13-2-2004 A Son's Wish
A year ago today I embarked one of the most memorable journey’s of my life. My dad had been in hospital for the past 35 days, having a reoccurrence of his stroke which left him in pretty bad shape. Having a brain stem stroke had affected not only movement but speech, but also his swallowing, breathing and other parts of his body were beginning to give in.
I was asked to attend a conference in Manila, Philippines from 12 to 14 February 2004. At the time, I thought to myself that it would be OK as we did not know what to expect after such a long time in hospital.
Upon arriving in Manila (being my first overseas trip for the company), I realized that upon canceling my corporate account when I was at DC, my international roaming too had been cancelled. Anyway, after attending the first day of the conference, I checked in with home to ask of his condition. News was that he wasn’t doing too well. I began to worry, but it wasn’t the first time I had felt this way recently. Then it all began…
After dinner around 9pm, I received a call from Sue saying that they have asked me to hurry back as they had feared the worst. The following then happened:
9.30 pm I tried to go online to get the earliest flight out. SIA did not have a flight out, and MAS did not issue online tickets for flights less than 12 hours before departure time. I then turned to the concierge to ask if any travel agents were available. I was told that they were closed. Fortunately, he had a friend who was a travel agent. After waiting for about 30 mins, he called my room to inform that he got me a ticket to fly from Manila to Singapore at 6.30 am the following morning. To the gentleman at the concierge, thank you.
10.00 pm I then went to Mei Ling’s room to use the internet. After calculating arrival time from Manila, I booked the earliest available flight, Sing-KL at 2.40pm. To Mei Ling, thank you.
13/2/2004 4.30 am I got on the taxi and headed for the airport. Upon arriving at the airport, I had to go and purchase the ticket. As I gave the gentlemen at the ticket counter my reference no. I was informed that I had been booked on a ‘Refugee’ status ticket, and that he could not issue me this ticket. I was baffled, and to make things worst, I was to get a new ticket and would be on standby. I practically begged his to check if I would be able to catch the 6.30 flight. After a slight delay, I got the new ticket, and went straight to check in. To the gentleman at the ticket counter, thank you.
5.20 am I hurried to the check in counter. Somehow, I began to feel that this was not going to be my day. After successfully checking in with my usual bag as a hand carry for the last some 100 flights, today the check in officer refused to let it in. I was told to check in this bag. I vehemently refused saying that I need to catch the 1.00 (although my flight was at 2.40, the 1.00 was the MAS flight) from Singapore and will not have time to retrieve and catch that flight. I was refused and refused again, till I was told to speak to his manager. I was told that there was no way I was going to catch the 1.00 flight even if I did not check in my bags. The 6.30 was due in at 12.10pm. After pleading and saying that I am willing to take that risk, he allowed my bags to be brought in. To the manager at the check in counter, thank you.
5.45 am I always insist on an aisle seat in one of the front rows whenever I check in, but given the circumstances I did not bother this time round. As I got on the plane, going by seat after seat, I realized that I was put on the very last seat on the plane (u know, the one right in front of the lavatory). As we took off, I requested to the steward that I need to rush to catch a plane in Singapore and if there were any seats near front, he said he would check and get back to me. Not to long after that he came back, and gave me an available seat number. As I walked down the aisle, it was a pleasant surprise that I was given a seat on the very first row. To the kind steward, thank you.
11.45 am God almighty, we arrived 25 minutes earlier. As I rushed out of the plane, it came to me that I might catch the 1.00 flight after all. I ran down the escalator to the immigration clearance, only to see a long, long cue in front of me. I did not know what got into me, but I cut the queue right to the front, and pleaded with the officer that I needed to get through immediately, and amazingly, she let me through. To the Immigration Officer, thank you.
12.00 pm Immigration did not prove to be the final hurdle. I dashed towards the exit gate, and again, of all the days, the Customs Officer wanted to check my bags. Again, without thinking twice, told him that I was in a hurry and pleaded to be excused. And once again, he said Yes. To the Customs Officer, thank you.
12.10 pm I arrived at the shuttle counter for Sing-KL. The 1.00 pm counter was still open, and being a regular on these shuttles for past couple of years, I took a number a requested to get on the flight when my number was called. To my amazement, I was told that an E-ticket (the one I bought at Mei Ling’s room through the net) cannot be used to interchange between SIA and MAS flights. Boy, was I fuming at the time. I was told to go to the SIA ticketing counter in the next terminal, get a paper ticket issued (of which I will have to pay a fee) and get it endorsed to allow me get on the MAS flight. To make things worst, all this will take an hour or two..
