The Adventures of Koala Kid

“I’m gonna miss you” Aya suddenly blurts out with a pouty look on her face.

We were in the international section of the airport, saying our goodbyes. For now, because Aya and I had determined we would meet in Vietnam in a few months when her semester was over.

On the drive there we had a FaceTime chat with her Vietnamese friend called Dung, whom she met while she worked in Australia.

Dung was really sweet and said that I can stay with her until Aya arrived, even offered to give me tours of the country during weekends when she was off work.

She gave off a pleasant aura, one that reassured me that I was in safe hands and this was the right decision to make.

“You better fucking call me” I heard Aya say bluntly, taking me out of a moment where I was deep in thought.

“Yea, yea… such a mom.” I responded begrudgingly, Aya knew I hated phone calls. But I also knew it was better not to piss her off. Because she would be on the next flight to Vietnam to beat my ass.

We wave goodbye to each other as I head onto the plane. I noticed my ticket said 23A, which is a window seat! Yes! Trying my best not to be overrun by taller humans as we shuffle down the aisle. I notice a man looking at me.

Not being one to shy away, I stare right back. I suppose in shyness they start to blush and hide their face behind the person standing in front of them. I couldn’t get a full grasp on their appearance just yet, but they looked a little older.

Eventually the line begins to move and I decide to move on, waddling down the aisle with my small carry-on with wheels that I use for my main luggage bag. Don’t need much being a koala bear, it’s mostly just grooming utensils.

I sigh in relief as I finally reach my seat, being stuffed around people feels claustrophobic. It was then I peered out the window and realised, I never actually had left Australia, this would be my first time.

Sure the world had known about me, but I had no experience seeing or learning about them. This will be my first time leaving home, a sudden anxiety overcame me. My chest began to pound, breathing shortened and my stress levels skyrocketed. I was about to pick up my phone to call Aya but that was when I heard someone ask the question.

“Everything ok?”

I turn to my left and see a man sitting next to me, it was the older gentleman from the aisle earlier.

“Umm.. just having a moment I guess.”

“This is your first time flying?” he enquired.

I nod my head, slowly peering out the window anticipating the new levels of heights I’ll have to experience on my way to Vietnam. It never fully occurred to me up to this point and now it's suddenly all coming at once.

It was then I felt a nudge on my shoulder, looking over I saw a flask.

“Need a drink?” the man asked.

“Absolutely” I answer, quickly grabbing the flask and as I start to guzzle down. I realized that was a terrible idea as whatever was in there was potent!

“What’s in this thing?!” I howl out grotesquely, wondering what the hell I just put in my mouth.

“Whiskey, but it’s homemade. Is it any good?” the man peers over, I can tell he’s hoping for a positive answer.

“It’s edible” I responded as nicely as I could while keeling over as the taste remained in my mouth.

“Eh, I’ll take it. The last batch made my wife vomit.” seemingly content with his mediocre skills the man shrugs his shoulders and looks forward again.

Handing him back his flask I did feel a bit of empathy for what may have been an insulting review.

“So, what’s your name?” I enquire, figuring that since we’re on a long flight together we might as well get to know each other.

"Johnathon, but you can call me John, and I’m pretty sure yours is Koala Kid no?” he asked me tentatively, trying not to overstep any potential boundaries.

“Yup, that’s what they call me.” I retort, not quite able to hide my disliking for it.

“But, I get the impression you aren’t fond of it.” John figured

“Yea, I didn’t choose it for myself. It kinda just popped up online and the name stuck. All of a sudden, I had all this attention from strangers who basically just wanted to take photos with me for instagram. So that name over time felt empty to me.”

Looking over I took a good look at John for the first time, he had greying hair with a bit of beard, looked like he took care of his health and had dark brown eyes.

Almost like a discount George Clooney.

“Was I rambling?” I ask nervously, hoping I haven’t appeared as the weirdo everyone wishes they don’t sit next to on a flight.

“Oh not at all, what you’re feeling is a very real emotion, a surprisingly very human one. To be honest I wasn’t expecting anything profound but I’m always up for a good conversation.”

By simply saying that, John helped settle my nerves as he offered another drink from his flask. I was about to accept but just as my hand reached out the stewardess stopped by our aisle, asking us what we would like to drink.

Pointing to his flask, John recommends that they turn their attention to me.

