This evening we had a We-Won-The-Pitch celebration at Echohouse.
Two of my colleagues, Julio and Kofi, had just come back from a work trip to Liberia.
Well, technically, they did not make it to Liberia.
Around fifty minutes into the flight the pilot announces:
“Bad news, folks. We are experiencing some engine problems.”
There is silence for a couple of minutes, as people figure out what to do with this piece of information.
But when the plane suddenly goes into a dive, all hell breaks loose.
People are screaming, praying, crying, trying on the floatation devices, making video recordings of themselves saying goodbye.
Julio says he has never heard so many people call Jeeeeeeeeeessssssssuuuuuuusssssss at the same time.
(Which is quite a claim to make in Ghana! See Day#3)
After 15 minutes the pilot comes back onto the pa system and says:
“Apparently there is a bit of panic back there.”
Now, I am not entirely sure what reaction the African World Airlines pilot was expecting when he used the words “bad news” and “engine” in the same sentence. But surely mass panic would have been one of the possibilities?
The pilot disappears again.
50 minutes go past.
Kofi said this is more or less equal to 18 years in ground-time.
50 minutes, in which the plane ducks and dives and every passenger on board makes their Life-Exiting List. And checking it twice.
Julio said he was wondering who would collect his car from the airport. And who would get the money in his bank account.
But then these thoughts vanished. And only one remained: None of these things really matters.
Why am I telling you this story? For two reasons:
1. African World Airlines is have a buy one get one free promotion at the moment. Hie hie. Just kidding.
2. Julio said something that really resonated with me. He said that we must stop stressing, and start living. And then this bit.. “we have a responsibility to live”. I like that. “We have a responsibility to live.”
Do you want to hear something funny?
Julio and Kofi still need to fly to Liberia.
Say a little prayer for them on Monday.
PS Julio manages Ghana’s biggest music sensation, Shatta Wale. This is Shatta Wale’s latest hit, Gringo. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BnoV5WGQ1M