right and share her pain and give some moments of love was killing me. I wasn’t focused on the interrogation and Denis was irritated by that. Another man came in shortly and informed Denis about something in French. Denis then turned towards me and calmly asked, “You’re lucky that they didn’t find anything in your luggage. But listening to you, it doesn’t make sense. You could have visited her directly at her place, why did you come here?”

“I didn’t want to come here. But I had no options. Having a Saudi Arabia stamp in my passport I couldn’t get a travel visa to Israel unless I was a Muslim and even by some way I would get it stamped in my passport then I won’t get re-entry in Saudi Arabia all my life.” I tried to convince my knowledge to him. He looked surprised.

“And how did you get French Visa?”

“My boss helped me for it after I told him my story. Nice man he is, he guaranteed me pledging himself for the visa else I wouldn’t be here as well. I went through a lot of trauma for this visit. I beg you to let me go. Let me see her once and be assured that she is alright, then I will answer all your questions with all due respect.” I was finding hope seeing him believing what I was saying.

“Well, I don’t have a whole day to waste and didn’t find anything suspicious on you. But I warn you, if anything gets reported against you while your stay here, you will be severely punished according to French law.” He turned towards the other man who after his instructions took all my details and handed over my passport to me. “You chose France as the neutral country for your visit, and I apologize for all the trouble. We allow all in and we get in serious trouble time to time. Anyway, I wish all good for you. You are free to go.” He said turning back at me as he reached the door. Then he left.  I couldn’t believe the reality as I walked out of the airport. I had lost the hope, but maybe hope hung in.

I checked in at the hotel and seeing Siksha after so long time and so much hurdles, it was nothing comparable. I felt alive at that moment. She was in a wheelchair, I hugged her and kissed her and I wouldn’t let her go all my life. As I hold her, I realized the main purpose of life, I needed her to be happy, not Riyals or Dollars! I promised her that we will go back home after her treatment and always stay with each other. And I am keeping my promise till today.

It cost me a fortune for the treatment, maybe all we both saved during our stay there was spent there. But there is no regret. Now together we are doing very well. I mayn’t have a lot of money to spend but I have a lot of love to spare.