I'm extremely busy, finally started work, and it's no fun at all. Still things are going great sport-wise. Roma won Real Madrid, Al Ain won Al Wahda in a great match. What more could I ask for.
Here is the next chapter of the story:
Chapter Two
Getting To Paris
On the aircraft he busied himself with reading a book he brought with him. The Summons by John Grisham. He really liked this author’s novels to the point that he’d read all of his novels. So he couldn’t wait to have the time to read this one; his latest book. Still, after one hour he closed the book, put it back in his suitcase and tried to sleep. After all he hadn’t slept a wink out of excitement and he had woken up very early.
Sager dozed off for about two hours before he woke up to the screaming sound of a little child three rows behind him, and even a louder noise coming from the angry frustrated mother trying to hush her kid. He was still exhausted, but the disturbance was too much for any chance of resting. He put the headset on and tried to follow the movie that was on; by doing so another hour had passed. When he took the head set off his ears, it was all quiet again, so he shut his eyes and went to sleep, hoping the kid and his mother would keep their peace treaty.
The hostess woke him up for breakfast, which wasn’t good but he ate it anyway out of hunger. By then the pilot announced that he had started descending to Paris. Forty-five minutes later the aircraft touched down on the runway.
He arrived in Paris via Charles de Gaulle Airport, after that exhausting seven hours flight. He was happy to be on the ground. Though his major was in the Aviation engineering field, he never liked flying. In fact, he had a small fear of flying. The funny part is, this minor phobia had only started after he started his studies about aircrafts and how they work. Knowing how everything works on the aircraft and how many things that could just go wrong during flight was frightening to him, so he was always a little jumpy while flying, specially during take offs and landings.
But come to think of it, his name: Sager, means Falcon, and his surname: Najem, means Star. So, maybe after all he was meant to be in the Aviation field, it seems like it was written all over his destiny to belong there.
But nevertheless, he was out of the aircraft, and he was walking out of the terminal towards the customs. Then after going through the customs, he followed the mass of people towards the baggage conveyor belts awaiting his luggage. At last the bags arrive and he wheeled his bags outside, looking for a sign with his name on it. There it was, ‘Sager Najem FAC’. FAC what was that, he thought. Oh yes, how stupid of him, it stood for Future Aeronautics Company. He went straight to the guy with the sign, greeted him, Bonjour, and off they went outside the airport. He felt so enchanted hearing the people conversing in French all around him.
Being used to the hot weather of the middle east, Sager felt really cold as soon as he stepped outside the airport. He was amazed to see some ladies parading around in skirts. Despite that, it was cold, the temperature was about 12 degrees Celsius and the air was very dry. Not the kind of humidity he was used to.
In a new luxurious black E240 Mercedes Benz, he was sped off to FAC’s headquarter, for a welcoming meeting, he assumed. He wanted to try some of the words he knew in French, but the driver spoke a very fluent English, so he delayed his trials for some other occasion.
From his place in the backseat of the car, Sager Najem watched attentively the country, the city, the streets, the signs, the advertisement, the people and the dogs. How beautiful everything looked, how amazing Paris appeared to be. The dream had finally become reality, he felt so blessed to be there. He observed every little detail that came within his range of sight. Life, then, couldn’t be any better, he thought.
He tried really hard to spot anything that would seem familiar. Something he had seen in a movie or a magazine, but he saw none yet. Maybe a word in an advertisement that he would know or recognize. Or a word that seemed exactly like it’s English equivalent, but also, none yet, except for Aéroport, which meant airport, but of course it was pronounced in a different way. Also the word Parc came by, which meant park as in a garden. Exact spelling of Information was seen a couple of times in the airport, which had the exact spelling, yet again a different pronunciation. Finally he knew why he hadn’t seen any familiar sights yet, it was because the headquarter of FAC was at the South of Paris.
Mr. Patrick Mingen from HR, Human Resources, met him at the headquarter. He welcomed Sager and led him to the conference room. Mr. Mingen offered him some coffee, though Sager didn’t drink coffee, he thought it will be harsh of him to say no. Coffee was brought up, and despite the fact that Sager poured two bags of sugar in the cup it was still bitter as hell. So, he kind of pretended to be sipping the coffee.
Mr. Mingen gave a little presentation about his company. It was so boring that Sager almost dozed off, but nevertheless he kept a straight and an interested look on his face during the presentation. When the presentation was over, they went to have lunch at the company’s restaurant.
The lunch was a two course fancy meal, which he liked none of them. He mainly concentrated on the French bread, because in his opinion it was the only edible thing on the table. By that, the welcoming venue had ended. He gave Mr. Patrick Mingen his ticket so the company could confirm his return flight for him. The same Mercedes had been waiting for him to take him to the place where he will be staying. Sager had no idea what kind of accommodation was awaiting him.
On the way to the hotel, some scenes became familiar, finally. And yes, at last, in the far distant on his right he could see the Eiffel Tower. So his accommodation was inside Paris, that was a relief. But the tower still seemed far away; he must be on the outskirts of Paris. Oh there is that building over there, the one that was shown in the movie ‘The Bourne Identity’. What was it called? Oh yes, La Défense Grand Arche.
Every time the car slowed down, he tried to check the buildings around; trying to guess which one was his destination. Finally, the car stopped. Pierre & Vacances Hotel.
