Loss of a loved one
As I type this, I have just had my phone stolen at Manila International Airport. Yes my Samsung Galaxy Note, that delightful intelligent companion is now in the hands of some thieving no-gooder who probably as I type, is engrossed in deleting anything identifying its true owner.
My friend Mawethu with whom I traveled across the Philippines in the last two weeks wanted to make a phone call using the public phone. His mobile phone having a flat battery, he decided to use mine to access the number of a friend in Manila. In his words, one moment he was dialing the numbers, having put my Galaxy Note on the Payphone stand to improve his visibility when the next moment it was gone. During that time I was engrossed in surfing the net, catching up on news using my laptop. I thought it was a joke when crestfallen, my friend turned up saying "I am sorry man, someone stole the phone, the police cannot access the CCTV footage and ... I am sorry".
I thought of the photos that I had taken during the last two weeks stored on that phone, thought of the sentimental attachment I had developed for this piece of Korean electronics engineering and felt sad. Sad that travelers always face an anxious time trying to protect their valuables.
Miss you
I once dropped my wallet at Dubai International Airport. Then I had been flying for over seven hours from Zambia and badly needed a rest. It was not surprising therefore that immediately I reclined on the beach chair like seats in their airport I fell into one of those deep dreamless sleeps. I woke up disillusioned, subjected my brain to an examination of its surroundings before the ray of light, that I was travelling brought sanity to my perplexed mind. My bladder full, I immediately sought the restroom. It was in the restroom that I discovered that my wallet was not with me. I turned my laptop bag upside down, my pockets inside out in a frenzied but futile search for my wallet. My mind went to the few hundred dollars it contained, which at that time were the only realistic bridge between me and poverty and my heart sunk even further.
It was sometime before I did the sensible thing and went to the security counter to report my missing wallet. I was asked to describe all of its contents, something I did begrudgingly as I kept thinking "whats the point of all of this, it wont bring back the wallet, or the money". Two copies of my passport, which I had thankfully kept in my laptop bag were made, the routine adding to my annoyance at the time. And then a few calls, my name funnily pronounced and lo and behold! A gentleman brought my wallet, asked me to identify it, sign a few papers and to my elation within minutes, I was in possession of my wallet again. And so thanks to faithful Dubaians I was re-united with not only my wallet, but every one of its contents as well without any blemish.
To this I only have the greatest of respect for the staff on Dubai International Airport, its clean toilets and its spacious chairs.
I guess some of these things depend on culture as well. The reason I hate thieves is that they take you back a couple of notches when you thought you had made progress. It is now left to me to get a new phone, build new memories etc. To his credit, my friend has promised to help me get another phone, not that I blame him for the loss.
My Galaxy Note
For three months I had you in my employ
Now clutched in some sweaty palms of a thief
But then you don't know the difference do you?
A brilliant piece of engineering you are
I will probably get another one like you
Only this time I will be more careful
Not every airport is Dubai
My friend Mawethu with whom I traveled across the Philippines in the last two weeks wanted to make a phone call using the public phone. His mobile phone having a flat battery, he decided to use mine to access the number of a friend in Manila. In his words, one moment he was dialing the numbers, having put my Galaxy Note on the Payphone stand to improve his visibility when the next moment it was gone. During that time I was engrossed in surfing the net, catching up on news using my laptop. I thought it was a joke when crestfallen, my friend turned up saying "I am sorry man, someone stole the phone, the police cannot access the CCTV footage and ... I am sorry".
I thought of the photos that I had taken during the last two weeks stored on that phone, thought of the sentimental attachment I had developed for this piece of Korean electronics engineering and felt sad. Sad that travelers always face an anxious time trying to protect their valuables.
Miss you
I once dropped my wallet at Dubai International Airport. Then I had been flying for over seven hours from Zambia and badly needed a rest. It was not surprising therefore that immediately I reclined on the beach chair like seats in their airport I fell into one of those deep dreamless sleeps. I woke up disillusioned, subjected my brain to an examination of its surroundings before the ray of light, that I was travelling brought sanity to my perplexed mind. My bladder full, I immediately sought the restroom. It was in the restroom that I discovered that my wallet was not with me. I turned my laptop bag upside down, my pockets inside out in a frenzied but futile search for my wallet. My mind went to the few hundred dollars it contained, which at that time were the only realistic bridge between me and poverty and my heart sunk even further.
It was sometime before I did the sensible thing and went to the security counter to report my missing wallet. I was asked to describe all of its contents, something I did begrudgingly as I kept thinking "whats the point of all of this, it wont bring back the wallet, or the money". Two copies of my passport, which I had thankfully kept in my laptop bag were made, the routine adding to my annoyance at the time. And then a few calls, my name funnily pronounced and lo and behold! A gentleman brought my wallet, asked me to identify it, sign a few papers and to my elation within minutes, I was in possession of my wallet again. And so thanks to faithful Dubaians I was re-united with not only my wallet, but every one of its contents as well without any blemish.
To this I only have the greatest of respect for the staff on Dubai International Airport, its clean toilets and its spacious chairs.
I guess some of these things depend on culture as well. The reason I hate thieves is that they take you back a couple of notches when you thought you had made progress. It is now left to me to get a new phone, build new memories etc. To his credit, my friend has promised to help me get another phone, not that I blame him for the loss.
My Galaxy Note
For three months I had you in my employ
Now clutched in some sweaty palms of a thief
But then you don't know the difference do you?
A brilliant piece of engineering you are
I will probably get another one like you
Only this time I will be more careful
Not every airport is Dubai
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