Have you ever been so frustrated that you sometimes don't care what everyone thinks of you if you act a certain way? I know everyone gets frustrated sometimes, especially when you're in a hurry. I've had many occasions like this, and the thing I hate the most is the line. I hate standing in line the most, especially at the checkout counters in stores. I hate people who can't decide if they want certain items. I mean, they spend a full two hours shopping and choosing the items they want, but why wait until checkout time to decide if they really want those items or not? Some shoppers waiting in line to check out decide at the last minute to put unwanted items back on the shelves. Some shoppers would stand there for a few minutes, deciding whether the cashier should cancel the transaction. What I hate most are people who suddenly remember they forgot something in the middle of a transaction and ask their partner to go get the item while everyone else is waiting in line. So, if you feel this way sometimes, remember that you are not alone. I am one of you.
On this hot summer day, Xiao Lan and I stood outside the airport waiting for Jack to bring my shoulder bag. I'd heard people mention that Vietnam is hotter and wetter than here because Vietnam is on the equator of the Earth. I don't know how I'm going to get through the summer heat. It was Xiao Lan's fault that he chose to go at this time of year. He told me we had to go now and if we waited later, he wouldn't be able to go with me because it's mating season. What a horny bastard! The way he talks about mating season, he made it sound like something he'd been looking forward to doing. Every time he talks about the mating season of his people, there's this evil glance on his face, as if he's ready to unleash the energy that has been lurking in him for years. It's not like he's lacking in getting laid.
I looked at my phone, and the more I stared at that stupid phone, the angrier I got. I felt like I'd been waiting like a family member waiting for a loved one to undergo surgery. Every second made me more and more angry until my phone rang. I picked up the phone, and Jack was on the other end of the line. "Sir, I got your cross bag. I'm standing at the front door. Where are you?"
I looked around and said, "I'm standing in front of the main entrance. Walk a little to your right."
After a few minutes, Jack said, "Sir, I kept walking to the right, to the end of the sidewalk, and I didn't see you."
I moved quickly to the left and didn't see Jack either. I started walking back to the door. "Are you sure you didn't see me?"
"No sir, I didn't see you. Did you see me?" Jack asked.
I said madly, "Where are you, idiot? How do I know what you look like without seeing your face? There are too many people walking around."
Jack said, "Hey, we've been friends for so long, how could you not know me? Even if I only saw your back, I'd recognize it was you standing in front of me, but I didn't see anyone with your similar back. So, where are you?"
I quickly looked around. "We are at the main entrance?"
"Well, dear sir, I am standing in front of the front of the main entrance, and I do not see you or Xiao Lan," Jack said.
"Main entrance?" I looked right and left, but Jack was nowhere to be found. "Are you sure? We're standing by the trash can."
Jack said, "I am right in front of the entrance and I don't see you by the trash can."
"What? We're all standing here, why can't you see me? Are you sure you are in the same dimension as me?" I exclaimed.
Jack said, "I'm standing in front of the trash can now. I didn't see you?"
Xiao Lan took the phone out of my hand. "Jack, we are at main entrance B on the east side of the airport." Xiao Lan returned the phone to me.
"No wonder I didn't see you," Jack said. "I'm standing in front of main entrance A now. Okay, I will drive around to the other side."
I looked at Xiao Lan and said, "Why didn't you tell me that there are different entrances and exits in the airport? How many entrances and exits are there?"
Xiao Lan didn't answer my question, but said, "I'm going to line up to check in the bags, you wait for Jack." He pushed the two suitcases back to the airport and left me standing alone in the summer sun in front of main entrance B.
About ten minutes later, Chi pulled up in front of me, and Jack walked out with my satchel. Jack handed the satchel to me and said, "Here you go."
I grabbed the satchel from Jack's hand. "Why are you taking so long?" I said angrily. I guess my tone was harsh, but Jack knew I only slept a few minutes, and I knew he wouldn't mind.
