I’m sitting in my seat as the aircraft is teetering at the edge of the runway. The engine is at high power and its entire body shudders with pent-up energy. It’s straining at its leash like a deliriously slobbering but tied up puppy confronted with his lovely lickable master. And then suddenly, with a roar, it is off bounding up the runway and leaping eagerly into the big blue sky.
It’s not just me, but everyone around has temporarily stopped whatever they were doing and all attention is riveted on experiencing this wonderful growl, the surge and thrust of the engines… on these defining moments of the trip, this transition from earth to sky. you stop, you hear and you FEEL! Thrilll…and we’re off!
Once up in the air the momentum seems to ebb. The five year old in the seat behind remarks “it was going so fast, why has it become so slow now”. The pilot banks and I strain to make out my building in that fuzz of trees and street, I think I may have it but it has gone past too quick. We’re now over the sea and it glitters menacingly, beautifully. I think about the sharks in the water and how deep the part we are over must be.
Sunny day, fluffy clouds….a lovely aroma of warm bread floats through the cabin and now all I can think of is the big hole in my stomach. It’s way past my breakfast time. This is torture. Why does it always take so long for the cart to reach my seat.
Meal gobbled. o look a pat of butter. This is more butter than I should eat in a week. Oh well I guess a little with a bit of bread won’t hurt. Umm ummm umm. Now I’ve eaten the whole thing, it’s gone. There isn’t a crumb left on my tray. Can’t believe how much I can eat these days, I don’t even seem to be able to exercise any quality control any more, i.e., gorge only on things that are totally worth it. I will stuff myself with anything that’s in front of my face. Can’t believe this is the same person who would turn her nose up at most food and take 3 hours to finish lunch.
Now I have to visit the restroom, so I strain around awkwardly, but a trolley blocks the aisle. At least I don’t have to squeeze past fat men with spready thighs to get out. I think fondly of my travel agent for tele-checking me into an aisle seat. I love the aisle seat – easy access to bathroom, easier to control panic bouts of claustrophobia and no strategic battles for at least 1 arm rest.
Ping! The seat belt sign pops on. Ah! We are in for a spot of turbulence. Nothing like a bit of turbulence, it’s like a ride at the amusement park, good bang for your airline ticket price. Especially when the air craft falls through an air pocket and my stomach detaches itself and lurches about inside of me. Of course, theres a thin line between ‘what fun’… and the point when the stomach reaches the base of my throat. This is the point when I wonder if I should worry about this possibly becoming the last few minutes of my life. Am I ok to go yet? What’s done is done, what’s not…well I won’t be around to worry about it. But now I think about my family, will catty be sad...or devastated? What about my parents? O terrible. To see your child go before you. My eyes prickle with tears at the sadness they will feel. And I haven’t made a will. Would Catty know whom to give what. I picture him and my mum picking morosely through my silver jewelery. I run a visual list of my silver earrings through my mind and think about who to leave them to. Zen may like the fish, but so would Namrata. Maybe I should leave the hanging long types for Zen and the traditional ones for Namrata. But Zen likes coloured stones, I can’t remember if I have any. This is very tedious. I realize that the aircraft is coasting peacefully now. A troubling dilemma shelved until further turbulence.
I fall into a deep deep restful sleep. This often happens during the aircraft descent, I think it’s because of pressure or something…or maybe because I’ve been waking up every half hour from 2 a.m. worried that I may oversleep and miss my flight.
I’m rudely awakened during the best part of my sleep by loud announcements to stow the table etc. My lids keep drooping. Now we are going to land, I see the outside whizzing by and the aircraft’s screaming again. Why is the pilot revving the plane, shouldn’t he be slowing it down right about now! We are coming in very fast..too fast!…too fast!…is this my last landing??! I wait for the sickening sounds my tummy’s a tight knot, goodbye Catty I love you. Bang, roar, ROAR ROAR, break, squeal … no not this time…squeal , brake. Damn the pilots of this airline, thudding out of the sky like this. I guess their performance isn’t rated on good landings.
Anyway, Phewww! Aircraft taxies to a halt. Greasy Smart Alec beside me has been yabbering on his phone number one since 5 seconds after touchdown, while his second one rings and flashes. I glare at him to no effect.
Engines off, lights on. The cabin is suddenly crowded by the participants in the off-the-aircraft Olympics. They are jammed and stooped about in uncomfortable positions between seats for about 5 minutes until the ladder hits the plane with a slight tremor. Why they don’t just sit comfortably until the doors are opened, I can never understand. I sit in my seat and feel superior to all of them.
By,
Nafisa