The saying goes, when you’re in a tight spot, your creative cap comes on (or at least that’s what my results in the profiling test said). At this juncture, I jumped across the fence, went to MAS counter and asked the lady – if I were to buy a new ticket, would I be able to still get on the 1.00. As she said yes, I jumped back over the fence, ran over to the MAS ticket counter, and bought a brand new ticket. Now I had two tickets, but as I would learn later in the day, proved to the right decision. At 12.50pm, I got on that flight.
It was a short flight over to KL, but I finally had time to get my thoughts together. I had feared for the worst, but in my mind I new I couldn’t accept it if I did not see my father one last time.
1.50 pm I got off the plane. Finally back home, and finally able to use my mobile. As I switched on my phone, the SMSes started coming in one after the other. The first was from Abang Mad. He had offered me condolences. Yes, it was only then that I found out that my dad was gone. The next text came from Sue. She wrote that Papa passed away a 9.30am this morning, and for me to be strong. I paused for a moment, and then it was a blur for a moment. After composing myself, rushed out and got on the taxi and requested that he go a little faster, as I had ‘urgent matters’ to attend to. On the taxi, I called Sue. I was informed that they were waiting for my arrival to proceed with the burial.
2.45pm I arrived home to the throngs of people at my home. I did not stop to look who was there, but went straight to my mom, gave her a hug and told her to stop worrying as I have arrived. I went behind, Pak Ngah, my brothers and several others had just begun to bathe my father (a ritual in Islam before the burial).
Alhamdulillah, I got to perform my duties as a son to bathe, pray and bury my father that day. I was very grateful that although I was not at his death bed, I was able to see him one last time. I had long made my peace with Papa, for me he was my dad, and I loved him for who he was. I look back at that day, a recollect the many people I thank throughout this journey, but must of all it is He that I should thank. Allahuakbar!
I was asked to attend a conference in Manila, Philippines from 12 to 14 February 2004. At the time, I thought to myself that it would be OK as we did not know what to expect after such a long time in hospital.
Upon arriving in Manila (being my first overseas trip for the company), I realized that upon canceling my corporate account when I was at DC, my international roaming too had been cancelled. Anyway, after attending the first day of the conference, I checked in with home to ask of his condition. News was that he wasn’t doing too well. I began to worry, but it wasn’t the first time I had felt this way recently. Then it all began…
After dinner around 9pm, I received a call from Sue saying that they have asked me to hurry back as they had feared the worst. The following then happened:
9.30 pm I tried to go online to get the earliest flight out. SIA did not have a flight out, and MAS did not issue online tickets for flights less than 12 hours before departure time. I then turned to the concierge to ask if any travel agents were available. I was told that they were closed. Fortunately, he had a friend who was a travel agent. After waiting for about 30 mins, he called my room to inform that he got me a ticket to fly from Manila to Singapore at 6.30 am the following morning. To the gentleman at the concierge, thank you.
10.00 pm I then went to Mei Ling’s room to use the internet. After calculating arrival time from Manila, I booked the earliest available flight, Sing-KL at 2.40pm. To Mei Ling, thank you.
13/2/2004 4.30 am I got on the taxi and headed for the airport. Upon arriving at the airport, I had to go and purchase the ticket. As I gave the gentlemen at the ticket counter my reference no. I was informed that I had been booked on a ‘Refugee’ status ticket, and that he could not issue me this ticket. I was baffled, and to make things worst, I was to get a new ticket and would be on standby. I practically begged his to check if I would be able to catch the 6.30 flight. After a slight delay, I got the new ticket, and went straight to check in. To the gentleman at the ticket counter, thank you.
5.20 am I hurried to the check in counter. Somehow, I began to feel that this was not going to be my day. After successfully checking in with my usual bag as a hand carry for the last some 100 flights, today the check in officer refused to let it in. I was told to check in this bag. I vehemently refused saying that I need to catch the 1.00 (although my flight was at 2.40, the 1.00 was the MAS flight) from Singapore and will not have time to retrieve and catch that flight. I was refused and refused again, till I was told to speak to his manager. I was told that there was no way I was going to catch the 1.00 flight even if I did not check in my bags. The 6.30 was due in at 12.10pm. After pleading and saying that I am willing to take that risk, he allowed my bags to be brought in. To the manager at the check in counter, thank you.
