Wednesday 22 June 2011

Curse of the Virgin Passport (2) - The Prey Wins!!

Many people that read the first story on the virgin passport felt sorry for the passengers and wondered if any one can ever get out of the trap that has been set by the officials in the airport. I would like to let you all know that on the odd occasion, some passengers even with virgin passports overcome this hurdle. Like with the lions and deers in the Savannah, not every trap catches a prey, sometimes external factors make the prey escape.
As a sequel to the "Curse of the Vampire Passport" i had to write this story. It was a friend of mine that tells me about her brother heading to one of the Asian countries for the first time. It was the first time he was ever going to travel and she said i should help as much as i could.
The first thing was to train the young man in a few minutes to be confident, how to answer questions as regards where he was going, how long he was staying, who he intended to stay with and how much he was travelling with. I could only do so much because i was really busy on that day so after instructing him, i left him to go through the immigration point , leaving him with my number in case he had any questions on what to do and where to go.
As i got back to work, running around the Airport as usual,i got a call from a strange number and it was the young man.
Passenger: Sorry sir, they did not allow me to board
Me: who?
Passenger: "...... Airways"
Me: Why? What did they tell you?
By this time, i had started to approach the boarding gate where he was to board. I saw him coming out with another passenger, who was furious. He had actually given one of the immigration officers $100 to secure passage through the screening point, because he had a Virgin Passport!! The Airline had gotten wind of this and instructed him to go back to collect his money as his travel allowance was too low to get into the country he wanted to go. I beckoned on the passenger following him to go back as i would intervene in the matter. As we got to the small room where this "taxing" usually took place the following ensued;
Me: Good morning sirs, my family friend here was unable to board his flight
Officer: Why? did you miss your flight?- looking in his direction
Me: No sir, his Travel Allowance was incomplete so he cannot be boarded
Officer: Why? is it because of the $100 tip you gave us?
(imagine a kid of say 18yrs giving out $100 tip)
Me: I think so, and his flight is leaving anytime soon
Officer: so, where do you work? - turning to ask me.
(i am in full uniform for the love of Christ, everyone in the airport knows this uniform)
Officer: He just gave us a little something oh, and the officer that collected it is not here
Me: Sir, that flight is leaving very soon!
Officer: ehen, which Airline do you work for again
Me: Sir.....
Officer: Okay, can you give him $100 and come back, the officer may be around
Me: Sir i am paid in Naira

 He then reaches to the a small corner to pull out a well tucked in $100 note to give to the young man. He smiles to tell me once again "he just gave us oh", "where do you work again?"
I had to rush the young man down to the gates so as not to miss his flight.

So sometimes the green horn wins, remember that. - @lereboy

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