SEPTEMBER 2012

THE SPRING FEVER ISSUE

Separation anxiety...



Today I was supposed to post the second part of the “Who’s in my bed” photoshoot. But I’m running seriously low on sleep, motivation and time and I don’t want to deliver an inferior product to our loyal followers, so I decided to write this article instead…

So the past few days, my better half was on a business trip on the other side of the country. No biggie right? Wrong! To me, maybe to both of us, this was the worst kind of torture any human being could ever be subjected to, and with good reasons.


The first reason why I say this, is because since we started dating, we hadn’t until now, spent a single day apart. We love spending time together, whether we’re out and about at clubs, visiting friends, eating out, going to family, we always do these things together. Occasionally we’ll also meet up for lunch during the week or she’ll pop into my office in between seeing clients or on her way back to her office and when we can, we travel to work in one vehicle just to squeeze in an extra hour or so in each other’s company. So when she broke the news, we were both seriously unimpressed.

So the trip starts. We arrive at OR Tambo international airport before the crack of dawn, literally minutes before check-in closes and as Murphy would have it, the queue at the check-in counter is a mile and a half long. Needless to say, there wasn’t time for a proper goodbye as she had to rush through the gates to board the plane.



From there things seemed to be going ok, as the first half of her trip went relatively smoothly and she was on her way to her second destination, a four hour drive away. This is where things really started heading south. Her hotel was in the sticks and even though it’s part of a large chain of overpriced hotels, by the sound of things, I wouldn’t even let my dog stay there. No hot water to take a shower, bad food, and bedlinen that gave her a rash was only the beginning. And, being in the middle of nowhere, she had virtually no cellular reception, which meant we couldn’t even say goodnight.

The next day, it just got worse. What was supposed to be an overnight stay, turned in to 3 solid days of hell. Her boss had called and told her the client wanted her back at destination 1 and she must cancel her flight back home that night, immediately. This meant another 4 hour drive in a rental car with a loose, clanking exhaust, another day 1200km away from home and another night sleeping alone.

Back in Jo’burg, all the stress my wifey was going through, started to take it’s toll on me. Mentally, physically and emotionally. She was in a strange place she did not know, she only packed for one night, and no provisions were made for an extended stay and the fact that I could do nothing to make things better for her and hearing her voice tremble as she broke down crying drove me insane. I had never felt so powerless in my life. I also couldn’t sleep, from the day before she left until the evening she got back, and I didn’t have much of an appetite. I also felt physically ill, headaches and nausea reigned supreme, and I missed her. A lot. To the point where I drove my bestie mad!


Then, the inevitable happened…sheer frustration, lack of sleep and pining for the woman I love, resulted in a fight. Something neither of us needed at that point, but as human beings we always seem to take our heartache out on the people closest to us. This made things even worse because how are we supposed to have a decent conversation and a “I’m sorry” hug when we’re so far apart? And I’m sorry, but a phonecall or text message just doesn’t cut it!

The next day she did what needed to be done and waited at the airport for the first available flight back home. The first flight back home, as our luck would have it, was the last flight of the day, at 8pm, which meant she would land back on familiar turf around 10pm. She spent a total of 6 hours at the airport just wanting to come home. A kind old man even offered to swap tickets with her as he was on an earlier flight, but the airline refused.

Disaster struck one final time. She was robbed at the airport as well and her purse, with all her cards and identification documents was taken and it was more than likely that she wouldn’t be able to board. Luckily airport security caught the thieves in the bathroom as they were going through their snatchings and almost all of wifey’s belongings were recovered along with the possessions of 3 other ladies. They didn’t want to return it at first because they wanted to use it as evidence against the criminals, who are believed to be members of a gang.


Now time was running out, and there was a chance that she might miss her check-in time again. But she was escourted by security, through the gates onto the plane and she was finally heading home. But not before getting into an altercation with an air hostess over what luggage she’s allowed to carry on board.


Finally back on home soil, things started getting better. Even though she looked like a neglected orphan, eyes swollen from crying at the sheer trauma of the trip when I picked her up, we were beyond ecstatic to see each other and before either of us could get a word out, I was bombarded with kisses and cuddles and at that point, if I didn’t have ears, my smile would have gone right around my head. I was overjoyed to have her back in my arms, back in our home and back where she feels comfortable and safe and I can honestly say that there’s no better feeling in this world than your soulmate falling asleep and waking up in your arms.

You know, Murphy is a sad son-of-a-bitch…as it happens she might need to fly back tonight and in a few weeks it’s my turn as I’m headed off on a business trip of my own. I nearly didn’t survive it this time around, I doubt I will next time…
(I listened to this song whenever I missed my wifey and it seems to have helped, I love it and thought it suited the situation perfectly!)

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