Goodbye at the airport

“Hey, Daniel!”, Daniel heard someone shouted out for him. He was pushing the trolley with his big and heavy Samsonite travel luggage sitting on the lower compartment and his hand luggage on its top compartment. Walking alongside him are his parents, brother and two sisters and some relatives coming to send him off to study anthropology in the United Kingdom. They were walking towards the check-in counter at the Subang International Airport. Daniel turned back and saw a group of old school chums waving at running towards him. “You are not going to get away quietly from us mate!”, Jimmy exclaimed. “I am sorry guys. I didn’t inform you of my departure date because I don’t want to say goodbye to you all at the airport. It’s such an award place and uneasy way to leave. After all, I would only be away for a few years. We can still catch up when I am back for holidays. We did have a wonderful gathering at the Kowloon right?”, Daniel tried to appease by recalling the rendezvous they had at the Kowloon Tea Dance Hall. “Here, we bought you some nice flowers. You can hold them and smell them for just an hour and then you can give them back to us instead of throwing letting them rot in the plane!”, Julie interrupted and pushing the flowers into his hands. She then leaned forward and whispered into his ears, “You will remember me”, Julie reminded teasingly. “When are you guys going to study overseas?”, Daniel turned to ask Ming Hong, Susan, Tony and Julie, ignoring her unwattanted remark. But, looking through them far beyond, he cried, “Oh, My God. I can’t believe this. They are here too!”, Daniel saw Mike, Jimmy and Thomas walking into the airport foyer. “Thomas!”, Daniel ran to hug him. He hugged him ever so warmly, remembering the times when they were young school boys and Thomas was teaching him how to play the guitar. He remembers Thomas was such a talented bass guitar player who has perfect timing and could read musical notes much better than the rest of the boys. He also recalls that because he wanted to learn how to play the guitar, Thomas suffered the wrath of Mrs. Nair, the mathematics teacher. Thomas could have made it big time in Kuala Lumpur but he had to leave school to follow his family in Penang. Together with Mike and Jimmy, they were the Serenade boys. The most popular boy band in town at the time. He remembers the talent time contests they had participated and the gigs they used to play in school parties. He remembers those girls who a crash on them and hanged out with them. “I have not seen or heard from you for years, Thomas! How are you mate?”, Daniel asks expectantly. “I am doing fine Daniel. I am now working in my father’s travel firm. He started his own travel company and it is expanding. I still play the bass guitar and also the piono. I play at a night club during weekends. But's we had more fun those days ”, Thomas is still in touch with his passion. “Stop talking in the middle of nowhere guys! Hey, let’s go upstairs to have some root beers and hotdogs. You still have another hour before departunre Dan. We will wait for you upstairs. Come up to join us after you had checked in your luggage, alright mate?”, Mike Fernandez suggested.
They were chatting, telling each stories and jokes, reminiscing the good old time in the snack bar on top of the airport terminal. Suddenly Jimmy said, “Daniel, I am sorry. I have been trying to tell you for some time. I think this is as good a time as any”, seems like Jimmy wants to tell Daniel something from the past. “What are you trying to say Jim?, Daniel looks at him with surprise. “Well, remember the fire incident at the school party? It was me who threw the cigarette butt on the carpet which caught fire and got you into trouble. You stood up for the poor Soon Heng and did not reveal my name. At the time I was really mad at you. How could you do such a thing? We were supposed to be a rock solid team standing up for each other. I didn't talk to you for weeks. Later, I realised how silly it was for me to do what I did and what you did was right”, Jimmy confessed. “You mean covering up for us Jimmy! You still remember the incident Dan?”, Lenny interrupted . “What? What incident?’, Daniel’s way of showing forgiveness. His opinion on Jimmy has taken on a new perspective. “What a nice chap he has turned to be. Jimmy must be keeping this close to his heart for such a long time and to finally let it out at the time of my departure”, Daniel thought to himself. “Where is Janet? I don’t see her around”, noticed Julie. “Err…she is not coming, Julie. She is not as brave as you guys!”, Daniel replied jokingly.
