My rendition of “Taken”

So I’ve realized my blog is slowly turning into a housing of broken promises. I promised you stories and damn it I need to deliver.

So I will start with my trip home from California.

At this point everything was going very smoothly, I boarded the plane and found my seat. It is immediately brought to my attention I am sitting in a window seat in a two seat isle. Not a problem. When I locate my assigned seat I find that there is an average built middle aged Chinese business man sitting next to me and possibly he assumed he bought both seats because his very large carry-on was snugly buckled into my seat. So I grab his attention and politely gesture that his bag is in my seat.

When he looked up to make eye contact with me you might have thought that I just told this man I am a representative of Ed McMahon and he just won millions of dollars. He then made a very clumsy attempt to rip his bag out of my seat and shove it into the compartment above so as not to miss me settle into my seat. As soon as he saw I was reasonably comfortable he offered me his hand in greetings and began to question me about my trip.

Man: Hello!

Me: Hello…

Man: So you are going to Shanghai?

Me: Yes only for 24 hours.
(I’m hoping that’s where I’m headed seeing as our plane makes no other stops.)

Man: Well if you need anything ANYTHING… you come to me.

Me: alright…uh thanks.

So I ignore the creepy factor, put on my headphones and fall asleep. I would occasionally awake from my slumber to see how far away the drink cart was or what movie was playing. I started to notice every time I open my eyes my travel buddy would quickly look away or pretend to be admiring the airplane wall paper. A good 7 hours of this and I am aware that this man is watching me sleep. The whole time. Looking like a kid at Christmas eager for me to wake up. Now the dinner cart came around 3 times. The trays equipped in my seat fold out from the armrest and my partner felt it was his duty to unfold my tray into my lap every single time. Ok whatever thank you guy. It was only until he discovered the large tattoo on my foot and took it upon himself to grab my foot and start rubbing it that I felt I may have a problem. Images of Liam Neeson keep flashing through my head. And I know for a fact nobody is going to search every Chinese mafia house for my body. I try to keep the conversation at a extreme minimum and after 13 hours we finally reach Shanghai. The last glimpse I had of my potential kidnapper was him at the luggage claim strategically placed across from me….staring.

I love the orient and all it has to offer but being an “exotic” commodity here definitely has its down sides.