SURREAL ADVENTURES FROM THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS

Sunday, March 8, 2009

My great escape

I packed my trolley to explosive capacity and took a taxi to the airport. I was going to fly the first plane to Mawi-Mawi and spend there a couple of relaxing weeks, during which I would disappear from the mad world where I belonged. I desperately needed to get far from professional cheaters, supernatural editors and underworld people for a while.

My initiatic journey through brilliant absence excuses -like fake chicken pox, stolen holidays and the supposed solitude I was longing for- had just started. And boy, it was a breath of fresh air. But only ten minutes had passed since I regained freedom, when a strange carnival started.

I was still notorious for having been caught kissing passionately Ed Davies at the Sandwich Arena a few months ago. A clever photographer immortalised that moment with a picture that all the newspapers in Sandwich had published, and it wasn’t strange to see some reporters swarming around me every now and then. The Sandwichian gossips wouldn’t forget that scene so easily.

And this is exactly what happened that day: two guys –one of them holding a camera and the other one grabbing a huge microphone- followed me through the airport labyrinths, as I barely managed to drag my heavy trolley up the escalators.

- Leni, why is your relationship with Ed Davis going downhill? –asked the mic guy-

I would have gladly smacked that filthy grin off his face, but I had learned from Ed that silence and indifference should be my only answer in these situations, no matter how rude the question was.

- Leni, for the Sandwichian Gossip News, would you eventually marry Ed after you make peace? –he asked-
- Wow. Did you go to college four years just to end up asking intelligent questions like that one? –I answered-

Normally I try to avoid hitting back, but frankly, this time I couldn’t help it: they were harassing me. I walked faster towards the Mawi-Mawian Airlines check-in counter, where I stopped. Of course, the reporters followed me around like a plague, asking again and again if Ed and I were dating and/or getting married.

The gospel truth is I still ignore the answer to such mysteries. Yes, I had got a really bad crush on him, rather than being infatuated or suffering from puppy love. But I didn’t know exactly whether we were just friends -with or without benefits- or fuckbuddies with marriage prospects. I just knew that the explosion of neurochemicals and endorphin cocktail in my brain triggered a wonderful butterfly feeling in my stomach every time he was around. And that feeling kept me thinking about him all the time.

I handed over my passport to the guy behind the counter and he gave me my boarding pass. As I loaded my luggage on the conveyor belt, he stared at me. Then he typed something on his keyboard and picked up the phone.

- Anybody could come fetch Ms Qinan? She’s already here. –he said to the person at the other end-

Really, I’m not a celebrity; but since I’ve met Hellgirl, all kinds of weird things have started happening to me. So my capacity to be astonished is actually bomb proof.

- Why fetch me? Who’s coming to fetch me? I’m flying in one hour! –I asked-
- Oh don’t worry. The plane won’t take off without you. It will take you just a couple of minutes; we just need you to answer a few questions. –he said-

I was very intrigued and so were the reporters, who were shooting and registering everything.

As all this was happening, a big security guy appeared driving one of those small vehicles used for travelling from the terminal to the aircraft, and whispered in my ear:

- Ms Qinan, would you please be kind enough to join me?
- Where?
- To the VIP lounge.
- Why?

- Mr. Davies would like to meet you before you take your flight.

I nodded and sighed. I was craving to meet him too, but I had to pretend I didn’t want to, or my pride would be reduced to a little heap of ashes on the floor. So apparently, I was going to be kidnapped for the second time in my life. But I decided not to put any resistance and jumped into the car.

We left the two reporters behind. They protested weakly, waving their arms about. After a couple of minutes driving, the security man dropped me at the VIP lounge’s door, where Ed’s pandimensional hyper-intelligent secretary was waiting for me.

- Good morning Ms Qinan. Please follow me to Mr. Davies’ private room.

She walked fast. I followed her and entered the room. She opened the door and announced me. Ed was sitting on a sofa, in the dark. He took a long drink before he held his iPhone in his left hand to show me the SMS I had sent him the day before. In spite of his usual seemingly phlegmatic appearance, his eyes briefly glowed from red to blue, which was an unmistakable sign of deep annoyance.

