I sat there quite nervous and impatient. He had said he was just about to enter the office and yet there was no call yet to announce the way forward. By the way, the delivery should have been done two days before and it’s their fault that it had delayed. My flight would be in two hours time and I should have already been sitting in the waiting area at the airport by now. I took out my phone and dialed Innocent’s number, the FedEx emergency customer service person I had contacted with the hope that I would get a fast track of receiving the new cellphone that had been shipped to me. I had specifically ordered it in time for my trip as I could not rely on the phone I had used for the past four years. I had been a good steward, but the battery problems were catching up and it wouldn’t be ideal for capturing pictures during my escapades.
“Hello Inno,I am making a follow up on that parcel,” my nervous self called.
“I have already sent it to the Milton park depot and it should arrive in the next ten minutes, you can make your way there,” he replied shortly before he hung up. At that point I was quite relieved and quickly stood up for the five minute walk to the depot almost forgetting my identity card. I turned back and took all the necessary documents slamming the door in the process leaving behind my crying two-year old niece asking to accompany me out, as always. She always uses that as an opportunity to go grab some icecream. It was her birthday on the day but I did not want to be carrying an extra twelve kilograms of potential crying dynamite for a whole kilometer.
I got to the depot a minute before the delivery bike driver, who then cleared the confusion of the parcel that was supposedly there yet no-one knew about it. After signing and checking the integrity of that latest piece of technology, I briskly made my way back home where I called a taxi to rush me to the airport. The journey to the airport was filled with me texting and replying everyone I could as I was going to be missing in action for some time. Half of my mind was worried on the possibility that check in might close before I arrived. It was my first time using Qatar airways hence I had no idea of how it operated yet I had not erred on the side of caution. It was at this time I remembered that I had forgotten the only jersey I wanted to pack. India in the monsoon season! I thought to myself and quickly brushed off the worry as I knew that it would be extra hot. Hopefully I wasn’t going to be sitting next to some air conditioner fanatic for the next 8 hours. I would probably leave the plane with a cold.
On reaching the check-in counter, my worst fear got confirmed! I had exceeded my luggage weight by four kilograms and I was to pay fifteen dollars per each extra kilogram.
“Are you going to study in India?” the counter attendant asked.
“No I’m going for a medical conference ,” came my reply.
“Mmmm meaning you are a doctor?”
I had to quickly nod even though I still am a medical student. He then passed my luggage through without asking further questions.
“So much for being a doc,” I thought to myself.
“Could you please get me a window seat?” I asked the attendant.
“Hah! Doc, I did you a favor with the luggage and now you want this again. But anyways, you owe me one when you get back to Zim,” said the man smiling. I then smiled back and assured him that we were definitely going to meet again. Well, I actually nolonger remember his face at this point. I then hurried through passport control.
“Hey! I had a good dream about your trip. I think something good is going to come out of it.Anyways have a safe journey.” This was my friend Ashley who had called to wish me journey mercies before I left.
I was sitting alone.There was a man in a seat in the middle row who kept on asking me if the plane was leaving or not. He seemed very excited and could have been his first time flying. I made a few final calls and the plane took off for a stop in Zambia. To wind up the one hour stop, I took out my laptop and continued doing my research on medbeds, a project I am yet to establish.I was even contemplating and planning on how I was even going to spent the next 8 hours to Qatar before those thoughts were disturbed by the noise of Zambian passengers coming on board.
“Excuse me! Can I take my seat?.” This was a lady, looked what I initially think was Indian colored in origin. She was wearing a white top with a grey bottom with two long thick braids on her hair. Her beauty was striking and I’m sure I had not seen such creation in a while. Medbeds could wait at this time so I turned to help her settle down in her seat as she had been grappling with some pillow and a bag.
“Hey, where are you from?” I asked.
“I have been staying in Zambia for school research but I am from the States.By the way, my name is Jessica.”
I guess my answer to the eight hour flight question was right beside me. I quickly closed my laptop, packed it as far as possible and turned to her to introduce myself!
This was going to be a good trip after all,indeed!
30 August, 2023
