It’s October 29, 2003, 5:45 pm.
Taxies in New York are plenteous. But when you need one, you can never find it. It’s Murphy’s Law in action!
My family and I were in New York recently as part of my award for penning the winning essay for a contest conducted by NetAid, an international organization for reducing hunger and poverty.
Here ’s a description of my complete prize:

• Two round-trip air tickets to New York City
• Hotel accommodations for two nights in New York City
• The opportunity to attend the United Nations Seventh Annual Poverty Eradication Awards Ceremony and meet the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, among other dignitaries
• A meeting with NetAid staffers and lunch with NetAid

Despite our unfounded qualms about taxies, my husband Anjan and I arrived at the United Nations complex on time. We entered the Visitors’ Lobby, where we were required to go through a security check.
“Oh, not this again!” I thought, rolling my eyes.
I set my fancy purse on the carrousel and walked toward the security archway. Alongside, I observed the screener scrutinizing the contents of my purse through the X-ray machine.
Oh God! No! Lipstick, compact, hairbrush—all the important stuff.
I felt an innate urge to run.
Embarrassment shrouded my face, which was already displaying Fall colors from the heavy makeup. I lowered my head as I passed under the electronic screen, silently praying that no one would discover my shameful face.
Meanwhile, the screener barked at Anjan, “Shoes, please.”
Anjan retorted, “But there’s no metal in them!”
I could see the relief on the screener’s face. It was late in the day; he probably needed to go home.
Anjan set his camera bag on the carrousel and started walking toward the electronic screen. It was evident as we moseyed through the screen, one by one, that neither of us had any artillery under our trendy attire.
Soon our NetAid escort ushered us through the Visitors’ Lobby of the UN General Assembly Building and down the entry hallway to the Delegates’ Dining Room.
Vivid exhibits on UN themes were on display in the Visitors' Lobby and colossal portraits of every UN General Secretary since 1945 hung in graceful tranquility along the hallway.
I smiled when I saw Kofi Annan’s portrait.
“I’ll see you in a bit,” I winked.
We waited in line to take the elevator to the Delegates’ Dining Room. The anticipation of the evening was building. I felt like the whole thing was a giant video clip, playing in slow motion. I took a deep breath.
“I’m going to savor every whiff, sight, and hum tonight,” I promised myself.
The elevator ride further fueled my volatility.
We entered the reception area. Distinguished men and women from various walks of life and from various quarters of the globe crammed the place.
Present in the crowd were leaders of all levels—from corporate tycoons to Heads of State to local community activists—and ordinary citizens such as myself.
Their backgrounds and interests ranged from extreme poverty alleviation to hunger eradication, from providing universal primary education to striving for environmental sustainability, from AIDS activism to lifeline counseling services—the entire gamut of humanity.
“Wow!”
My eyes widened as my head gyrated from side to side. It was mesmerizing. My giddiness crested. I felt faint. I grabbed Anjan’s arm and took a deep breath.
The gathered guests looked fabulous in their well-tailored suits. I looked down to inspect my outfit.
“Am I dressed okay?” I wondered.
We were first introduced to NetAid President, David Morrison, and his lovely wife Marcella. “Congratulations!” said David. “We’re very proud of you.”
“Thank you,” I said, and added, “I read your inspiring message every month in the newsletter.”
“Oh,” he shrugged his shoulders. “You’re the one doing the real work.”
Next, we walked over to the front desk to register our names. Then I checked in my coat and proceeded with Anjan to the Delegates’ Dining Room.
The view, which overlooks the East Hudson River, was spectacular. The twinkling city lights, the pervasive excitement, and the glorious guests complemented the breathtaking panorama.
I had a huge smile plastered on my face as Anjan and I waddled through the room to our table.
I looked for Kofi, but couldn’t spot him. I did, however, spot Iman—supermodel, Founder/President of Iman Cosmetics, and Mistress of Ceremonies for the evening.
The evening began with an elegant banquet-style dinner. The Pinot Grigio was being poured as we located our designated table. After exchanging a terse hello with the guests seated at our table, we sat down.
A plate of salad greens and smoked salmon stared at me, begging to be eaten. I’m vegetarian. Desperately, I scanned the room for a server. One of them happened to walk by. I requested vegetarian plates for Anjan and myself. With poise, they obliged.
“Hmnnn… that was easy.” I marveled.
A fresh plate of greens arrived. I looked around, unsure of whether to start eating. Guests were still seating themselves. There was a lot of chatter and gala in the room. Servers and people were meandering. I noticed some folks nibbling at their salads. So I plunged my fork into the salad mix and extracted a biteful.
Among the many guests sitting at our table was the Laos Ambassador to the UN.
“Me? Dining with a UN Ambassador?”
That took a few moments to register.
“What were the chances of that happening?” I wondered.
I was anxious to talk to him about his experiences as an ambassador. After all, I didn’t travel to New York to just eat salad.
But I had no idea what to say to him.
