Hi!
How are you?” The woman smiled as she took the seat beside me. She had to lower
herself slowly, squeezing her ample bottom into the seat, filling all available
space.
How are you?” The woman smiled as she took the seat beside me. She had to lower
herself slowly, squeezing her ample bottom into the seat, filling all available
space.
Positioning
herself comfortably, she plopped her enormous arm on our common armrest. Her
immensity saturated the space around us, shrinking me and my seat into
insignificance.
herself comfortably, she plopped her enormous arm on our common armrest. Her
immensity saturated the space around us, shrinking me and my seat into
insignificance.
I
cringed and reclined towards the window.
cringed and reclined towards the window.
She
leaned towards me and repeated her greeting in an upbeat, friendly voice. Her
face towered above my head, forcing me to turn to look at her. “Hi,” I replied
with obvious loathing.
leaned towards me and repeated her greeting in an upbeat, friendly voice. Her
face towered above my head, forcing me to turn to look at her. “Hi,” I replied
with obvious loathing.
I
turned away to stare out the cabin window, sulking silently about the long
hours of discomfort I was going to experience with this monster beside me.
turned away to stare out the cabin window, sulking silently about the long
hours of discomfort I was going to experience with this monster beside me.
She
nudged me with her meaty arm. “My name is Laura. I’m from Britain. How about
you? Japan?”
nudged me with her meaty arm. “My name is Laura. I’m from Britain. How about
you? Japan?”
“Malaysia,”
I barked.
I barked.
“I’m
so sorry! Will you accept my heartfelt apology? Come, shake my hand. If we’re
going to spend six hours side-by-side on this flight, we’d better be friends,
don’t you think?” A palm waved in front of my face. I shook the hand
reluctantly, still silent.
so sorry! Will you accept my heartfelt apology? Come, shake my hand. If we’re
going to spend six hours side-by-side on this flight, we’d better be friends,
don’t you think?” A palm waved in front of my face. I shook the hand
reluctantly, still silent.
Laura
started a conversation with me, taking no notice of my unfriendly reactions.
She talked excitedly about herself and her trip to Hong Kong to see her friends.
She rattled off a list of things she was going to buy for her students in the
boarding school where she was teaching.
started a conversation with me, taking no notice of my unfriendly reactions.
She talked excitedly about herself and her trip to Hong Kong to see her friends.
She rattled off a list of things she was going to buy for her students in the
boarding school where she was teaching.
I
gave her one-word answers to her questions about me. Unperturbed by my
coldness, she nodded as she made appreciative comments to my answers. Her voice
was warm and caring. She was considerate and obliging when we were served
drinks and meals, making sure that I had room to manoeuvre in my seat. “I don’t
want to clobber you with my elephant size!” she said with utmost sincerity.
gave her one-word answers to her questions about me. Unperturbed by my
coldness, she nodded as she made appreciative comments to my answers. Her voice
was warm and caring. She was considerate and obliging when we were served
drinks and meals, making sure that I had room to manoeuvre in my seat. “I don’t
want to clobber you with my elephant size!” she said with utmost sincerity.
To
my surprise, her face which repulsed me hours before, now opened into
extraordinary smiles, lively and calm at the same time. I couldn’t help but let
down my guard slowly.
my surprise, her face which repulsed me hours before, now opened into
extraordinary smiles, lively and calm at the same time. I couldn’t help but let
down my guard slowly.
Laura
was an interesting conversationalist. She was well read in many subjects from
philosophy to science. She turned a seemingly unimportant subject into
something to explore and understand. Her comments were humorous and
inspirational. When our topic turned to cultures, I was pleasantly surprised by
her intelligent comments and well-thought-out analysis.
was an interesting conversationalist. She was well read in many subjects from
philosophy to science. She turned a seemingly unimportant subject into
something to explore and understand. Her comments were humorous and
inspirational. When our topic turned to cultures, I was pleasantly surprised by
her intelligent comments and well-thought-out analysis.
During
our conversation, Laura managed to make every cabin crew who served us walk
away laughing at her jokes.
our conversation, Laura managed to make every cabin crew who served us walk
away laughing at her jokes.
When
a flight attendant was clearing our plates, Laura cracked several jokes about
her size. The flight attendant roared with laughter as she grabbed Laura’s
hand, “You really make my day!”
a flight attendant was clearing our plates, Laura cracked several jokes about
her size. The flight attendant roared with laughter as she grabbed Laura’s
hand, “You really make my day!”
For
the next few minutes, Laura listened attentively and gave pointers to the
flight attendant’s weight problem. The grateful attendant said before she
rushed off, “I’ve got to work. I’ll come back later and talk to you about it.”
the next few minutes, Laura listened attentively and gave pointers to the
flight attendant’s weight problem. The grateful attendant said before she
rushed off, “I’ve got to work. I’ll come back later and talk to you about it.”
I
asked Laura, “‘have you ever thought about losing some weight?”
asked Laura, “‘have you ever thought about losing some weight?”
“No.
I’ve worked hard to get this way. Why would I want to give it up?”
I’ve worked hard to get this way. Why would I want to give it up?”
