Here is there

CaRDz crapst3r@yahoo.com — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:18:26 GMT

[ Currently: hungreh ]
A loud rumbling tore through the calm that blanketed the concrete field as a passenger Boeing 747 made its way down unto the main runway. The stale blackness of the asphalt covering the empty landing strip drew darker as the wheels kissed the ground, screeching mightily as thick rubbers skidded against the surface ferociously before finally stopping.

The seatbelt sign was still flashing on when the plane had made an awkward turn as it slowly taxied towards its docking station. A flight steward reminded everyone to stay seated and buckled until the captain told them otherwise. Stuck in their seats, everyone peered out through the windows and took in the outside scenery.

Immediately standing out the most was the central tower; shooting upwards towards the sky as it pierced the cloudy mists that hugged the summit. It was a relatively tall and robust structure, yet, still not enough as to completely obscure the mountain that overlooked the valley, coming into full view only as the plane slowly rolled past the tower. As it did, it flooded into perspective forcefully with its narrow peaks dipping into the heavens, disappearing into the clouds that draped them so naturally. Its slope edged out its appearance as its wide base embraced the small hills that dotted much of the landscape.

Minutes pass until, finally, the plane veered softly into the main causeway as it completed a turn, dodging and snaking along the other stationed airplanes. Crewmen began maneuvering the boarding bridge toward the main exit door, latching it on the huge metallic locks that secured the narrow passageway on the plane�s fuselage. A long hiss broke out as the hydraulic doorway was opened, letting in cool outside fresh air into the cabin. By then, the captain had already been talking, announcing the obvious over the speakers � that they had arrived at their destination, that it was raining outside, and that it was alright to unfasten their seatbelts.

In an instant chorus, everyone stood up and began chitchatting as they fetched their baggage they had stashed away in overhead compartments. A flight steward stood by the exit, clasping both her hands against her belt as she put on a fake smile. Some of the lazier ones stayed seated, waiting out the tide of impatient passengers trying to get through the exit as soon as they could.

A young man who had been anxiously staring at the flight stewards stood up and swung his backpack around his shoulder. He looked around his seat, checking for anything of his that he might have forgotten. When he'd realized there weren't any, he made his way to the exit, pacing himself slower as he got nearer and nearer.

"Enjoy your stay, sir" greeted the young blonde who had been waving hellos and goodbyes to the tired souls whose backsides had stayed seated for the last 10 hours.

"Thank you," he answered.

He walked towards the gate, breathing in the cold air that seeped in from the thin walls of the bridge each step. He dug in his coat pocket, fumbling around for his boarding pass. "G8-West," he thought to himself as he tried to remember the final destination his luggage was headed off to.

He looked up at the signs, trying to make out what the electronic writings on them meant. To him, it was completely incomprehensible. Not that it was illegible or understandable, just that it was beyond what he could read. It was completely foreign and helplessly alien to him. Yet, he felt a weird sense of security and of belonging - that he was exactly right at home.

He continued wandering around, walking aimlessly like a wayward cat. He'd go from one end of the terminal, then walk on to the other end. Despite all of these, he was enjoying himself, and, to an extant, even having fun.

Strangely enough, he was simply happy as he can be.

After a 20 minute trek around the ariport, he'd finally found his bags and checked them out at the reception desk. Now at the entrance, he waved down a taxi and took out a piece of paper from his backpack. He handed it to the driver and pointed to what has been scribbled unto them. The cab driver took a look at it, then gave him a nod and let him in.

The radio was on, and neither man spoke. It was awkward, but no more than the usual cab drive.

The taxi went from freeway to freeway and exited through city districts before getting into smaller suburbs. The city skyline has now regressed farther away, giving way to smaller buildings and facilities, along with narrower car lanes. More and more, the hustle and bustle of the city got less and less apparent. Finally, the taxi had stopped in front of an old house complex: with the main cabin joined by smaller ones, each being a two-room duplex.

The driver turned around and smiled as he pointed at the sign outside of the complex then at the cab meter.

"This is probably it," he hoped.

He reached out for his wallet and gave the driver money bills with which he had no idea whether they were enough or too much. Then, he opened the door and got his bags from the trunk, set them on the ground and gave the doorbell a buzz.

A door opened somewhere as someone yelled out for someone or something. A little bit later, a gray-haired lady stuck her head out through the window on the top floor of the center house and looked around.

"Ah! It's you!" she exclaimed as she waved at him, closing the window she peaked out from, then hurrying down the stairs. Her tiny steps made loud thuds as she came through her wooden doorway as she quickly put on her sandals.

She opened the gate in front of him and let him inside.

"I'm relieved that you got here fine," she said as she motioned him to sit on the tatami mats.

"I'm just as relieved as you are," he chuckled.

"So, how was your plane trip to Japan?" she asked as she handed him a hot cup of tea.

"Wonderful. I enjoyed every bit of it."

"That's good to know," she replied as she stood up and went into the kitchen.

There were some nabe chicken noodles and takoyaki hot on the stove, filling the room with its aromatic bliss. She took out a small rice bowl and a plate from the cupboard and set them in front of him.

"Help yourself," she said as he let him eat his first real meal since his flight began.

"Thank you."

He grabbed the chopsticks and started eating. His eyes brimmed with joyous cheer as he took a bite. A sudden blast of overwhelming happiness overcame him as he sat there, realizing one important thing: that he is where he is.

"It's very delicious. Very Delicious indeed," he complimented her as he continued eating the freshly made dinner.

Cognitive Dissonance

Here is there