‘Would you like something to drink, ma’am?’ asked the stewardess. I glanced at the tray of drinks and chose an orange juice. As I did so the crew asked us to fasten our seat-belts. A minute later the captain’s voice came over the loudspeaker system: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to welcome you on board this KLM flight number 0410 from Almaty to Amsterdam. The scheduled flight time is seven hours and twenty minutes. Our arrival time in Amsterdam will be 10:40 local time. The captain and crew would like to wish you a pleasant flight.’
I always become a little agitated as I wait for the moment when the undercarriage lifts from the ground and the aircraft sails softly up into the ocean of the sky. Its wings will bear me from one continent to another over the course of many hours. I looked around and noted that not all the seats in the first-class cabin were occupied. Once we were airborne, the smiling stewardess offered me drinks once more.
‘No, thank you, I’m a little tired, I think I’ll sleep for a while,’ I replied. I let my seat back and settled into it comfortably. On the screen in front of me the KLM airline logo was proudly displayed: a white swan soaring upward from water. Today this white swan would bear me to Amsterdam and then to America. I was on my way to meet my readers. My childhood dream of becoming a writer had come true, and the ugly duckling from some obscure village was now spreading its wings. But surely this must be a fairy tale? Even today I find it hard to believe.
Beneath us, dazzling white clouds drifted in a limitless blue sky. Enchanted at this sight, I began to doze. When I opened my eyes again, I noticed a woman sitting in the seat next to me. Grey-haired, wearing a sporty white outfit, she turned to me. ‘Hello. How are you?’ she said, smiling.
‘Very well, thank you,’ I replied.
When I meet somebody, I always study their appearance. In my neighbor's eyes were signs of sadness. Judging by the deep wrinkles on her face she must have been over sixty.
‘Where are you going?’ she asked.
‘I’m going to Los Angeles.’
‘That’s where I’m going too.’
‘There should be a girl waiting for me at the airport called Danielle. Then she and I will fly to Chicago together.’
‘So are you travelling on business or are you visiting?’
‘I’m going to appear on Oprah Winfrey’s TV show.’
‘Wow!’ A smile broke out on my companion’s face. ‘That’s impressive. Oprah is hugely popular in America.’
‘I've been wanting to meet her since 2001. And now, at last, I will.’
‘How amazing! What will your show be about?’
‘Oprah read my book about the lives of Uighur women and got very interested in the subject.’
‘So you’re a writer?’ The grey-haired stranger gave me a look of respect.
‘Better to say a beginning author,’ I grinned. ‘I write about what I've seen and what I've experienced. My book consists of tales about people I've known. They have interesting and sometimes tragic lives.’
'You've got me interested. Would you care to tell me about these people, about the Uighur?’
‘It’s a long story,’ I warned her.
‘Well, we've got more than twenty hours ahead of us. That’s time enough. But first, let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Ruth.’
‘And my name is Mehriban.’
I looked out of the window and thought for a moment. Where should I start?
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