“You
aren’t worried about cardiovascular diseases that come with being overweight?”
aren’t worried about cardiovascular diseases that come with being overweight?”
“Not
at all. You only get the diseases if you’re worried about your weight all the
time. You see advertisements from slimming centres that say, ‘Liberate yourself
from your extra baggage so that you are free to be yourself.’ It’s rubbish!
You’re liberated only if you’re comfortable about who you are, and what you
look like any time of the day and anytime of the year! Why would I want to
waste my time on slimming regimes when I have so many other important things to
do and so many people to be friends with? I eat healthily and walk regularly;
I’m this size because I am born to be big! There is more to life than worrying
about weight all day long.”
at all. You only get the diseases if you’re worried about your weight all the
time. You see advertisements from slimming centres that say, ‘Liberate yourself
from your extra baggage so that you are free to be yourself.’ It’s rubbish!
You’re liberated only if you’re comfortable about who you are, and what you
look like any time of the day and anytime of the year! Why would I want to
waste my time on slimming regimes when I have so many other important things to
do and so many people to be friends with? I eat healthily and walk regularly;
I’m this size because I am born to be big! There is more to life than worrying
about weight all day long.”
She
sipped at her wine. “Besides, God gives me so much happiness that I need a
bigger body to hold all of it! Why would I lose weight to lose my happiness?”
Taken aback by her reasoning, I chuckled.
sipped at her wine. “Besides, God gives me so much happiness that I need a
bigger body to hold all of it! Why would I lose weight to lose my happiness?”
Taken aback by her reasoning, I chuckled.
Laura
continued. “Folks often see me as a fat lady with big bosoms, big thighs and a
big bottom that no man would even bother to cast a glance at. They see me as a
slob. They think I’m lazy and have no willpower. They’re wrong.” She held up
her glass to a passing flight attendant. “More of this magnificent wine,
please.” She smiled sweetly at the attendant. “Great service from your crew.
May God bless all of you.”
continued. “Folks often see me as a fat lady with big bosoms, big thighs and a
big bottom that no man would even bother to cast a glance at. They see me as a
slob. They think I’m lazy and have no willpower. They’re wrong.” She held up
her glass to a passing flight attendant. “More of this magnificent wine,
please.” She smiled sweetly at the attendant. “Great service from your crew.
May God bless all of you.”
She
turned to me, “I’m actually a slim person inside. I’m so full of energy that
people won’t be able to keep up with me. This extra flesh is here to slow me
down, otherwise I’ll be running everywhere chasing after men!”
turned to me, “I’m actually a slim person inside. I’m so full of energy that
people won’t be able to keep up with me. This extra flesh is here to slow me
down, otherwise I’ll be running everywhere chasing after men!”
“Do
men chase after you?” I asked jokingly.
men chase after you?” I asked jokingly.
“Of
course they do. I’m happily married but men still keep proposing to me.
course they do. I’m happily married but men still keep proposing to me.
“Most
of them have relationship problems and they need someone to confide in. For
some reason, they like to talk to me. I think I should have been a counsellor
instead of a school teacher!”
of them have relationship problems and they need someone to confide in. For
some reason, they like to talk to me. I think I should have been a counsellor
instead of a school teacher!”
Laura
paused before she said thoughtfully, “You know, the relationship between men
and women is so complicated. Women worship men and call them, ‘Honey’ until
they find out they have been lied to, and then they turn into bitter gourds!
Men love women so much that they see them as their soul mates until they look
at their credit card bills, and then women become devils with tridents!”
paused before she said thoughtfully, “You know, the relationship between men
and women is so complicated. Women worship men and call them, ‘Honey’ until
they find out they have been lied to, and then they turn into bitter gourds!
Men love women so much that they see them as their soul mates until they look
at their credit card bills, and then women become devils with tridents!”
Laura’s
enthralling conversation had turned the flight into something thoroughly
enjoyable. I was also fascinated by the way people were drawn to her. By the
end of the flight, almost half the cabin crew was standing near the aisle by
us, laughing and joking with Laura. The passengers around us joined in the
merry-making too. Laura was the centre of attention, filling the cabin with
delightful warmth.
enthralling conversation had turned the flight into something thoroughly
enjoyable. I was also fascinated by the way people were drawn to her. By the
end of the flight, almost half the cabin crew was standing near the aisle by
us, laughing and joking with Laura. The passengers around us joined in the
merry-making too. Laura was the centre of attention, filling the cabin with
delightful warmth.
When
we waved goodbye to each other at the arrival lounge at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak
Airport, I watched her walking towards a big group of adoring adults and kids.
Cheers sounded as the group hugged and kissed Laura. She turned around and
winked at me.
we waved goodbye to each other at the arrival lounge at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak
Airport, I watched her walking towards a big group of adoring adults and kids.
Cheers sounded as the group hugged and kissed Laura. She turned around and
winked at me.
I
was stunned, as the realisation set in: Laura was the most beautiful woman I
had ever met in my life.
By
Chong Sheau Ching
was stunned, as the realisation set in: Laura was the most beautiful woman I
had ever met in my life.
By
Chong Sheau Ching
