Flight #130 - On Time - Gate D5

Layover.

(Inspired by K. Turner)

As I'm writing this, I’m sitting at a small airport pub in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I’m 17 minutes into a two-hour layover between Philly and Oakland.  For many people, the word layover is a kin to a nightmare.  People despise the boredom, unrest and anxiety while sitting in a limbo of sorts for hours.  But for me, airports have always been a fascinating place to spend my time.  

There aren't many places where you can get so many different people with so many different stories in one place at one time.  This isn’t like a bus stop where people are on their way to work to sit in an office or simply heading to the mall, airports usually mark critical points in people’s lives.  I often sit and people watch and wonder just what brought them here...

For example, this man sitting a few tables away from me looking at his laptop.  Perhaps he’s on his way to an important business meeting in San Francisco that’s crucial to his career.  Maybe if he closes this deal he’ll get that promotion that he desperately needs to make sure he can save enough money for his 3 year old daughter to go to college one day.

What about this young couple sitting about 20 feet away?  Maybe they are on their way to a wedding in Phoenix.  As they laugh and giggle away, maybe he’s worried that this trip is going to force her to ask about their future and when he’s finally going to commit.  He surely doesn’t want to have this conversation again because he’s run out of good answers.  Or maybe she won’t say a word because she doesn't want to draw attention to the fact that she’s cheating on him with one of the other groomsmen.

Maybe this older woman holding her bag is headed to Los Angeles to see her grandson for the first time.  Her smile has been permanently affixed to her face since the day she found out that her son was having a baby.  She probably calls to let them know that her flight is on time and grandma is ready to hug and kiss that little boy.  She smiles to herself knowing that this is one of the greatest moments of her life.

The man sitting in the corner watching television might be on his way to bury is brother in Houston.  He feels guilty for not telling him that he loved him more and he now wishes that he had made more trips to see him.  Sure he was selfish and extremely stubborn but that was family and now he’s left with regrets.

The young woman could be headed to Hawaii to meet up with her girls from college.  She hasn’t seen them in years since she moved back east after graduation and is looking forward to hanging out like the good ole days.  She just bought a new bikini that she can’t wait to show off and a body that’s 25 pounds lighter.  The playlist on her iPod accurately reflects the kind of partying that she plans on doing.

A man just walked by me with a duffel bag.  What if he’s on his way to Seattle to try out for the Mariners.  He’s anxious because this may be his one and only chance to live out his dream to be a professional baseball player.  As he walks, he reflects on the times when his dad taught him how to play catch in their backyard.

What are the chances that is twenty-something has decided to backpack across Asia for the next 6 months while he searches for the man that he wants to be.

Or this family of four that could be heading to Disney Land.  The two parents embrace because  they are able to give their children the joys and luxuries that they weren’t able to have when they were their age.

Perhaps this soldier, still dressed in his fatigues is on his way back to Chicago to see his girlfriend who he hasn’t seen since he was deployed one year ago.

So many people, so many stories…

Who knows, maybe someone here is wondering what mine is?