When the universe throws you a lemon
This is being written aboard a PAL flight from Tokyo to Manila by an exhausted, sleep-deprived but very grateful passenger. Despite the slight snafus of the day, it has all turned out great.
I am on my way home after doing concerts at The Town Hall and Troy Music Hall in New York and the National Arts Centre in Canada. It’s been nearly two months since I last tread Philippine soil.
As eventful as my stay overseas was—cuddling with good friends, having dinners with new couples, witnessing heartbreaks, creating new spaces, clearing out junk, spending time with family (they’re everywhere), and singing aplenty—the next thing I’m looking forward to is lie in bed for a few days with my husband and daughter, who turned 6 on Wednesday.
My travel day began quietly enough. I hopped into a cab and headed for the Ottawa Airport. Checking in for the flight went without incident, with a very hospitable young lady from the Delta Airlines counter helping me. Security clearance was quick and painless. Even the wait was peaceful, as was the short flight to and disembarkation in Detroit, and the lovely walk to the gate to get on the flight to Narita.
But after boarding and settling into my seat, the head flight attendant and the captain started making announcements about the state of the plane. At first, we were that told the air-conditioning cart needed to be replaced. Later, we heard that a leaky fuel line and the auxiliary power unit had to be fixed before we could take off. The delay lasted more than one hour. This became a cause for concern.
Nearly everyone had a connecting flight to catch, whether it was to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Bangkok or Manila. Although the pilot said he would try to make up for the lost time, it was not to be.
The plane touched down at 7 p.m. Tokyo time, after many of the connecting flights had already departed. Just before landing, the captain instructed us to speak to the gate agent for details on our new connecting flights, what would happen with our baggage, and in which hotel we’d be staying.
For a while, it looked like chaos would rule. One lady lamented that she wouldn’t be able to see her daughter off to Berlin from Bangkok; another stressed that her family that had rented a van and driven from Bataan to meet her, and now they have to find a place to spend the night, as well as scrounge up van rental money for another day. Everyone was tired.
Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. The very patient ground staff was able to attend to all passengers. We were all bused to our hotels without incident. A couple of young women actually made friends in all the hubbub, and went on to find an authentic ramen restaurant.
I got very little sleep; I was paranoid that my alarm clock wouldn’t go off or that I’d miss the bus, so I caught up with my family via FaceTime, took a long, hot shower, ordered some amazing tonkatsu from room service, and watched TV.
At 7 a.m. we all boarded the bus back to the airport and checked into this PAL flight. Peace and quiet at last, and here we are, headed for home.
The point of my seemingly insignificant story is that the universe will, at various points of your life, throw you a lemon or two—maybe even a crateful. You can choose to either whine and moan or make the best of the situation. Two people found an opportunity for adventure; a few others bonded with total strangers. There were more smiles shared than scowls. It’s a day like today that renews my faith in mankind.
Shameless plug
To Upstart Productions’ “Forbidden Broadway,” a hearty congratulations on a well-received opening weekend, especially to director Joel Trinidad and cast members Liesl Batucan, Caisa Borromeo, OJ Mariano and Lorenz Martinez. This long-running hit spoofs many beloved Broadway musicals such as “Les Misérables,” “Phantom of the Opera” and “Wicked.”
There will be guest appearances in the coming two weekends by Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Aiza Seguerra, Nyoy Volante, Cherie Gil and yours truly, among others. Catch it at the RCBC Theater until May 27.