“Perhaps I should break the ice with how was your day today?”
“Ahmnn…,” I cleared my throat.
“Or perhaps I should ask him what life’s like in Laos. Not! That would be too intense and probably irrelevant to the evening’s function. O, I know. I’ll ask him about his family. Like it or not, everybody has one.”
“By the way, is Kofi here yet?” I thought.
As I was mulling over the possibilities, the Ambassador started a conversation with us about the raging Southern California fires! Phew! This was so much more comfortable. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Between sips and bites, we talked about the fires in great detail—like we had first hand knowledge of it. We also managed to get a sneak peek into the lives of the other guests at the table.
The main course arrived. I was astounded by its trifling size.
What did I expect? An all-you-can-eat buffet?
Whatever it was, dinner was delicious. Within minutes, I had devoured it and guzzled down the Merlot and water.
As the servers began clearing the table, Iman appeared on the podium and addressed the gathered crowd. I never got a second chance to bother the Ambassador.
I was in instant awe of Iman. She was everything I always fantasize being—tall, gorgeous, composed, eloquent, even funny.
Iman first introduced Mark Malloch Brown, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and stepped aside.
I scanned the room for Kofi.
“Shouldn’t he have been here by now?” I thought.
I was feeling a little restless.
Mark Malloch Brown spoke briefly about the UNDP and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) before handing the stage back to Iman, who referred to the five outstanding citizens being honored that evening for their tireless work in curbing poverty, hunger, and disease in their respective countries.
Iman then welcomed Eveline Herfkens, the Secretary General’s Executive Coordinator, who spoke at length about the MDG campaign.
Next, Iman invited Angelique Kidjo—a singer, three-time Grammy award nominee, and UNICEF Ambassador—to perform in honor of the special guests.
Angelique’s performance was magnificent. Her rendition of African songs captivated the audience. At one point, she even invited us all to join in the chorus. It was an enchanting tribute to the evening’s honorees.
Anjan pulled out his camcorder and taped Angelique’s performance in all its glory. Seemed like we were the only ones in there with a camera—other than the official camera person, that is.
Next, the lights dimmed and several TV monitors around the room began playing a video.
The video about the five amazing award winners from across the globe had a profound impact on me. My eyes welled up and my heartbeat slowed as I watched their lives unravel on the TV screen.
The sheer dedication, self-sacrifice, and conviction of each of those remarkable individuals blew me away. The steps the five honorees had taken to bring about peace and equality in their parts of the world, coupled with their zeal and vigor for life were awe-inspiring.
I felt a renewed sense of energy, akin to the cartoon character Popeye when he eats spinach.
“I will continue to give the world my share, no matter how trivial it may seem,” I resolved.
As the lights came back on, the servers brought dessert and coffee.
Then came the actual awards ceremony part, where each of the award winners were called up to the podium, handed a certificate (I presume), and asked to address the audience.
Mark Malloch Brown and a lady Iman introduced as Mrs. Annan congratulated the award winners.
“Bummer! Kofi didn’t make it to tonight’s function,” I remarked to Anjan, digging my spoon into the delicious custard tart.
I was not too thrilled about it. I had been looking forward to meeting the UN General Secretary for several weeks now. This is not how I had pictured this evening. It was disappointing.
But the unpleasant feeling lasted only a fleeting minute.
Apparently, Kofi Annan was unable to attend because of a scheduling conflict. He had, however, met with the award winners and hosted a luncheon in their honor earlier that day.
Following the awards ceremony, John Demsey, President of MAC Cosmetics and Chairman of MAC Aids Fund, gave a short goodwill speech.
Djibril Diallo, Director of UNDP Communications Office, provided a heartwarming talk on global peace, unity, and human dignity.
As the evening concluded, we rose from our chairs and politely shook hands with the guests at the table. I wanted to meet Mrs. Annan, but learnt that she had already left the building.
David introduced me to Mark Malloch Brown. We took some still pictures with the both of them. Mark Malloch Brown encouraged me to “keep doing what you do to make the world a better place.”
We also took pictures with some NetAid folks.
As we started walking to the reception area, I ran into Angelique. I thanked her for her heavenly performance and took a picture with her. I was planning to talk to Iman, but she scurried off.
On our way out, we picked up our goody bags—courtesy of Iman and MAC Cosmetics!
In closing, this has been a euphoric and memorable experience for me. Winning the NetAid essay contest, traveling to New York, and being part of the eclectic body of the UN—or APEX body, as my father calls it—for one evening was an incredible and unique honor. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven for three hours.
I will cherish this impressive experience for the rest of my life.

Raji Lukkoor is an award winning freelancer and fulltime mom who resides in Saratoga, CA. You can reach her at rajilukkoor@yahoo.com.