5.45 am I always insist on an aisle seat in one of the front rows whenever I check in, but given the circumstances I did not bother this time round. As I got on the plane, going by seat after seat, I realized that I was put on the very last seat on the plane (u know, the one right in front of the lavatory). As we took off, I requested to the steward that I need to rush to catch a plane in Singapore and if there were any seats near front, he said he would check and get back to me. Not to long after that he came back, and gave me an available seat number. As I walked down the aisle, it was a pleasant surprise that I was given a seat on the very first row. To the kind steward, thank you.
11.45 am God almighty, we arrived 25 minutes earlier. As I rushed out of the plane, it came to me that I might catch the 1.00 flight after all. I ran down the escalator to the immigration clearance, only to see a long, long cue in front of me. I did not know what got into me, but I cut the queue right to the front, and pleaded with the officer that I needed to get through immediately, and amazingly, she let me through. To the Immigration Officer, thank you.
12.00 pm Immigration did not prove to be the final hurdle. I dashed towards the exit gate, and again, of all the days, the Customs Officer wanted to check my bags. Again, without thinking twice, told him that I was in a hurry and pleaded to be excused. And once again, he said Yes. To the Customs Officer, thank you.
12.10 pm I arrived at the shuttle counter for Sing-KL. The 1.00 pm counter was still open, and being a regular on these shuttles for past couple of years, I took a number a requested to get on the flight when my number was called. To my amazement, I was told that an E-ticket (the one I bought at Mei Ling’s room through the net) cannot be used to interchange between SIA and MAS flights. Boy, was I fuming at the time. I was told to go to the SIA ticketing counter in the next terminal, get a paper ticket issued (of which I will have to pay a fee) and get it endorsed to allow me get on the MAS flight. To make things worst, all this will take an hour or two..
The saying goes, when you’re in a tight spot, your creative cap comes on (or at least that’s what my results in the profiling test said). At this juncture, I jumped across the fence, went to MAS counter and asked the lady – if I were to buy a new ticket, would I be able to still get on the 1.00. As she said yes, I jumped back over the fence, ran over to the MAS ticket counter, and bought a brand new ticket. Now I had two tickets, but as I would learn later in the day, proved to the right decision. At 12.50pm, I got on that flight.
It was a short flight over to KL, but I finally had time to get my thoughts together. I had feared for the worst, but in my mind I new I couldn’t accept it if I did not see my father one last time.
1.50 pm I got off the plane. Finally back home, and finally able to use my mobile. As I switched on my phone, the SMSes started coming in one after the other. The first was from Abang Mad. He had offered me condolences. Yes, it was only then that I found out that my dad was gone. The next text came from Sue. She wrote that Papa passed away a 9.30am this morning, and for me to be strong. I paused for a moment, and then it was a blur for a moment. After composing myself, rushed out and got on the taxi and requested that he go a little faster, as I had ‘urgent matters’ to attend to. On the taxi, I called Sue. I was informed that they were waiting for my arrival to proceed with the burial.
2.45pm I arrived home to the throngs of people at my home. I did not stop to look who was there, but went straight to my mom, gave her a hug and told her to stop worrying as I have arrived. I went behind, Pak Ngah, my brothers and several others had just begun to bathe my father (a ritual in Islam before the burial).
Alhamdulillah, I got to perform my duties as a son to bathe, pray and bury my father that day. I was very grateful that although I was not at his death bed, I was able to see him one last time. I had long made my peace with Papa, for me he was my dad, and I loved him for who he was. I look back at that day, a recollect the many people I thank throughout this journey, but must of all it is He that I should thank. Allahuakbar!
posted by syachou at 5:57 PM
2 Comments:
Indeed a year has passed. Very graphically described i must say but all these events were god's way in testing our patience... U've always been strong my friend.
I remember the time when your dad drove us to VI.. haks.. very fast and using just one arm to take the sharp parliment corner !!
If it comes to a point where I have to go through a situation like yours...I hope I will be as strong...as I have faith in Him to get me through it.
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