At last, the PA system announced that passengers flying to London should proceed to gate No. 10 for boarding. Instantly, everyone became somber and trying hard to find the right words to say to Daniel, keeping their emotions in check. Daniel stood up and went up to each and everyone to give them a hug and tell them how much he would miss them. But, deep inside, he was longing for his beloved Janet. He wished he could hug and kiss her before flying off. They took the escalator down to the ground floor where Daniel’s family members and relatives were waiting anxiously. Daniel walked up to them and hugged and kissed them goodbye. While he was hugging his mother, from the corner of his eyes, he sensed someone at the far end of the book store, was looking frequently at his direction, watching his movements. Each time he lifted his head to check, the person would turn and pretended to read some newspapers stacking on the rack, avoiding any eye contact with him. “Who could that be?. It can’t be Janet. She told me she won’t come. Or is she?”, Daniel was full of suspension. Yet, subconsciously he is looking out for her. So, he excused himself from his family, relatives and friends and told them that he needed to go to the wash room. But, instead of going inside the wash room, he took a turn to another path leading to the side of the book store. Finally he came into sight with her. He couldn't believe his eyes. It’s Janet! She was holding the a magazine and looking out at the direction of the wash room, waiting for Daniel to come out. Daniel then sneaked behind her and tapped her shoulders. Surprised, Janet turned her head and caught Daniel’s soulful looking straight into eyes. Before she knew it, she felt Daniel's arms round her waist and pulling her to his bosom. He hugged her ever so tightly, never wanting to let her go. “I thought you didn’t want to come dear?”, Daniel broke the silence. “I cant stay away. I couldn't sleep a wink last night. I can't bear the thought of now having you around me. I love you so much Daniel”, Janet cried They embraced and never wanted to let go. Daniel led Janet away from the glaring eyes of the onlookers and his contingent who were waiting for him to come out of the wash room. They sneaked to the back of the book store which was a quieter place of the airport tarmac. Throwing caution to the wind, they exchanged warm and passionate kisses, oblivious to the people passing by, who were mostly the airport auxiliary workers and air stewards and stewardess. They passed them by knowingly. They did not disturb them. They understood. They had seen such scene everyday. Goodbye is the hardest thing to do. “Now I know why you didn’t call me last night”, Daniel whispers, still embracing Janet tightly. “I was dying to call you darling. My stomach was tearing me apart. I wanted to phone you but I know no matter what I say, I cannot control my emotions. I would burst into tears. So I decided to come to the airport quietly instead”, Janet sobbed. She continued, “There are words inside of me waiting to come out and tell you how I feel, how I love you and need you in my life. There are so many words locked inside me. I wonder if the same words are locked inside you too”. “Distance cannot separate us my love. Our memories span the miles”, Daniel sobbed with her. “As I look back on all that's happened, growing up and growing together with you, changes I made for you and you for me, I realize how much we are meant for each other. There were times when we laughed and cried together, when we dreamed together. As I look back on those days, I realize how much you truly mean to me, how I truly miss you and I truly love you”, Janet poured out her deep emotional feelings in between sobs. “ Our past may be gone forever darling, but I shall always cherish its memory. Whatever the future holds, our memories will always carry us through. I may be leaving in search for knowledge and a better future life, but, I would not leave the memories behind. Memories of you, memories of us will always be with me. The love we had together will not fade away in miles or in time. The passion that you planted in the middle of my heart will keep me going. So, let our time run now hun. Someday we will be together again. We will wait for our fate. You are my lifetime love, my lifetime friend. It is with all my heart that I send you my love, that you'll always carry my smile with you, for all we have meant to each other and for whatever the future may hold”, Daniel poured out his feelings, still holding Janet tightly.
