I've said before that I'm cursed when it
comes to travel, and by all accounts and treating the subject
empirically, it's true. Flights delayed and cancelled, trains missed by
mere seconds, travel company pulling out and all that craic, like I said, I've said it all before.
But this time -
This time was different!
I
had packed ahead of time and nothing was forgotten. Train to the
airport, not a hiccup and the airport itself, I was in plenty of time.
While there I even got a reading done for my class/essay on 'Post
Communist Transforamtions' before getting onto the plane. For the check
in I was only a few moments and the lady really didn't seem even
remotely bothered that I was 0.7kgs overweight or that my carry-on
lacked any known shape. Security, not a glitch! And believe me, that's
unusual. Usually it's a case of what did I forget to take out of my
bag?! *Whoops, I beeped!* Back through the scanner, off goes the belt,
jewellery, boots (I tend to wear boots a lot, and if I'm flying my big
heavy hiking boots are on me, 'cos they weight about a kilo, so no way
am I paying Ryanair to let me have some practical footwear with me!) and
back through the scanner *whoops! I beeped again* Back through the
scanner, I forgot to take off my necklace. *Beep again* *Pat down* *So
uncomfortable* really should be used to it by now! Aw, Shit! My phone is
still in my pocket, security is pissed, I'm embarrassed so just grab my
stuff and go. *Calls from security* In all the confusion I wondered off
without my passport, comes in handy when about to enter another country
and of course coming back again!
But
not this time. Everything was perfect. Okay, so my flight was delayed
by twenty minutes, the plane is ridiculously hot and making me noxious
and stuff, but other than that all is good. (Apologies for the weird use
of present and past tense [in general terms] This was initially written
while I was at the airport/during the flight on my way home from Poland
last Christmas. I really meant to post this way back then but I guess I
just never did. Anyway because of this parts of it are interjected with
past and present verbs as well as some future stuff in there too, but
that's self-explanatory and not confusing to read).
I
did develop a slight obsession, though, in the time between security
and landing! That is, a young Polish woman and an Irish guy, who looked
beyond doubt to be a couple, took my attention a little more than an
essay concerning Ralf Darhendorf an Piotr Stzompka (even though that was
also really very interesting). Let me explain...
I was sitting, headphones on and
reading away, when suddenly I thought of a friend of mine. Not that
weird, but when you consider we haven't known each other very long, or
have only ever spent a few hours in each others company and have what
could be described as a 'casual friendship', it seems odd for him to
just pop in there. Anyway, thought no more of it until, just moments
later the Manic Street Preachers start to play on Outspan Foster
(my iPod). Now I don't think that he reads this, I'm pretty certain
that he doesn't even know that I write, let alone keep this blog, our
friendship really is quite 'passerby' but in case he does I'm sure he
knows now that it was him that I was thinking of. But anyway, aside from
that aside, he briefly passed through my thoughts and then I looked up,
and there he was! Well, I could have sworn it was him standing across
from me. I mean this guy is either a doppelganger or he was a slightly
taller twin brother who never came up in conversation. But whoever this
guy was, I did not know him.
In a room full of Poles and Irish,
he was clearly Irish! The woman standing beside him, almost definitely
Polish. Tall, slender, gorgeous, boots (not like mine), dressed up to
the nines (and beyond) making it all look like no effort at all. You
know the way, how all Polish women seem to look, at the very least, all
those I every came across while there, making all the tourists and
internationals there feel bad about themselves.
They
were both standing. Right beside one another, neither with a large
carry-on. They both looked a little sad. Now I was reading but on the
last pages, I was bored of it and easily distracted, plus I thought he
was someone I knew...so, I kept looking up.
They never spoke to one another.
They didn't even seem to acknowledge one another. They never shared a
look, but I am certain that they were there together.
There were plenty of seats, some
right beside them. Boarding had not began, they could have both sat,
beside one another if they had wanted, but didn't. When one of them
looked at something in a 'fake daze' the other looked to see what at.
They both did this.
I became fascinated. I wanted to
know were they together, I'm pretty sure they were (maybe it's just hard
to explain, but seeing them there, there was definitely that vibe. They
were together!) Why were they not speaking with one another? What had
happened between them? Will they talk it out?
Would they sit together on the plane?
Boarding began, I wasn't inclined to
leave my seat, so when the queue began to move I joined at the end and
sat. (I really am quite lazy). But they didn't leave my mind. On the
shuttle to the plane I looked for them both, but they were on the first
shuttle, I the second, probably already finding their seat on the plane.
I boarded from the rear and found his red hair and Irish face
immediately. I wanted to sit so I could see him (like I say I had
developed an obsession), but no free seats behind. So I moved on
forward. (Damn my laziness!)
She was not sitting with him.
And I can't stop wondering what happened between the two.
They travelled to Poland for a few
days, maybe even a week. She was to work over Christmas and wouldn't be
able travel home to see her family, flights were still cheap and it was a
chance for them to meet him. Maybe?
What happened then I can't even
assume. I don't know what could have happened to have made those two
people seem so sad. I don't want to write that story.
But the time came to go home. Both
booked the same flight of course, weeks ago, assuming that they could
sleep their way through the journey resting snugly on each other's
head. It was too much hassle and effort to change now. Neither had the energy. But at least the
seats were not set. They arrive at the airport and go through the usual.
In the waiting area they both still
have hope, but the upset is still so great and the wound, whatever it
is, is still open. She being the woman, sets a test, and no it's not
vindictive. It's just subtle, to see what he does, to see if there is a
reason to hope.
She Stands!
It's still an hour, with the
announced delay, maybe even more, there are seats available and it's not
as if she'll be the first in the queue when boarding begins. It would
make sense for him to sit! But he stands. He stands beside her and never
moves away. He stays right beside her and not wanting to be away, at the
other side, from her glance. Her breath. Her voice. Her.
That's a reason to hope!
But...they don't talk, he sends a
few text messages and plays with his phone. She receives a few phone
calls. It doesn't seem to attract his attention at all. She speaks in
Polish. They carry on like complete strangers in each other's presence.
Both too frightened to take the first step, to make that first move. To
say it, to say 'forget it', 'it was my fault', 'I'm sorry', 'you're
forgiven'.
So they stand there, in silence, a barrier between them both.
Is there still hope?
Boarding begins and the queue moves.
Still they don't speak or offer each other help. They get the shuttle. He
gets out first and heads for the rear entrance of the plane. He thinks
she'll follow and sit beside him. They'll talk then. They'll make
everything right again, and it will all be okay again. They'll get home
and it'll just be a bad memory.
They'll talk and it'll all be okay again.
She gets off the shuttle and goes to the front entrance.
She doesn't want that.
Things can't be fixed.
There is no hope.
They spend the next three hours on
that plane. Not a single spoken word, just a nod to the hostesses
offering drinks and pass the time staring at the seat in front. Not even
out of the window at the twinkling lights below.
They go home and life moves on, they
fall in love and are happy again. He becomes a fond memory to her
and he'll never go back to Krakow!
