Had to go this wedding on Friday and was not sure about the dress protocol. Late in the evening went to the local department store to get myself a sports jacket. In the process of trying out a few and settling down on a reasonably priced one, left my nice leather jacket behind.

Only the next day did I realize that it is missing. Called up the store to find that, they could not locate it anywhere. So, decided to go to the store. A friendly sales associated approached. I told him the story. He recalled seeing the jacket on a couch the previous day and said he will check the backrooms for it.

I anxiously waited. Soon he came back with "could not find it" look on his face and told me to leave my telephone numbers and said they would get in touch if required after checking the video archives.

I dont know what prompted him but he proceeded to ask what kind of jacket was I wearing and then told me to follow him again to the backrooms. He emerged holding my jacket with him, quizzed me on the brand name and then handed over it to me. Within a few seconds, a tailor came out and said, this belongs to Hector(the janitor) who had given him this jacket half an hour back to fix a broken button(mine had a broken button too).

The perplexed sales guy went in search of Hector. I was convinced it was mine, as it fitted as it should, it was the same make, had the same defects and the broken button.

In the meanwhile everyone was convinced that it was mine and Hector had timed it a bit late.

Had I been a bit late, Hector would be showing off his prized possession to his friends.

Today is a day of significance for me. I became an American Citizen. Saying the oath of allegiance, especially "I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign ... state or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen.." bought up some mixed feelings/emotions. I felt I was abandoning India.

With this oath and the pledge, I became an American.

As I was walking out of the building, I watched many Vietnamese and Latino rejoice their newly earned status. For me it was the final step in the H1-Green Card-Citizen chase.

For people fleeing persecution or migrating to make a better life, the citizenship is a reward, a statement of achievement. For me, I was not fleeing anything, nor was I chasing money. I just came to this country like many others known to me, for the glamour potrayed by Hollywood, the lure of Hi-Tech etc... and stayed on, not for the glamour but for the orderliness, the clean air, the spaciousness, the ease of living, being able to take so many things for granted, the multiculture and then for the kids.