But while that was only a year ago, it seemed a lifetime ago after the events of the last twenty four hours. How could a simple blog, a blog that I felt was just a way of me staying sane lead to all that had happened. The blog had just been a way I could pour my thoughts out in writing to share with everybody and nobody. I never expected anyone really to be reading it, let alone someone who would contact me and ask me to fly half way around the world. I never expected I would ever be involved in something so dangerous and yet so exciting. It all seemed a bit surreal at first and a bit of harmless online fun when he first made contact. The events of the last day and the danger I felt I had just escaped from had changed all that. I realised now how real it all was and how there existed a world that most people never know of. A world that operates quietly in the shadows. A world that is alongside us every day but something most people will never realise or have any contact with. I was genuinely scared when I had gotten on board and sat down in seat 6A and was only now almost relaxing with Creedence and the bubbly helping settle my nerves as we taxied to the runway. I say relaxing, but I don't know if I will ever be able to truly relax again with what I now know. Perhaps it is more accurate to say I am feeling less afraid than I had in several hours.
Suddenly I felt something on my shoulder. I try to ignore it but there it was again. A tapping. I look to my right where the heavy set “talker” is sitting and pull my earpods out understanding he is trying to get my attention through that tapping on my shoulder. Obviously he had been talking and I hadn't heard him over the music. I give him a look of ‘this better be quick I really don’t want a conversation right now’ or at least that is the look I attempted.
“Anderson. Bob Anderson” he drawls, as if that was meant to mean something to me. “I’m out of New York city, heading home. It’s been a while, gee near on a year and a half now. Been doing a bit of business in Europe. Fantastic place. A bit small, but got to love all those real old buildings, man they knew how to build them back then. But the food is a bit hit and miss ain’t it. Can’t wait to get home and have a decent bit of steak cooked properly.”
Oh no I think to myself, he isn’t just a “talker” he has verbal diarrhoea and he thinks I really want to hear his story.
“But hey” he continues “listen to me just going on I haven’t even gotten your name yet” I look at him not really wanting to answer, not wanting to continue the conversation, and certainly not wanting to reveal information about myself to a stranger on a plane. He sees me pause and takes the initiative again “Hey don’t say anything. I’m actually pretty good at this, I can read minds you know. I bet I can guess your name little lady, just give me a second or two to think”
Before I can tell him I don’t want to bet whether he can read minds, or protest the condescending ‘little lady’ comment he says “Stefa…..err…..Janowski, and hey I think you are some kind of doctor too huh? Come on how was that?”
Besides his really poor pronunciation of my Polish name he had guessed it in one, even the fact I am a doctor. I know mind reading doesn’t exist so the only other explanation is he is tied up in this whole thing and has followed me I think to myself. Suddenly I feel the blood rush from my face. I am like a deer frozen in the headlights. They have followed me onto the plane, I am still not safe, and in fact when the lights go down he could easily have me killed.
All these thoughts flash through my head. I look at Bob Anderson, he must see how panicked I look. I see a small smile start to break out on his face. “Don’t worry little lady”. There it was again, that condescending title 'little lady' but I am too shocked to say anything. “I can’t really read your mind, your boarding card, it’s on your lap still.” He then laughs at his little trick and I feel my body returning to normal from its panicked state. “Oh yeah” I say timidly. “Err very clever, you had me there” He smiles again and say’s “you just going to be visiting the big apple?” a bit more relaxed than before I answer “I am not sure at this stage, we shall see”. Bob then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a card and hands it to me. “See Bob Anderson, sales, I manage the European distribution now. But hey I know you’re not interested in that. Just give me a call if you want someone to show you around sometime”. I take the card say thankyou and put the earpods back in, knowing I won’t be giving him a call, or so I thought. At the time I thought that I had no idea who he really was and how he related to this whole ordeal. More importantly I didn’t know I should have trusted my first instincts: he had in fact followed me onto the plane and had, through his agency, been able to ensure he got seated next to me.
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