04. On Our Flight to Pennsylvania
The American Air Force Sergeant announced:
“You’re all going to Pennsylvania.”
After hearing that, we all got goosebumps,
Pennsylvania! Too cold and our senses felt numbed.
We dragged ourselves onto the buses,
Looking outside despairingly, hiding our gloomy faces.
When the buses arrived at the airbase,
Row after row of military airplanes. We’re checkmated!
They were C-130 military airplanes, line after line,
With gigantic tail ends open ready to swallow us alive.
We paced single file up to the airplane’s ramp,
Taking our seats snugly on the floor of the plane.
“Keep moving!” Everyone inched closer
Fastening our seat belts anxiously.
Two rows of people facing each other,
Nobody said a word, only their worried faces did the talking.
Everybody looked tense and scared.
Each person, each thought, some mumbling prayers.
The plane glided in the air like a giant kite,
Leaving at night and arriving after sunrise.
Everybody had to get off the airplane.
We were ushered into a large dinning hall for breakfast.
Our airplane had an engine problem, we’re told.
So we had to board a new plane to resume our flight.
After landing at Harrisburg’s Airport,
We saw so many yellow school buses waiting for us.
As the buses were driving through town,
We saw several groups of Americans by the road welcoming us.
For a moment, love sprung out to fill my heart.
Why were Americans glad to see us?
Children and adults standing on the side of the road,
Waving American flags with cheering smiles on their faces.
My gloomy face turned joyful,
All my worries replaced with happy ones.
Like flowers, altogether, rushed to bloom,
To offer their nectar to happy bees and dancing butterflies.
###
