Love on the Internet

John's Japanese girlfriend of two years had just said goodbye. She had found another man. Living in Japan was hard enough for a foreigner. But this latest incident made it harder for poor John. That was when he turned to the Internet for solace.

From the comfort of his bedroom, he exchanged emails and chatted with girls from far and wide. But one of them, Maria, caught his attention more than the others.
Maria: What would you give me if I come to meet you?
John: A kiss....LOL. But seriously I would wait for you at the airport with flowers.
Maria: You are not yet my boyfriend. But anyway, you seem to be a very romantic man.
John: I am. Each exchange of email and photograph fuelled the fire in John's broken heart.

In two days, they began to call each other "honey". They were new online lovers.

John adored her sexy and seductive figure. He thought that her figure matched a model's and that her beauty could put a Miss Universe to shame. Besides, her unrestrained expression of her hunger for love and romance sent his head reeling into various sexual fantasies.

John: Love, I am dying to meet you.
Maria: Me too. I love you so much. I am ready to come to meet you.
John: Really? I will be so happy if you can really come.
Maria: But my salary in my country is not big. Maybe I cannot pay for the air ticket.
John: Do not worry about it. Money is no measure of my love for you. I'll pay.
Maria: Really?? I am so happy. Let's meet as soon as possible. I can't wait.

His ex. girlfriend seemed like a distant memory now. He was busy making plans to meet Maria and to take her to different places. He thought about taking her to the same "Love Hotel" where he had taken his ex. girl friend to. He chuckled to himself at the thought.

It had been barely two weeks since they first met online. But plans were already ready for their meeting. He sent her 2000 dollars, his month's salary from his English teaching job.

Saturday, 17 June 2006. At the arrival hall of Narita International Airport, Tokyo, stood an anxious John, dressed in his best casuals. He held a bouquet of flowers, especially ordered from the best florist in Tokyo.

He looked at his watch often. The Russian Airline flight SU 0569 was due at 10:00 am Japan time. He was nervous. He dreaded his first meeting with his beautiful girlfriend as much as he looked forward to it.The flight landed on time. All passengers exited the arrivals gate. John waited and waited. There he stood like an object of mockery, flowers in his hand.

Maria never appeared.She had just needed the money.