It was Saturday, the 21st of September 2002, his first day in Paris.
Here is the next chapter of the story:
Chapter Two
Getting To Paris
On the aircraft he busied himself with reading a book he brought with him. The Summons by John Grisham. He really liked this author’s novels to the point that he’d read all of his novels. So he couldn’t wait to have the time to read this one; his latest book. Still, after one hour he closed the book, put it back in his suitcase and tried to sleep. After all he hadn’t slept a wink out of excitement and he had woken up very early.
Sager dozed off for about two hours before he woke up to the screaming sound of a little child three rows behind him, and even a louder noise coming from the angry frustrated mother trying to hush her kid. He was still exhausted, but the disturbance was too much for any chance of resting. He put the headset on and tried to follow the movie that was on; by doing so another hour had passed. When he took the head set off his ears, it was all quiet again, so he shut his eyes and went to sleep, hoping the kid and his mother would keep their peace treaty.
The hostess woke him up for breakfast, which wasn’t good but he ate it anyway out of hunger. By then the pilot announced that he had started descending to Paris. Forty-five minutes later the aircraft touched down on the runway.
He arrived in Paris via Charles de Gaulle Airport, after that exhausting seven hours flight. He was happy to be on the ground. Though his major was in the Aviation engineering field, he never liked flying. In fact, he had a small fear of flying. The funny part is, this minor phobia had only started after he started his studies about aircrafts and how they work. Knowing how everything works on the aircraft and how many things that could just go wrong during flight was frightening to him, so he was always a little jumpy while flying, specially during take offs and landings.
But come to think of it, his name: Sager, means Falcon, and his surname: Najem, means Star. So, maybe after all he was meant to be in the Aviation field, it seems like it was written all over his destiny to belong there.
But nevertheless, he was out of the aircraft, and he was walking out of the terminal towards the customs. Then after going through the customs, he followed the mass of people towards the baggage conveyor belts awaiting his luggage. At last the bags arrive and he wheeled his bags outside, looking for a sign with his name on it. There it was, ‘Sager Najem FAC’. FAC what was that, he thought. Oh yes, how stupid of him, it stood for Future Aeronautics Company. He went straight to the guy with the sign, greeted him, Bonjour, and off they went outside the airport. He felt so enchanted hearing the people conversing in French all around him.
Being used to the hot weather of the middle east, Sager felt really cold as soon as he stepped outside the airport. He was amazed to see some ladies parading around in skirts. Despite that, it was cold, the temperature was about 12 degrees Celsius and the air was very dry. Not the kind of humidity he was used to.
In a new luxurious black E240 Mercedes Benz, he was sped off to FAC’s headquarter, for a welcoming meeting, he assumed. He wanted to try some of the words he knew in French, but the driver spoke a very fluent English, so he delayed his trials for some other occasion.
From his place in the backseat of the car, Sager Najem watched attentively the country, the city, the streets, the signs, the advertisement, the people and the dogs. How beautiful everything looked, how amazing Paris appeared to be. The dream had finally become reality, he felt so blessed to be there. He observed every little detail that came within his range of sight. Life, then, couldn’t be any better, he thought.
He tried really hard to spot anything that would seem familiar. Something he had seen in a movie or a magazine, but he saw none yet. Maybe a word in an advertisement that he would know or recognize. Or a word that seemed exactly like it’s English equivalent, but also, none yet, except for Aéroport, which meant airport, but of course it was pronounced in a different way. Also the word Parc came by, which meant park as in a garden. Exact spelling of Information was seen a couple of times in the airport, which had the exact spelling, yet again a different pronunciation. Finally he knew why he hadn’t seen any familiar sights yet, it was because the headquarter of FAC was at the South of Paris.
Mr. Patrick Mingen from HR, Human Resources, met him at the headquarter. He welcomed Sager and led him to the conference room. Mr. Mingen offered him some coffee, though Sager didn’t drink coffee, he thought it will be harsh of him to say no. Coffee was brought up, and despite the fact that Sager poured two bags of sugar in the cup it was still bitter as hell. So, he kind of pretended to be sipping the coffee.
Mr. Mingen gave a little presentation about his company. It was so boring that Sager almost dozed off, but nevertheless he kept a straight and an interested look on his face during the presentation. When the presentation was over, they went to have lunch at the company’s restaurant.
The lunch was a two course fancy meal, which he liked none of them. He mainly concentrated on the French bread, because in his opinion it was the only edible thing on the table. By that, the welcoming venue had ended. He gave Mr. Patrick Mingen his ticket so the company could confirm his return flight for him. The same Mercedes had been waiting for him to take him to the place where he will be staying. Sager had no idea what kind of accommodation was awaiting him.
On the way to the hotel, some scenes became familiar, finally. And yes, at last, in the far distant on his right he could see the Eiffel Tower. So his accommodation was inside Paris, that was a relief. But the tower still seemed far away; he must be on the outskirts of Paris. Oh there is that building over there, the one that was shown in the movie ‘The Bourne Identity’. What was it called? Oh yes, La Défense Grand Arche.
Every time the car slowed down, he tried to check the buildings around; trying to guess which one was his destination. Finally, the car stopped. Pierre & Vacances Hotel.
It was Saturday, the 21st of September 2002, his first day in Paris.
posted by Taintlessness at
8:59 AM
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