“Just a few beers please.”

As the stewardess reaches down to pass over a few cans. John took another sip from his flask and looked towards the ceiling, I could tell his mind was rummaging for questions to ask me.

Eventually, while still staring upwards he blurted out.

“So, what made you decide to hop on this plane?”

Moving my head towards the window, but realizing I closed it earlier subconsciously to prevent me from looking all the way down.

“I guess, you can call it a blend between curiosity and a desire for fulfilment. I’m not sure what your opinion of me was prior to us meeting, or the rest of the world for that matter. Simply because I was promoted as something which I don’t recognize myself to be.

Corporations promoted me as a new wonder of the world, some kind of revelation that will go down in history. An animal that became sentient, but in reality I don’t feel remotely that amazing. My days are usually filled aimlessly on the beach, drinking beer and watching sunsets.

Up until recently I haven’t led my life, other people have. So without that guidance I guess I simply haven’t figured out what to do.”

“So, you want to create your own path. A way of self discovery?” John intervened, seemingly engaged with my monologue and seeing where I may go next with it.

“Yea, I wanna find out more about myself, to see the world, understand different cultures and languages. Finally, I want to experience people in a way I haven’t really been able to yet.”

“You don’t mean?” John asked, moving his fingers in a way that suggested intercourse.

The sheer notion of it made me taste vomit, but fortunately I held it down. John noticed this and looked a little ashamed for even mentioning it and put his hands away.

“I’m strictly into koalas mate, plus very sure I’d get crushed to death by a human anyway in that aspect.” I mentioned in an attempt to close the door on that topic, but it didn’t seem to work.

“Are you calling people fat?” he asked, I sensed a blend of sarcasm and slight offence in his tone of voice.

Feeling ballsy I felt it best to speak my mind.

“Yea, y’all are big as shit. It’s wild how much you eat in comparison to how little you do, and this is coming from a Koala bear. Learn some self control because damn every time I go out in public I’m frightened for my life since at any moment one of you can trip, fall on me and crush my bones to dust.”

John looked at me as though he regretted asking, even peering towards his stomach that had grown from all the drinking he’s done over the years and pulled his shirt down to cover the part peering out.

“Well damn, I never expected a Koala bear to be so blunt. I respect it though, society has gotten so… shallow.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, looking over in his direction. Sipping a beer as I did.

“Well, I mean. When I was young, more energetic and slimmer” John states while glancing at his gut.

“Society wasn’t so emotionally charged. I mean, sure we used our emotions to help with collective decision making that would help society as a whole. But, in the end, logic always reigned supreme. We took time to choose what was the right decision.

However, we also weren’t afraid to hold people accountable and call them out on bullshit that could negatively affect the lives of others.

All this culminates into what I find to be most important. People had to earn things back then, whether it be respect or rewards. Taking your time to understand the task at hand and work towards that breakthrough which is fulfilling to the point it changes your outlook on life. Now society is leaning towards expectation and pouts when things aren’t simply handed to them.”

Allowing time for everything John said to resonate, I simply nod my head and continue the conversation with something that’s been lingering on my mind for months.

“Take it from someone who’s had everything handed to him. It feels empty, the worldwide fame, home I live in, money that I’ve made. It was all something that came to me by sheer happenstance.”

Mulling it over, slowly glancing over the floor deep in retrospect over the past two years that is my life. Finally, deciding to look towards John in the eyes I blurted out.

“I don’t know my full potential. I’m just coasting along, no direction, no purpose. Without that, I have no motivation to better myself.”

I can feel John’s empathy seeping through the gaze he gave me while explaining myself.

Peering ahead he took another sip from his flask.

“Are you hoping to find whatever it is that you’re looking for on this adventure?”

Moving my hand out in a notion that suggested I’d like a sip from his flask, John with a surprised look on his face hands it over. Giving me a moment to sip in his homemade concoction, taking it in my stride I hand the flask back and take a moment to respond, unsure of what the future holds or where it may end up I eventually say as confidently as I can.

“I am.”

“Hmm” John empathizes, “Well, it’s a big world out there, some may say it’s wild while others may call it magical. In the end, you make your own story.”

For the rest of the flight we share jokes, banter, have more drinks and watch a funny movie.

Before we knew it, we were landing in Vietnam.