Flying Rage

“In order to fly, all one must do is simply miss the ground.” ~Douglas Adams

“Hi Rachel,” I greeted from the kitchen absentmindedly as I heard the keys turned at the front gate.

“Mummy!” The reply carried an exceptionally high-keyed note, not the usual grunt I expected. Something’s not right.

“Mummy! Mummy!” The slim figure triple-hopped into the kitchen, pitching the key higher on every note. Something’s definitely very wrong.

I dropped the biscuit I was having for my lunch onto my plate and looked intently at the brilliant ball of light in front of me. The grin on the luminous face was so enormous it was almost blinding.

“Mummy, I am able to go to the Shanghai trip at the end of next month!” Other than during her Chinese Dance lessons, I have never seen this girl skipped so much within five minutes.

“Oh, that,” I picked up my biscuit and continued nibbling. I was still sore over the Camping Incident. There’s no way I was going to get over-excited on this Shanghai trip.

Oh my God. This girl is going to Shanghai! Aboard a plane! In the air! Flying!

“I thought I will not stand a chance as I was in the waiting list after the ballot. But the teacher informed me today that I got in! I’m so thrilled!” she couldn’t stop babbling.

“You’re so lucky,” I was going to play it cool this time.

“Oh yes! I really can’t believe my good luck! Imagine flying in an aeroplane!” her face was an explosion of fireworks.

“How great,” Maybe I was just a little jealous.

“I wonder how airplane seat feels like.”

Like an Osim massage chair. I almost blurted. Oh, I still have the supportive mother role to play.

“Maybe you can tell me AFTER you have sat on it?” I hoped I sounded constructive.

“I wonder how it will be like being in an airplane!” she was too engrossed in her own ecstasy.

Like you are in an air-borne MRT; only that the scenery outside the window will be different, the plane doesn’t stop every three minutes, you’ll be having blocked ears… Ok, ok, “supportive” is the word.

“Maybe you can tell me AFTER your trip?” I hoped I pitched my tone correctly.

“It’s a real pity you couldn’t join us,” her excitement suddenly toned down and I could actually sense sympathy in her voice. Was I that obvious?

“Oh well, I doubt you wouldn’t want me to join you too if I could,” a little hint of smile crept onto my lips.

As sudden as it had come, the spark of sympathy distinguished in the very next second, as the young woman continued to ascend to her seventh heaven.

“What do you think I should bring for the trip? What can I do on the airplane? I’ll be on a plane! I bet it’ll feel spectacular! I can go on a trip on a plane!”

By then, I understood that those weren’t questions directed at me. That young lady was simply venting her ultimate exhilaration on her archaic mother WHO HAS NEVER BEEN ON A PLANE BEFORE!

Hmph.