Beautiful Stranger
I hate flying. Even if it's on Qantas, which happened to be my favorite airline at the moment.
I was stuck, right in the middle seat, in a cross hemisphere flight from Singapore to UK. The flight originated from Sydney, and a whole bunch of Aussie lads, eager to spend Easter hols in springtime London, packed the aisles.
I was stuck next to a very nice Sydneysider girl and an absolutely incontinent Aussie lad who had at least 6 bourbon cokes while seated next to me. The 6 bourb cokes created havoc with his bladder and he had to step over me and the Sydneysider each time to use the loo. I was trying to pack in as much sleep as I could over a 13 hour flight but it was futile. Even the Qantas stewardess had to tell him to watch his limits as he had a drop too much.
Apart from slow queues at immigration @ Heathrow, I managed to lug my bag (with its precious cargo of homemade chilli paste) onto the replacement bus service. It's an advantage that I'm petite and looked very much like a poor student. I seem like a helpless girl unable to carry her suitcase down the stairs (yes, there are no escalators at older Tube stations).
A nice porter came to help me at Hatton Close down the flight of steps. At Bow Street, another helpful fellow (this time a construction worker) smiled and gave me a hand with my case. That really helped.
*****
I don't know his name, but he has the most beautiful pair of eyes that I've ever seen.
Tired though I was, I had to make a trip to meet up with Ben to pass him his chilli and other stuff that the family wants to give him. I was glumly staring at the floor of the train, daydreaming when my eyes fell upon a pair of gleaming shoes. Men's shoes.
I looked up and there was this young man with short brown hair, and lovely eyes that were brown, with hints of gold in them. (I know it sounds rather implausible but really, his eyes looked like that!)
They were the loveliest pair of eyes that I've ever seen. They seemed to convey so much warmth and I never tire of gazing at them. Until I noticed the white cane that he was carrying in his left hand.
He was blind.
A little stunned and not forgetting my manners, I immediately got up to ask if he'd like to take my seat.
He replied in a warm and friendly tone that he's doing fine and will be getting off soon. He obviously does not think his impairment as an impediment and has in fact, worked around it.
I got off the train, thinking that for the infirm, the Tube is really not all-inclusive. With so many flights of stairs, confusing exits etcetra, if you are old, lame, blind, deaf, I wonder how anyone could navigate around the public transport system easily.
My regard for this nameless young man rose. That's my beautiful stranger for the day.
I was stuck, right in the middle seat, in a cross hemisphere flight from Singapore to UK. The flight originated from Sydney, and a whole bunch of Aussie lads, eager to spend Easter hols in springtime London, packed the aisles.
I was stuck next to a very nice Sydneysider girl and an absolutely incontinent Aussie lad who had at least 6 bourbon cokes while seated next to me. The 6 bourb cokes created havoc with his bladder and he had to step over me and the Sydneysider each time to use the loo. I was trying to pack in as much sleep as I could over a 13 hour flight but it was futile. Even the Qantas stewardess had to tell him to watch his limits as he had a drop too much.
Apart from slow queues at immigration @ Heathrow, I managed to lug my bag (with its precious cargo of homemade chilli paste) onto the replacement bus service. It's an advantage that I'm petite and looked very much like a poor student. I seem like a helpless girl unable to carry her suitcase down the stairs (yes, there are no escalators at older Tube stations).
A nice porter came to help me at Hatton Close down the flight of steps. At Bow Street, another helpful fellow (this time a construction worker) smiled and gave me a hand with my case. That really helped.
*****
I don't know his name, but he has the most beautiful pair of eyes that I've ever seen.
Tired though I was, I had to make a trip to meet up with Ben to pass him his chilli and other stuff that the family wants to give him. I was glumly staring at the floor of the train, daydreaming when my eyes fell upon a pair of gleaming shoes. Men's shoes.
I looked up and there was this young man with short brown hair, and lovely eyes that were brown, with hints of gold in them. (I know it sounds rather implausible but really, his eyes looked like that!)
They were the loveliest pair of eyes that I've ever seen. They seemed to convey so much warmth and I never tire of gazing at them. Until I noticed the white cane that he was carrying in his left hand.
He was blind.
A little stunned and not forgetting my manners, I immediately got up to ask if he'd like to take my seat.
He replied in a warm and friendly tone that he's doing fine and will be getting off soon. He obviously does not think his impairment as an impediment and has in fact, worked around it.
I got off the train, thinking that for the infirm, the Tube is really not all-inclusive. With so many flights of stairs, confusing exits etcetra, if you are old, lame, blind, deaf, I wonder how anyone could navigate around the public transport system easily.
My regard for this nameless young man rose. That's my beautiful stranger for the day.
posted by Leng at 6:08 AM
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