The PA system issued a final announcement. “It’s time darling. You better go now. Otherwise, you may miss your plane”, Janet broke away from his grip. Daniel released his grip and slided his hands down to hold hers. “Do you want to meet them?”, Daniel said, pointing at his waiting contingent near the door of the departure gate. “No, Dan. I think I would prefer to leave as I came”, replied Janet. “Wait, dear. I have something for you”, Janet wondered what he had in mind. Daniel put his hand into the side compartment of his hand luggage. Janet heard his fingers unzipped the pocket and Daniel was searching for something inside his hand luggage. He found it and took out a leathered bound book with an exquisite high quality look. “Here, my darling. This is my diary. It belongs to you now. Please keep it for me. I don’t need it anymore. It’s all planted in my head. I can always write another one”, Daniel handed his diary to Janet. “I have been writing this diary since my secondary school. All my true and private thoughts and feelings are in here. You can read them. I don’t know if you would find some parts boring. But, I want you to know me totally and love me as who I am what I am. I don’t have a necklace or ring to give you. I hope this diary will remind you of our love and how lucky I am to have found you in my life ”, Daniel handed the diary over to Janet. “Ok, darling. I shall keep it safely in my hand and in my heart. It shall wait for your return. Whenever, I feel lonely and missing you, I could turn to our love story in your diary”, Janet assured him, but at the same time thinking what man would give up his diary to anyone at all. “You better leave through the other door, so they can’t see you”, Daniel advised her. “Goodbye my darling. Think of me as I would be of you. I will write to you everyday, I will phone you if I can afford it, I will….”, Daniel finally let go of Janet’s hands for the last time. He watched her walked away helplessly, waving and blows kisses at her until she disappeared through the airport sliding and out of his sight.
Daniel is now reunited with his folks and friends. They asked where he has been? He told them he had run into an old friend and they were having a little chit chat. They too hurried him to get onto the plane. Daniel bid goodbye to them for the last time and proceeded to the boarding lounge. He was the last one checking through the security checkpoint. He boarded the plane and was led by an air stewardess to his seat. He had asked for a window seat and was given one situated at the middle of the plane. He put his hand luggage securely on top overhead compartment of the plane, and sank onto his seat looking out of the side window, overlooking the Subang International Airport, taking in the sight of passengers coming and going out of the airport. He lifted his eyes towards the second floor of the airport terminal where an hour ago he was drinking root beers, eating hotdogs and sharing jokes with his friends. And then he caught Janet’s distinguishable tall long-legged beautiful figure leaning on the glass wall and waving goodbye at him! He covered his mouth and waved back at her, silently cracking inside. Daniel felt a part of his heart is torn out, like the passing away of a family member, a best friend, his pet poodle. He has rediscovered what it means to have grown up in a loving family, the loyalty of friendships and true love between a man and a woman. At time like this, family values and traditions and old friendships’ genuine caring gestures bring out the goodness and best nature of human kind. He must not disappoint their trust in him. He must study hard and achieve good results in his studies. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This is Captain Connelly speaking”, in due course, Daniel heard the flight Captain’s voice. Your flight will take approximately 10 hours to Dubai. Thereafter, there will be a flight transfer and a connecting flight will take you to the London Heathrow Airport. The flight transfer would take at Dubai would take approximately 2 hours and flight time from Dubai to London would take approximately 6 hours. If you want any thing, our flight staff will be on hand to serve you. Meantime, please fasten your seatbelts, put your seats upright. We are ready for take off”. Next, Daniel heard the engine being raved up and the rollers hanging underneath both sides of the wings spinning louder and louder. He turned his head to the right to see who was sitting next to him. He saw the face of a burly looking middle-aged European man. He appeared calm and collected, reading his papers, he looked like a well travelled man. Daniel noticed that he was not reading an English language papers. He was reading a German newspapers, as Daniel saw the word ‘Berlin’ written boldly on the front page. Soon, the plane was screeching away, engine raving, ready to take off. He waved to say goodbye to Janet for the last time. He hoped she had seen him waving and blowing kisses at her. But, he could only see a tiny figure of her and soon she faded out of his sight altogether. As the plane was gaining altitude, Daniel looked out of the side window again and saw that the Selangor State was getting smaller and smaller as the plane flew higher and higher. He shut his eyes, trying to relax and let his imagination take control of him. He is leaving home.