Finally in London, I'm so physically exhausted, can't even feel my feet. It's only half past six and I haven't even gotten myself dinner. Dad texted me, sending me a whole list of things to get for him from Marks & Spencer. 'I'm on a business trip, not a shopping spree!' I retorted, and threw my phone aside. Jesus, I get so temperamental when I'm tired.
A great deal has happened in the last twenty-four hours since I departed from Singapore. For one thing, I was nearly late for my boarding cue because I underestimated the walking distance. Changi Airport should really let its travellers know the walking distance. I sprinted like I was in a marathon, almost broke a sweat! Prior to entering the departure gate, I kept reiterating to myself: 'Don't spend Matthew... You're broke, you've got to save. Come on...' But famous last words, I succumbed to temptation. So, whilst trying to manage five bags of Zara, Hilfiger and Boss, I sprinted to the boarding gate. Garnered some stares along the way. I tend to embarrass myself so nothing new.
And then, when I reached the boarding gate, I realised a queue had formed, it stretched long and far. The airline industry sure must be doing well, with its planes well-stocked with travellers on holiday this season. Can't say the same for me, I looked like such a mess, and I'm on a business trip. Wonderful! I swiftly regained composure, when I realised an Asian family giving me murderous glares as they sauntered past me and one of their children shouted "Why does he look like he came from hell?" in Mandarin and of course, I was mildly offended.
I fumbled for my passport and caught my breath. And then, the craziest thing happened. About five people in front of me stood this guy of average build, sporting a working-class attire, but I somehow recognised that gait from somewhere. I was perplexed, my eyes kept wandering all over his body trying to figure out where I've seen that figure before. But not long after, he reached the counter, checked into the flight and disappeared around the corner. I somehow forgot about him too, in the midst of handing over my passport and trying not to look as if I had just landed on the other side of a mountain.
Squeezing and nudging through the gaps in the aisle, I finally got to my seat, 61A. Stuffed my bags up in the compartment and sat beside this humongous, burly Brit who kept belching, surmised he had too much to drink beforehand. I grew frightful, plucked some encouragement from the air and warned him 'please don't puke on the way up.' He smirked. Things were going so well.
Just then, I caught eye of the same person I had noticed earlier back in the queue, seated just a few rows down, but I still couldn't figure out where I've seen him before. And just then, I noticed and accidentally overheard a stewardess inquire after him, she said: "Mr Chin, would you like a ..."
I think I fainted on the inside because I barely comprehended whatever the stewardess said after she uttered "Chin" in that soft comforting tone which was the final piece to this mind-boggling situation. It prompted my memory to jog back to college days when he was my college senior, might I add my favourite college senior. I think my idea of him bordered on the term 'crush' but we never matured into anything other than best friends.
This is about to get depressing. Let me go and grab a snack from Sainsbury's. I'll be back.
11.37pm: Okay I'm exceptionally tardy with my return, got hooked onto the telly because they were showing a Law & Order marathon and I wouldn't pass that up for anything. Sainsbury's is literally such a superb convenience store, they stock its shelves with such savoury treats, here's to saying goodbye to my healthy eating habits. Anyway, so where was I...
His name is Jonathan Chin, I called him Jon. He's a year older than I am, we met when I joined the Badminton club as an amateur. Mum persuaded me to join sports because she was worried I'd develop hypertension by the time I hit thirty years, with all the computer gaming I did back then. I was never close to Jon, but somehow I ended up under his care and tutelage. He looked out for me all the time, I was clumsy and blur then, I don't think I've changed. He has the propensity to proffer useful advice about life when we get into deep meaningful conversations. I increasingly interacted with him, and I noticed that even when we established a friendship, it was hard to understand what his thoughts and feelings were. I think the word is reserved. I found that trait attractive, and it started from there. I mean, the flutterings and spasms on the heart.
In essence, we hung out, we rendezvoused on a couple of occasions, not excepting the time when I tripped on my laces at a wedding ball and splashed champagne all over his tux, he was pissed so that checks off my 'bucket list.' We were fine, maintained good terms. But sooner than anticipated, he graduated from college and our friendship began to disintegrate. I could literally feel our ties tugging at the ends during that period, and then we lost contact. Last I heard, he didn't marry. He was working at an accounting firm as a manager of some company held in high-regard.
I sort of let him go. It has been fifteen years, no person in the right mind would hold onto a 'crush' for that long. As it is, I'm stressing over trying to take care of my pet Pomeranian, she's probably having the time of her life now at Grandma's place, pissing and defecating all over the place... Oh god, I just realised I forgot to let Grandma know about this.
12.22am: I think that sums up our history. Jon and I never went further, I don't even think he knew of my feelings for him, I was careful enough not to reveal hidden innuendoes, lest openly insinuate the possibility of some romantic feelings manifesting. And now, he has suddenly popped up once again. For fourteen hours, Jon was my view from the aisle, every now and then I noticed his head nodding off to the side, sometimes he'd stay up to watch movies, looked like documentaries. He hasn't changed, always possessed such dull preferences.
We parted at Heathrow, he took the cab. I watched him trodden off into a taxi and disappearing in the distance. I took the Tube. And here I am, writing this first entry to document events of the last twenty-four hours. Surprisingly, I'm actually pretty emotionally-strained too, I guess everything has been working full-throttle. I've seriously got to turn in for the night, I'm actually due to wake from my slumber at half past seven in the morning. My sleeping habits are atrocious, I'll give you that. Just got to brush my teeth and I'm ready to sleep, now I can't remember where I put my toothbrush. What a wonderful evening.
