1: La Door
I saw myself on the glass door. I am still a kid.
1: La Airport
About to fly. Flying should be light, an ease, like a feather floating in the air. Yet I feel so heavy.
It's last 9 months ago when I was coming back from The City. On my way to Le Airport in the shuttle bus I cry and cry, silently. Oh, words are light in my mind, I could cry any moment but not.
2: Check-In
A couple in front of me. Man and woman. I feel sad, I could fuck the man, even if he's not tempting. Man hug girl. The airport officer wrinkled his face. Malay - he must not approve of that.
"We check-in already."
Must be KL people(*). I can't stand people speaking English to a Malay. It makes me sad. Now I felt like I should have kissed the officer and said I'm sorry.
3: Security Scan
Security seems to be tighter today. The airport officer actually issued a "cabin luggage approval tag" for me. Is it just a new measure or is it because of Osama's death.
I took out my pencil box. I know the security personnel is going to search my bag if I didn't take it out. Last time, there was actually a blade in the pencil box. Not because I was careless, but because I'm lazy. I don't care, don't care about anything, like Lim Hong Hock said. Actually he did not.
I also took out my wallet. Aunties speaking Hokkien behind asked me whether it's required to take out the wallet, the handphone, the ticket - everything I had taken out.
She asked in English. Maybe because I look English-speaking today. I was surprised.
"Oy don't know. But I think it's a common practice Right?" I said, pulling my tongue to most possible back for the "r" when I pronounced "right".
4: Kiddy
After the security check I walked through a long aisle to the waiting lounge. Me in the glasses looked at me. Gosh, I look beautiful. The shirt I wore today concealed me into a man. When my eyes reached my legs however, I realize they are so thin and short, I am at risk of being toppled. //But when my eyes reached my skinny legs in the jeans, I'm a kid again.
6: La Cabin
I am stuck at row 20. A group of passengers can't decide on their seats and are blocking everybody behind them. I saw their green passport books. Nepalese, Bangladeshi or Burmese? I am very patient when it comes to this, but I lost my patience. I squeezed my petite body through the two of them. In the process I thought, "would I have done that if they were Malaysians or Western tourists?" Of course not.
Row 11. A man is sitting on 11C. "Ikscuse me sir, I think you should move inside." Gosh, my English sounds so nice today. He gazed at me in puzzlement. "Y(ou) see," I showed him my seat number.
I think he reads English, because he keeps staring on my paper as I write.
He gestured that I should take the window seat instead. "Alright, fine." I said lightly to myself, thinking that he might not understand English.
I was to move into the window seat; the funny thing is that he remained seated with no sign of making way for me. Seriously I'm not that thin.
Nepalese kept glancing out of the window throughout the flight. I offered to switch place with him before the plane took off. I don't think he understands me. The conversation attempt ended with my "nevermoind".
7: Landing
The plane is descending already. Before take-off, a stewardess approached the man behind me.
"Sir, you're sitting next to the emergency exit. Are you willing to assist the cabin crew to open the gate in case of emergency? Ok. To open the door first you need to pull down the handle, unlock this latch and push the door outside, can you do that sir? And before you open the door sir, please assess the situation to see whether it's safe to open the door. In case of crash landing you should check for fire and smoke near the exit, is that ok? Thank you for your cooperation sir."
I kept looking at the man. He seemed understanding enough to endure the formality, while I find the statement from the stewardess simply amusing.
Maybe we might crash this time?
8: LCCT
The emergency door was left intact.
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*Sorry for the stereotype.
