Transit

(As stated in my previous post, here begins the first of my backlogged entries. This one was written manually on my notepad as I waited in the airport for my connecting flight.)


I'm at the airport in Manila right now, waiting for my connecting flight to Los Angeles at 8:30pm. That's right, once again I'm on my way to the United States again to visit my family.

I'm having a 4 hour stopover, which really sucks, but there wasn't much choice in picking my flight. Most of the dates were either fully booked or cost too much due to this being the holiday season. So after all that searching, this flight is the best I managed to get. A Philippine Airline flight from Singapore to Los Angeles with a 4 stopover at Manila.

I've been walking around for the past hour or so and there's really nothing much in this airport. All they have in this area in front of the gates a duty free shop, a Delifrance outlet, some small counters selling sandwiches and drinks, and a massage outlet. I've been text messaging my friend back in Singapore and he says it's quite empty because this airport is newly built.

So after walking around I've come to find myself seated on a table in front of the Delifrance counter, with my sandwich and a can of coke, writing all this down.

I don't know what everyone else does, but when I've really got nothing to do, I just people watch. I like to try and read people. You know, like to try and tell how they're really feeling, read their body language, find out what really goes on in their head when they're interacting with other people.

Look close enough, and you'll be able to find all those feigned acts of interest like patronizing smiles and fake laughs. If you really want to read someone though, look at their eyes. In spite of their facial expressions, whether they're offended, awkward, pissed off, tired, lying... you can tell from looking straight into their eyes.

Likewise, if you can control your gaze, it's hard for people to read you. The ones with the straight, stoic eyes are the ones hardest to read. Or you can just cover your gaze, which is pretty much the reason why people wear shades when they play poker.



"I'm all in."


When I hide my feelings though, I don't usually use go for ice cold, stoic gaze. For me, I simply use my eyes as the primary outlet to convey the feelings that I want to. It works much easier for me.

Hmm, an old man just requested to seat at my table. Don't get any weird ideas, all the other tables are occupied that's why.

I guess I'll end here. It's better to give up this table to others who need it since I'm done with my sandwich. Besides, I'm not in the mood for some social interaction with strangers, so I'd better get away before this old man talks to me.

Another long flight over the Pacific but somehow, I'm not dreading it at all. I think I've gotten used to it and I'm starting to enjoy the long flights by myself.