Thoughts from the Airport

I have been traveling since 7:30 am. Two time zones later, I'm stuck in an airport because a flight to Charleston took up residence in my gate and refused to leave. I guess they over-booked the flight so much that they need to move four people to a flight that leaves at 11:30 tonight from a different airport. Trouble is none of the highly compliant passengers headed to Charleston were willing to budge on their flight time. The (really not) adorable couple across from me were complaining about it for at least a half hour. The girl even called her mom to check if it was okay if they got in late. Based on the half of the conversation I heard, her mom was fine with it. But no, they didn't take one for they team, they stayed to complain.

Then the airline gave up and (somehow) got a bigger plane. What? That's a thing? They moved all the awful Charlestonians to another gate. It was fun to watch them run when they were informed that their plane was leaving immediately. Revenge is sweet.

Except it isn't. They had caused such a delay that the airport had no choice but to skip my flight altogether and send in the plane scheduled for the next slot and change my gate.

Ugh.

So now I'm sitting in an airport, waiting for my flight to come at least two hours late. I know I'm complaining. Oh, well.

Being stuck in an airport for prolonged periods of time can be pretty interesting. I got to listen to a pilot hit on a super-skinny chick who works for a non-profit, which was pretty much the most stereotypical chick-flick senario I can imagine.

The horribly un-adorable couple going to Charleston talked a lot about how much the world sucks for them in particular while downing Five Guys burgers. How can you be sad about the world while eating Five Guys?

An adorable older couple talked to a young mother and gave her baby Cheerios. The gentleman gave up his seat so the mother could sit down, saying, "Here, you need this more than I do." I'm glad there are still people like that in the world.

Two middle-aged business men compared web browsers and joked about the end of the world. The one guy was excited to see his mother "before the world explodes." Cute.

I watched two strangers become friends, talking about books, and the news, and how hilarious daily life was. It struck me as kind of magical that two people who will never see each other again could become so close so quickly.

And I watched a lot of people be alone. Airports are unique in that they bring a whole lot of people together from all kinds of places very briefly and then fling them all over the world. Some people like to reach out of their worlds and connect with someone else's. Some people like to stay in their bubble, drink their coffee, and read their novel. Neither choice is wrong or better.

I'm more of an observer. I like to find out people's stories from just watching them. Is that super creepy? It probably is.

Anyway, I'm homeward bound after six months away. Wish me luck.

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