“Why are we doing this again?”
“You
will see; the fans are going to love you, and it is good for your approval
ratings”
“Yeah…right” (sighs)
He holds the tour plan on his lap as the seat belt’s sign
flashed on.
I am coming to your city!
It was stated on all the pages as he disgruntledly glanced through
every one of them.
“Critically acclaimed writer, best seller of…; God! You wrote
all of this didn’t you?” he asked his manager, Dave.
Dave: “All are the work of the organisers. Though I did
approve them…; trust me, it would be fine. And be excited; plus, you would start
your tour from your good old place, people are crazy about you there!”
He forced a smile on his face, quickly diminishing in an
instant as he rocked back in his seat.
“But I don’t want to go back…do I?” asking to his inner self with a
sense of deep retrospection.
There was no reply, it felt hollow; perhaps the one inside
had gone to slumber, its been long since they had a conversation.
“Like you are of any help!” he murmured as he blamed himself to reach out to the
one inside.
“Seems like
you are at it again, don’t you?” Dave quipped.
He did not like that. But before he could say anything, he was
interrupted by the lady
“Sir, would you like some tea or coffee?”
He thought for a moment and then queried “Would you have
any liquor in here?”
Smiling she says “Yes Sir, the bar is just at the back of
the last cabin. I can get some for you. What would you like?”
“That’s fine,
I will get it myself” he replied.
Feeling relieved, he immediately proceeded towards the bar.
“Shall I come with you?” Dave enquired.
He replied promptly “Nope, I am fine!”
He finds his way in the back, reaching the bar, much to his
relief.
Onlooking the bar, he was perplexed in his quest to address the
person before him as a bartender or a crew member.
Alas, he was greeted by the man tending the bar.
“Good day Sir, what would you like?”
Scratching his forehead with his fingers, he asks “Would
you have any whiskey” even though he could see the collection, he still did
ask the question, just to start a conversation.
All his success and fame did not change him much to the core,
for he was still one awkward person.
Smiling the person at the bar showed him the collection and
said “The ones at the centre is all we have sir. Which one shall I serve
you?”
He felt disinterested in making a choice and so he replied:
“Anything that would give me a good sleep”
He made a wry of a smile to make things less awkward, even though
it had befallen on him that it might not be working.
On the other hand, the flairman was quite generous in saying “Fine
Sir, I will serve you my favourite then”
“Sure, thank
you so much” he
replied feeling relaxed.
Clutching the glass on one hand, he moved closer to the shut
transparent window which was at arm’s length away from the bar.
He scanned the area at the bar; it was completely empty
except for him, the person who just poured him his favourite whiskey and an occasional
presence of the air hostesses fetching the orders from back at the front.
“Am I the
only alcoholic here” he
felt like asking, but rescinded to his own thoughts by looking outside through
the window.
“Clear night sky, looks wonderful up here, isn’t it Sir?”
“Yes…” he says “…it’s wonderful…”
(exhaling) “…wonderful indeed!”