Jack said, "Traffic. Oh yeah, I just wanted to let you know that the project you invested in is going well. They asked me to ask you, are you going to cash in your investment or put your money down for another project, or how much do you want to invest this time?"
"Well... I'm not thinking about it right now," I said. "I'll call you when I get to the hotel."
"Are you calling me using your cell phone?" Jack asked.
"Yes, but I'm going to Facebook call you since it's free. I'm not going to have the phone company charge me an unreasonably high fee for international calls. I'll message you before I call you," I explained.
Jack smiled. "Okay." He winked at me.
I rushed into the airport and saw Xiao Lan talking to a young clerk at the luggage counter. I walked up to Xiao Lan and cut in line in front of the other people who probably were swearing at me, but I didn't care. I knew our plane would be boarding in twenty minutes.
The young clerk was flirting with Xiao Lan, and she deliberately told him that she could not find our names. I looked at my watch and was so annoyed that I put my left hand around Xiao Lan's waist and said, "Dear, what's wrong? Is there something wrong with the plane ticket Jack booked for us?"
"I don't think so," Xiao Lan said, "but she doesn't seem to be able to find our names on the computer."
I smiled at the young clerk and said, "Can you let my husband and I pass? We are on our honeymoon, and the plane is boarding as we speak. We don't want to miss our flight. Maybe you could call for backup to help you check in these other passengers." I turned to look at the people standing behind me. Then I turned to look at the young clerk. "I don't think they'd be that happy if they waited too long. I know big companies are worried about their public image... bad reviews, I guess that's what it's called nowadays."
She peeked from behind us, stared at me with a displeased face, and quickly said, "Oh, here we go." She quickly printed out our tickets and handed them to Xiao Lan.
I took the ticket from her and smiled at her. "Thank you, Miss."
I wrapped my arm around Xiao Lan's right arm, and Xiao Lan shook his head. He said, "You are so unbelievable."
I scoffed, "She is wasting my time." I looked at Xiao Lan. "Next time you board the plane as a disabled old woman."
"Why?" Xiao Lan asked.
I smiled and said, "It makes everything a lot easier. Think about it: you get a discount, you're in a wheelchair, and other people will let us board the plane first. When the plane lands, they ask the other passengers to let us get off first. It's a win-win for us, the other passengers, and the crew members." I let go of Xiao Lan's arm.
Xiao Lan shook his head with a wry smile. "You are incredible."
I smiled mockingly at Xiao Lan and said, "Well, think about it."
Xiao Lan shook his head, and we went straight to the terminal. Many passengers had already boarded the plane.
Walking down the terminal, I saw the ghost lady in her traditional yellow dress walking in front of us. She turned around and looked at me sadly. I looked at Xiao Lan and asked, "Xiao Lan, can you see her?"
"Opening my third eye, I can see them, but without opening my third eye, I will not see or hear them," Xiao Lan replied.
"I thought you were all-powerful," I said sarcastically.
Xiao Lan glanced at me, smiled, turned, and walked towards the terminal.
I quickly grabbed Xiao Lan's arm. "Hey, what's with this smirk?"
"It's nothing... hurry up," Xiao Lan said.
The Persian man interjected, "My God, you are stupid. He has the power to open and closed his third eye at will. He chooses to close his third eye and not to see or hear those entities, to make yourself feel more useful."
I frowned. "Shut up. If you don't speak, no one will notice you." I looked at the ghost lady's back. "She won't leave me alone, will she?"
Xiao Lan looked at me with a smirk. "When they know you accept their existence, they won't let you go until you fulfill their last wish or destroy their soul, but why would you want to destroy their soul? When they're only asking for help. Do you want to know why they will not leave you?"
"Why?" I asked.
"Because not everyone can hear or see them," Xiao Lan said. "Once they know you can hear them, they will be very clingy."
"How do I get rid of this? I don't want to see them," I asked.
Xiao Lan stopped just before entering the plane. "Between seeing them and being blind, which do you prefer?" he asked.