When my cousin’s suitcase didn’t suit me

Name any homemade delicacy or even fruits, particularly mangoes, and they are rarely forgotten by most NRIs while packing their suitcases on the return to their adopted countries, post a nostalgic holiday.

Sometimes it is these treats that take half the allowed weight and this ardent transportation continues despite stringent restrictions from several countries. Maybe for the same reason, when I was recently in New York at a Punjabi fair – a team of immigration and customs officials with their dogs from John F Kennedy International Airport had come to unfold several do’s and don’ts on bringing food items from India or elsewhere. They did a role play too where they placed bags on the stage – some with food and some without and the dogs escorted by the officials sniffed them and instantly caught the ones with food. An official was announcing along: “The saddest part is many do not declare in the custom forms the food items they have brought along and sometimes also bring what’s not allowed and when our dogs inspect, we slap fines.”

This reminds me, and it had to – a suitcase of my cousin, I carried from India during the same visit as I was allowed two of 23kg each. All because she had come to India after 10 long years and couldn’t take her newly stitched suits in the weight allowed. Since she was my host in New York, I didn’t mind.

When I got the suitcase from her parents a day before my flight, I was elated that they had respected the weight limit but during my layover in Hong Kong when I called them up, I learnt to my dismay that there were two jars of ghee (clarified butter) – one for my cousin and the other for her friend. Worried, I asked them why they had packed the liquid stuff in the suitcase! Thankfully, I disclosed about them in my US customs form.

I knew I would be told to discard the jars on landing but what worried me more was if they leaked! Clearing the immigration, I was now at customs where I was told to throw the jars in the bin before exit. However, as I opened the suitcase, one of the jars was in a punctured state and everything inside was fully bathed in clarified butter. I was also bathed but in distress, thinking about my cousin’s exorbitant suits! I had to walk out with the mess and sadly disclosed the episode to her during the pick-up itself.

Interestingly, she was with me at the same fair a few days later and during the same role play, I can still recall her laughter sprinkled with many regrets as we exchanged glances. I’m sure she will ensure not making such a mistake again. But, it was not only her mistake or that of her parents but mine too as I had not even checked the contents of the suitcase I was going to carry. So, how could it have suited me?

I HAD TO WALK OUT WITH THE MESS AND SADLY DISCLOSED THE EPISODE TO HER DURING THE PICK-UP ITSELF