Terminal

I was walking down the airport terminal. Outside it was pitch and cold. The wind was blowing and I felt sorry for the workers out on the tarmac. Of course, my gate was at the very end of the terminal. I had to pass by ten other gates before I reached mine.

Trying to get back in time for my brother’s birthday party, I was scheduled on the redeye. Because of the time, the airport was sparsely populated. I counted on catching a lot of sleep on the plane. I was dead tired from our 48-hour negotiations with a particularly difficult customer. I was going home with the deal all but dead in the water. And the airport was anything but reassuring.

I was almost to my gate when I passed by the Alaskan Air gate. I don’t remember the gate number but the people caught my attention. I was surprised at the sheer number. There were more people in that area than in the rest of the airport.

One angry woman was busy giving the poor sheepish attendant all kinds of hell. The airline had apparently misplaced her reservations. Or sold her ticket- which is more likely. She was dressed in a loud red suit. I thought she would be attractive if it wasn’t for the imposing manner and tightly set jaw. She squinted as she poked in the air with every insult and curse.

In one corner a young couple lay asleep. They had a collection of camping gear piled beside them. He was slumped against the wall and she was laying in his lap. They wore old torn clothes. It looked like they hadn’t bathed in some time. I noticed they were holding hands, though. They looked serene. They looked like they were where they were supposed to be. I envied them.

There was an old man in a brown suit sitting crossed legged sipping on a cup of coffee. He wore a fedora with a yellow feather in the felt strap. The feather was bright. It looked out of place in his brown garb. His skin looked brown. His face was dark and he had large hollow eyes. He was staring at me. Not suprising, I guess. I had been staring at everyone else. He nodded at me and I nodded back.

I made it down to my gate and there were only about a dozen people lounging about. At least I would get to stretch out in the plane. I settled down in an uncomfortable plastic and metal chair and half dozed until the attendant called us to board.

The flight was uneventful. I barely noticed as we lifted off of the runway clearing the black water. I slept badly. I kept dreaming of the old man. His big dark eyes. They were looking at me but I don’t know if he saw me. He was all brown except for the yellow feather. He looked foolish. Who was he kidding?

I awoke with a start as we touched down. It wasn’t the smoothest landing but at least we were down. The plane taxied to the gate and we all slunk off the plane to the smiling flight attendant at the door.

"Fly with us again!"

How the hell could she be so cheerful at that time of morning?

I was walking through yet another terminal when I heard a commotion up ahead. There were airport personnel crowded around a television. It was one tucked up in a corner where the guys shine shoes in a tiny alcove. Several attendants and pilots were gathered around. I thought that was peculiar. I stopped to look up at the television.