The Wait

My last sleep lasted for 12 hours. Yesterday, I retreated to my bed at 20 00 hrs and hibernated till 8 am this morning. I would not say the sleep was satisfying for I woke up with a heavy headache this morning.

The story behind my long sleep is as follows:

Ah Xiang was due to arrive on the 12th 05 00 hrs. I decided to receive him at the airport for fear anything might go wrong with his clearance at the checkpoint. In view of that, I decided to stay back in the office for the night.

Having taken too much tea, I believe, during the day, I find myself having problems getting to sleep. I eventually fell asleep, or at least half-asleep, at around 12 30 hrs. I was then shaken awake by a series of noise which consist of trolley pushing and tables dragging. I went through the possibility of a thief, before actually checking it out myself. It was Jian.

Someone had ordered logistic for a funeral and I really cannot blame the dead for needing the service at that unearthly hours. For some reasons, Jian was not the usual half-dead. He was energetic when I saw him and he smilingly ask why I had not gone home. I told him that I would be fetching Xiang from the airport later, which I believe boosted his morale for the rest of the day.

I tried to get back to sleep again. The tea power was still winning and I finally gave up and went for a quick wash up at 03 00 hrs. I drove the truck peacefully along ECP, listening to Yes933 on the radio. When I reached the airport, I got a shock of my life! It was only 03 45hrs. I checked the arrival schedule. Oh, MU543 will be landing 15 minutes earlier than scheduled. I then walk the entire terminal one round before settling down at Mac Donalds for a Big Breakfast.

I finished my breakfast at 04 30 hrs and went to Gate 41 to await the arrival of a capable worker. There was a vagrant (it seems) making the bench his bed. When he took off his shoes, a terrible pong fills the localised atmosphere, within which I was. I nearly fainted. He went on to scratch his lower privates, which was quite an obscene sight.

04 50 hrs - MU 543 Landed ... Wait

05 00 hrs - Flight attendants exited ... Wait

05 30 hrs - First few luggage were born ... Wait

05 45 hrs - Bulk of the passengers got their luggage and left ... Wait

It was not until 06 20 that Xiang was spotted. Throughout the wait, I imagined the tragedy that I could have missed him and he had gone to the MRT or taxi stand. 

I was lucky though, there were many foreign workers agents who have not met their charge even after I left. A remarkable one was Mr and Mrs Pink. A couple who wore pink tops. Mr Pink was restless, then irritated, and finally infuriated by the wait. Poor him.