The first flight to JFK is now over and I am feeling completely wiped. I struggle the whole length and up two floors of JFK airport on my crutches and now my underarms are screaming in pain and I need to use my blistered hands again. The staff here are not as welcoming as in PAP. I finally reach the Emirates desk at the other end of the airport and ask if there is any way possible I can be upgraded or at least be given extra leg room as I can’t bend it? I am told that I am not suitable for an upgrade (what does that mean?) and I can’t be given extra leg room as those seats are at emergency exits, and my leg and crutches would get in the way. They eventually find me the last seat at the back of the plane which means that I can stick my leg out and only the cabin crew would need to be careful about tripping over it. I get my boarding pass and an Emirates member of staff feels so sorry for me – I am bright red and knackered from the airport marathon, that he pushes me into a wheelchair to take me through security.
He is very sweet and most helpful and for the rest of my wheelchair journey through to departures, I actually enjoy sitting back and being taken care of. Once we reach the departures, he asks where I would like to be deposited and he will come back before boarding to take me on to the plane (something that is not in his job description but which is much appreciated). I have resorted to my low point and really wish I had said goodbye to the children. So I ask if he can drop me off at the bar. No can do but, he helps me out at fragrances with is directly opposite and recommend that this should be our rendezvous point. I get to the bar, hobble on my stool, order a G&T and fight back the tears. The people here are so friendly and are asking where I am from etc. but nobody mentions my leg – how weird? At first I don’t want to participate in the small chat, as I am more than happy feeling sorry for myself. Soon, though, I realise that there is no alternative, so I begin politely responding to their questions. Where are you going? Where are you from? Asks a woman with her son who has 15 mins to board her plain but desperately needs a drink. I come across one family travelling to Ireland (who think I am Irish which is why they begin talking to me) and one gay Indian lawyer who is going to Amsterdam to spend 5 days with his boyfriend. He only drops this into the conversation half way through and when he sees that I would be comfortable with this, but he is visibly delighted to be able to tell his story openly and truthfully, without fear of judgment. I order G&T number 2 and ask the cute girl behind the bar if there is anywhere I can charge my phone? I haven’t been in contact with Iain for 2 days and want to let him know that I am on my way, as scheduled, and alert him to the fact that, though he will be meeting me in a wheelchair he needn’t panic. The girl whispers “give it here” and I secretly slide the phone over to her hand. She takes it and the phone disappears under the bar top. She put her finger to her lip to say sshhhhh and leans over to say “give it 5 mins”. The lovely girl is charging it for me in secret.
Naeem returns to get me, as promised, and he takes me to the front of the gate ready for boarding. As we get closer, I see the mob/zoo of people hovering to board and it quickly reminds me what I didn’t miss about Dubai. The staff laughs at me when they see me rolling my eyes at all the pushing and shoving nonsense; they are trying to push their way past and the boarding hasn’t even been announced yet. The girl does a fantastic job keeping her cool and repeats and stern request that they move back and sit down. This is it. I have completed my 360 degree journey, this ridiculous scene was how it all began (although, the rude travellers are the same, the first leg (pardon the pun) did not feature crutches or a wheel chair). I flick through the music channels as I don’t think I will be able to concentrate on a movie and click on hits from 2007, the first one is ‘500 Miles’ which makes be giggle to myself. I then come across ‘We are 'The World’ and Sean Kingston ‘Beautiful Girls’ which I have always hated, but now is a firm fave after seeing the boys’ faces light up whenever they heard it.
I manage to watch Valentine’s Day and Alice in Wonderland.
I am very impressed and can’t quite believe how attentive and friendly the staff are. Each of them goes out of their way every time they have to climb over my leg, and, almost every time they do, they put another G&T on my plastic table, by way of an apology. Will has been fantastic and has gone above the call of duty. He even managed to find a bag for me to rest my leg on to make it more comfortable for me, albeit more inconvenient for any of the cabin crew trying to get past. I drink another G&T and smile, thinking of the amazing memories triggered by these songs.
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