Hello, My Name is Gail Doraine.

Many say that a kingdom that is governed by rules of barbaric prosecution yields a loyal and fearful people. But I beg to disagree. Flying to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where people are beheaded for crimes unfathomable, I found myself confronting a culprit for stealing.

Well, the lact of careful placements of my valuable things may have been the root cause of this, such as my phone being openly kept in my bag without any secured lock and leaving it behind the aircraft that I flew in. Still, the intent of stealing is something I don’t have full control of. As I walked pass the immigration, I had the urge to check my bag and scroll through my phone to announce back home that I landed safely. But to my surprise, the phone wasn’t there. I had to report to the local airport police of the missing item hoping that they would call me back for good news. We even messaged the station manager and the pilots that are flying the same aircraft after us to ask if maybe - the phone may be in sight.

But, for the lack of better terms, it was lost. Lost forever was a reality I was willing to accept if only it doesn’t contain personal informations like my social media passwords, bank details and business related notes - which I know for a fact that is hackable even though the phone is secured with a passcode.

When I got to the hotel, I borrowed a device from my colleauge for me to be able to message my loved ones in the Philippines. Tj, a graduate of IT and happens to be boyfriend as well, tracked the phone and found the exact location of it which was 30 minutes away from the hotel I checked in. Adrenaline rushed over me as I went to the front desk and asked if someone could drive for me to the pin location. Which, perhaps them feeling morally obliged, agreed to ask Nayan as my company.

When we arrived to the location, I found out that it was the staff housing for the airport cleaners. Blood rushed through my face as I decode the certainty of the moment. The suppervisor for cleaners got the details of which airline I flew in, what flight number and compared that information to who cleaned the aircraft and who lives in that building. We narrowed down the possibilities to 4 culprits. An arab, pakistani and, 2 indians.

The search itself was a chaos. I heard them shouting in foreign language forcing them to open their apartment and scavage through their things. Men, involved or not, were murmuring and pointing fingers. 2 hours had passed and none from the 4 culprits surrendered the phone. I grew impatient. I told them that I would complain and sue all 4 of them and the local police would come tomorrow to prosecute them and cut their arms if I leave this place without my phone back. Which, out of fear, the Pakistani then climed on top of the roof and shouted “Sister, it’s here. I found your phone!”.

I felt a minute of relief. And then a sigh of disgust after. How could the Pakistani know the exact location of the phone on the roof if he himself had not hid it there? What a funny yet stupid alibi. The supervisors genuinely paid their appologies to me and I thank them for their help. After all, the whole compound was shaken with me barging in.

Still, I filed a complaint. What happened to the Pakistani was beyond my control - he may have been given a warning or his arms were already cut off. Still, this hopefully may serve as their lesson never to steal nor do illegal things out of greed. Besides, I think that a thousand dollars phone isn’t worth a life nor any body part at that. Or does it?

An argument is deemed valid only when 2 parties have a point. In this case, you are pointless. So I just rather not.

Flown

To say that I’ve flown is an understatement. Reticent to admit that I needed to fly to make ends meet, I felt at peace. All those familiar places I used to go, coupled with familiar faces I used to work with. It was the kind of certainty I needed during these times of reek and the kind of opportunity with plenty of reap. So yes, I’ve flown. Yet I am back to don the wings I’ve once known.

Rat

Muscle breaks, body aches. Nothing like the masochistic self love a gym rat makes. But if I had to endure, to achieve all it takes. Then believe me when I say I´d sacrifice all for the rakes.

Table

It’s a pain to realize that the high table is dominated by men. Which, as emotional of a woman that I am whilst sitting amongst them, struggles to understand their norms. Being trapped in a society where woman are expected to just nod, sit pretty and bow down - my immense drive to speak up is considered absurd. I mean, should I just dumb myself down or should I fight the unfathomable and still be accepted at the high table?

Intentions

I have nothing but good intentions. Questioned by people who believes in divine intervention. Blamed for their fate, blamed for the misinformation. Innocence is my key, for I got nothing for recollection.

Kin

I love you and us and all there is in between. No fussy little drama teens, nor just a little summer fling. Not the castle nor the throne, but the King ruling with the Queen. This is it. This is my next of kin.