- Come in, Leni. –he said, trying to hold back his upsetness-
- How on Earth did you find out that I was here? –I asked-
- And what the fuck do you mean with ‘Don’t bother to get in touch with me. Gonna be very busy and emotionally unavailable for a while’? –he asked, slowly reading the message in a low bad angry voice-
- McGillicuddy has been cheating you. –I said, deliberately ignoring his question-
- I sacked him. –he answered on the spot-
- Good for you.
- I know you refused his offer.
- Good for you too.

There was silence for some seconds and then he sweetened up his voice.

- And I love you for that, Leni. –he whispered-.

I stopped the false cokiness. As soon as I heard him say my name, my knees started shivering.

- How can you possibly think that I am ignoring you, silly? –he asked, as he stroke my hair-
- Because I feel you’re cooling down, Ed. But I’m afraid we will have to continue this conversation next week. I’m flying to Mawi-Mawi in a few minutes.

He sighed deep and smirked.

- I assure you we will continue this conversation. But wait. I need to give you something before you go.

He dug a small jewelry box out of his pocket and gave it to me.

- Don’t open it here; do it in the plane.
- What is it?
–I asked-

The box looked like… well, it looked like it contained an engagement ring. To be honest, if I ever dreamed of a marriage proposal, it would be a classic solemn scene -you know, on bended knee and all- rather than me opening the gift box in a plane, surrounded by some three hundred strangers. I tried to regain control during that initial moment of panic and said:

- I’m afraid I can’t accept it, whatever it is.
- You don’t know what it contains. So please, take it. Do it for me. And leave now, sweety. Or you’ll miss your flight.


He kissed me deep and then vanished into thin air, leaving me nervous and aching with longing for him.

I left the VIP lounge clutching the small red box tightly in my right hand. I was a nervous wreck. My heart was beating fast.

As I queued at the passport control and asked myself what the mystery inside the box was, someone bumped into me from behind.


(To be continued)






‘Give me one reason’ (Tracy Chapman)


10 comments:

Luis Portugal said...

Hello
It has a nice blog.
Sorry not write more, but my English is bad writing.
A hug from my country, Portugal

Grass said...

Hmmmm, I am totally curious what the red box contains.. If it's an engagement ring, I'd be totally gaga for sure.. LOL

So sis, I do hope you're in a real trip and enjoying Mawi-mawi at the moment. I so envy you! I want to hit the beach as well, it's been a long time but well, I wouldn't want people to see me in my bikinis looking like "Winnie the Pooh" hahaha

xxx

Fernando said...

No hay derecho a que nos dejes así, con toda la intriga del mundo....

Have a nice week, Leni.

Leni Qinan said...

Hi Luis, and welcome!

Thanks for your visit and comment.
You can comment in Portuguese if you want; I think I can understand 80% and the rest will be left to the dictionary and my imagination. ;)

Big hug from my country, the Sandwich Islands.

Leni Qinan said...

Hi Grass!

You'll find out about the red box very soon, hahaha. Do you exepect an engagement ring? With Ed, one never knows!

Mawi-Mawi is a very nice place, kind of Mediterranean, the weather is fine (warm spring already), there's a wonderful beach and yes, I could put my Brazilian bikinis on, lol. (I bet you look gorgeous, sis; and I'm sure this summer you'll look great in your bikinis) ;)

XXX

Leni Qinan said...

Hola Fernando!

Me encanta crear un poquito de suspense. La respuesta en el próximo capítulo.

Nice week to you too, Fernando.

Skeeter said...

Wow, talk about a cliffhanger! Can't wait for the next installment :-)

Best wishes,

Skeeter

Anonymous said...

Jeeezzz Leni, sounds like wedding bells and all, lol. I can't wait to read the next chapter!

Take care!

Leni Qinan said...

Hi Skeeter! Nice to see you again!

The next instalment is on its way! Just a little funny post on Thursday and you will hear about my adventurous life again, hahaha!
Best wishes to you too!

Leni Qinan said...

Hey Max, don’t run that fast, dude!

XXX