Thursday 29 November 2012

The Honeymoon [Part 4/8]: A Magical Evening for Two

Paul has to eat something. After hours of crying and vomiting in his hotel room, he needs to eat regardless if he is up for it. He left his work phone for charging, grabs a jacket and exits the room. On his way to the lobby through the caged elevator, he keeps wondering if he should just fly back to Singapore and see Dini. What's the point of staying here when you are sick and your heart's not in it anymore? Tell Jen you have to work. Tell her there's a company crisis. Get Mark to call you and let her know that it's serious. Without you, the bank will fall apart. Whatever, do something. You have to go back. 

The Honeymoon [Part 3/8]: Bed and Breakfast in Treviso

Paul is in the hotel room alone. He has used the sick card again to get out of sight-seeing with Jen's new found friends. He isn't lying because he is really ill, with possibly the latest bug that is going around infecting everybody. So infectious that it is mandated to install a hand sanitizer at everywhere you turn, and hand shaking can be fined. But his real intention of staying behind is to call Dini.  

The Honeymoon [Part 2/8]: How to Say Love in Italian

Paul looks visibly shaken after listening to his voicemail on the cellphone. His plane though diverted to land in Treviso due to a medical emergency, remains on the runway for a good 70 minutes. The plane is now locked down for a police investigation. Passengers are now breaking into groups and generating heated discussions among themselves. Paul overhears the group behind raving about how the emergency landing grown to become the airline's plot to steal from their luggage.

At one point, a huge white guy wearing a Michael Jackson t-shirt stood up and spat, "Don't think we have no idea what you are trying to pull here! This country is down in the dumps and now they are desperate enough to do anything! First thing outta the people that step into this land. I know my rights! Give me my money back!" When Michael Jackson guy catches Paul looking at him, he sneers, "That means you as well! Job stealing nut here, there, everywhere." A police officer moves over to hush him down.

Friday 16 November 2012

The Honeymoon [Part1/8]: Romantic Destinations

Someone in a couple of rows behind coughs repeatedly and violently.

Jen Kwok wakes up in her seat, her eyes flutters open softy in tears at a dream that she could no longer remember why she is crying. But she knows that it was a good dream and a positive vibe that better things are coming her way. Why not? After all she is with the man of her dreams, on their way to Venice, one of the most romantic destinations on the planet for their honeymoon.

In darkness, the man of her dreams is sitting right beside her - Paul Quek whom ironically is not having the most romantic time of his life. Paul is wrapped in whatever blankets and sweaters they could find on the plane; positions himself diagonally with his head hyper-extended, possibly for better airway ventilation, his eyelids swimming in an overactive REM sleep and complete the image of a bubonic plague victim with large pieces of tissue paper plugging up his swollen nostrils to stop the leak.

Poor baby.... She combs his hair sympathetically. Her fingers trails down his arm and finds that he is still clutching on to his work phone. Paul is a workaholic, as competition has always been stiff in the banking industry. Jumping hoops for an upcoming promotion, he sprung straight to work after their wedding and had wanted to postpone their honeymoon.