How many of you experience this throughout your life?
I had a few experiences about this, and mostly people mistook me as a departmental store salesman. When I put my thoughts into it, I laughed to hell while stamping the floor until I feel the exhaustion and possible faint coming. Seriously.
The most recent case of mistaken identity happened yesterday (Monday, June 1), but to me, it's a blessing. It made me become confident and lovable (with myself).
I wore white shirt with black pants and shoes as I have no idea what to wear after a weekend of moving in and out from Shah Alam to Taman Tun Dr Ismail. I took a half-day off and at noon my wife and my youngest brother picked me up at office, switched sides and off we go.
I went to LCC Terminal, KLIA (KUL/WMKK 2°44′44″N 101°42′35″E) to send him for his flight to Kuching. His flight is at 1642 hrs, and getting there as early as we can is our goal. We wasted some 10 minutes just to look for parking lots (bigger parking spaces please, Malaysia Airports!) and had to endure intense heat while walking to the departure terminal.
Now bear in mind that I wore black and white, plus a blue Airbus lanyard with a lapel wing pin atop my staff pass, which I didn't take off since leaving office.
We were about to proceed to the self check-in kiosk where a small group of middle-age ladies walking towards us, seemingly lost in the terminal. As they got closer, my wife overheard their conversation:
"Eh, why don't we ask that guy. He's a pilot, isn't he?"
"I'm not so sure-lah, but he looks like a pilot."
My wife grabbed me and told me the conversation. I laughed in control. My brother shoved me as asked me to keep it low.
"Relax bro, be collected. People can hear you-lah."
That's not all. After checking in, we went to a cafe while waiting for boarding call. I craved for a sandwich, and I went to get my meal. After getting my order, another thing happened. The pretty woman, a supervisor of some sort, attended me while making payment.
The conversation is as follows:
"How much is this?"
"That would be RM 7.90 with RM 1 discount for each order. Which part of the air crew are you, sir?"
Discounts for air crews? This is good!
"Err, I'm supervising the air ramp sectors. F64."
I walked off with a big grin on my face. A discounted meal for 'air crew' made me grinning with evil. My wife looked at me from afar and wondered. As I sat and start unwrapping the sandwich, I told them the whole thing.
And finally, my wife wanted to eat some assam laksa and asked me to order. Now at a different counter, I made my move and ordered the meal. This time, without any notice, the cashier said:
"We give RM 2 discounts for pilots and air crews here, sir. Have a good meal."
I knew how lucky I was. And afterwards, I took a short nap while they eat and proceed to send my brother off at the departure hall.
What actually happened in these three occasions?
As described earlier, my attire coincidently resembled a pilot's uniform. I was mistaken for a pilot and an air crew. And I got discounts for meals.
Now whenever I go to LCCT, I will dress up like an air crew and get some treats (that I shouldn't deserve). Pretty good, eh?
Till then.
Khallas.
