Singaporean Passage, Part 1

Despite spending a total of seven hours in the air on Christmas Day, I still eventually came falling back to Earth like one of gravity's bitches. But the day almost didn't happen.

It was around 10 after 6 in the morning when I awoke, and my panicked senses flooded me with the realization of the time. My alarm was bleating like a possessed sheep, and the vibrating portion of that alarm (I have this because of my near deaf-ness), which I had placed conveniently right next to my weary head, was flaying on the floor, beating like a heart. Alana and Erin later informed me that they had heard my alarm quite clearly from the hall.

Incidentally, they were the ones who wrested me from my dreamless sleep, by concurrently pounding on my apartment door, and by pressing the god-awfully loud doorbell.

I was awake and cursing. "Oh, shit, shit, shit, shit." Together, Erin, Jason, Elena, Alana and I were supposed to leave for the airport at 6 a.m. sharp. We would catch a cab to the nearest bus stop which the airport shuttles serviced. "Fuck, goddamn it." To the two ladies outside: "Hold on! Dressing!" I didn't even have my hearing aids on!

Once dressed -- at least enough to show myself -- I opened the door, still swearing.

"Awake?" came the gentle prodding from Alana. I chuckled.

"Do you have everything packed?" was Elena's inquiry.

I sighed, stuffing the remaining belongings into my backpack. "Yeah, all packed. I did it last night."

"Okay, well. We're going to run to Paris Baguette for some coffee."

"Alright. I'll meet you there in 10 minutes. I just have to brush my teeth and double-check everything."

"Brush your teeth? Okay," and they started to leave. "10 minutes?"

"Yes. I'll run."

I did just that, only to receive a text shortly afterwards informing me to meet Erin at her apartment, where she, too, had only just woken up.

"Ready?" I asked when I got there. Erin shot me a sideways stare, laced with unspoken sarcasm. "No?"

In 5 minutes, we were out into the cold air, with the night still perfectly dark and bleak around the edges of our vision. It was a brisk -2 (in Celsius), and we were all heading for eternally-warm climates. We dressed in long sleeves, jeans, a jacket, and beanies and hats; but in our bags the clothes were shorts and t-shirts: the dust was still settling in the apartment after their removal from the corners of the closets.

Elena and Alana took a cab together, while Erin, Jason and I took a separate one a few minutes later. After we caught the shuttle a few minutes later, Erin and Jason sprawled asleep instantly. I lay awake, unable to sleep despite having had only an hour of it.

I had planned my trip late, up till the minutes before going to sleep. If I managed to pull off this trip without losing my mind, I would be impressed with myself.