Susan was an 18 year old from the queen’s land and she was the most beautiful airhostess that I had ever seen in my travelling sprees.

The year was 1963 when Nelson Mandela and his fellow rivonia comrades were changing their residences permanently courtesy of the apartheid regime in South Africa.  

I had gone to school with a son of one of the prominent anti apartheid politicians who was in the dock with Nelson Mandela and being his best friend and having no travel bans in my country, he invited me to stand by the family in that trying moment.

At that time, I was still writing my dissertation and I did not have much to do at school so I arrived at Washington international airport just in time for the South Africa bound flight.

The plane took off at exactly 9:00 pm American time my seat number was RB-87 which was by any measure a back seat which I preferred. So immediately took it up and settled very fast.

"Hullo, my name is Susan and am at your service any time, for anything,” this beaming young woman said with confidence and beauty that was reflected in the widest of smiles I had ever seen.

When I saw this blonde coupled with her blue eyes and of course her white uniform that revealed the well curved legs which sent a fever through my body, mischief started to brew in my head.

I put my crafty mind at work and I immediately reached out for my notebook and wrote something that she still reminds me, four decades after, whenever we talk on phone from our retirement apartments miles apart.

"Look Susan, we don’t have much time together so that we can do the normal dating and courtship. I am only on this plane for less than a day and may never see you again.

I have instantly fallen in love with you and it’s not a crime that can get me sentenced to life…this can be the beginning of our marriage,” I wrote

I called in pretence of ordering for coffee and cake and handed her the magical note as she exchanged it for coffee and whispered in her ears "give me the response now.” She went back, may be to think about it.

After a few minutes, she returned to pick the plates and cups with another note that sounded the best melodious songs that my ears ever heard.

"I don’t even know your names or where you come from but you are honest with your heart and you must be genuine. When I come back to pick the last cups, you’ll have to come with me so we can talk about it”  

After she was done with the day’s work and a few minutes to our first stop over in London, she winked at me devilishly and walked up under the guise of nature’s call and straight into the staff chamber.

I was 25 years and well experienced in issues to do with romance since I had gone through a whole pack of them. "My name is shooter, Rwandese but studying in USA and heading to south Africa,” I introduced myself.

Without giving ‘my’ woman time to talk, I continued, "I am honestly and genuinely in love with you and we don’t have much time together and your response will steer our love to the next level.”

"Am Susan Katie, British working with British airlines.”
When I opened my mouth to say something, as if to tell me to shut up, she slapped me with, yes, I will say the hottest kiss that would result into a near accident.

In the staff chamber on the window, was a fire extinguisher cylinder that in our private fight we hit hard and shattered the window.

We were 1200 meters above sea level and the Vietnam veteran pilot managed to land us safely with of course hopeless screams and curses to the two of us who had caused them almost to meet their creator.

In London I was offloaded to another flight to South Africa. And our dramatic love grew from strength to strength to date.

We still cherish that first moment with a toothless chuckle!

Ends