The day when Rajiv flew

It has been a few years since Rajiv started working on an Oil Platform in the middle of the Arabian Sea. In order to reach this place Rajiv has to board a helicopter.

Rajiv and I were really excited for our first helicopter ride. However this excitement was short lived and turned into horror for us when we were getting trained to safely evacuate the helicopter in case of any emergency. It felt like getting trained for the job of Bruce Willis's stuntman in one of the scenes of a Die Hard film. First we were strapped to a seat in a helicopter, then it was submerged in a swimming pool, then it was inverted while we hold our breath, now we are not to open the door but kick or punch out the window glass and come out of the helicopter safely. And during this whole evacuation I also have to remain calm and sometime wait in queue for I might not get the window seat. And just so we don't forget this, we were made to repeat it 7 times. But before the training even starts I had already crapped out all the excitement in my pants when the trainer started showing the videos of the helicopter accidents in both land and water.
 

So now when I boarded the helicopter, it is not with the childish exuberance but with the fear of an uncertain accident. I try to take the window seat as I don't want to wait in queue even in possibly my last few moments. After the nervous helicopter ride, it lands in the middle of ocean on a huge man made structure with thin legs and a bloated top.

Steel Grating

As we walk towards the office for the joining formalities, I notice that the walkway is see through mesh of steel grating. Rajiv could easily see the ocean below. And then when Rajiv walked on this see through grating persistence of vision removed all the gratings and only the ocean remained in the eyesight. It is then that Rajiv had the feeling of walking on air. It has been a childhood fantasy of Rajiv to fly. He regularly keeps on seeing dreams about flying, and this day an illusion fulfilled his dream. This was the day when Rajiv flew over the Arabian Sea.