The best intention

I was convinced of one thing during the 12-hour confinement with Henry:  The way to hell is paved with good intentions; and I hope certain that the MD who "do not recommend sedating your children for purpose of taking a long trip" are on their way there.  Or maybe I should be clear that at least one of them is going to be there considering I've given out her name and phone numbers to the passengers seated around us in the EVA flight #25 from SEA-TEC to TPE.  I would laugh an evil, manic laugh right now if I'd really done it...


The 5-hour layover at SEA-TEC wasn't too bad at all. The boys were entertained by Apple Inc.  I only had to take Henry for a walk around the entire S wing of the airport twice.  While we were walking around, Henry was quite friendly to everyone with his usual comment to me "Who is that guy?" and then his greeting of "Hey, guy! what are you doing?"  Most adults, blessed their hearts, were kind enough to respond with hellos or how's-goings. Some of them were even smiling when they saw him running at full speed through the crowd.  (The logical explanation for their good nature is obviously the I-am-so-glad-I'm-not-his-mother!)

The EB (Energize Bunny) in Henry finally died when we boarded the plane at 1:30 A.M.  "This is way too easy!" I foolishly grinning to myself while settling in for the long flight.  The plane soared into the night sky and Henry let out a blood curling scream "My ears popped!" (Yes, I have taken him to see his doctor before our trip; yes, his doc informed me that it is entirely normal for the wee one to have the ear-popping sensation.)  Looking at his contorted facial feature, I knew he's so tired, so miserable and so irritated that he couldn't stay asleep.  He cried and sobbed sentences like "I don't love airplane!" Or covering his ears and said "Help me, please help me. My ears hurrrrrt!" The most heartbreaking ones were "I WANNA GO HOME!" and "I WANT DADDY!"


I cradled his small noggin, tried message his ears and jaw, offered lollipops and the crying and the fussing continued.  All of a sudden we heard this voice, coming above Henry's seat, yelling "Would you please stop crying?!?" I turned around and faced this not so young woman who obviously had no children of her own (maybe for the best?) and I gave her the evil eye and said "He is tired, his ears HURT and he is only 3. Do you know how tough this is for the little guy???" What I really wanted to say is "F__k off, b___h!!!"  But I didn't - I've complied with one of the ancient requirements of being Chinese - always be polite and never to cause any ruckus. (Figuring this is a good practice since I'm going to be a Chinese again pretty soon.)  On and off we went like this for a while until finally I was so tired that I just put the almost-asleep child down on the floor and, guess what, he slept quietly.


And the time slowly went by with me being not really able to sleep.  Though when I was just about to sink into the dreamland, the cart was pushing towards us - feeding time! - and I turned around from the path to any sleep to be in the mother mode.  Then I watched jealously the boys promptly falling asleep after their bellies were full.

 Yep, like this.