A Man In An Airport
Light pours in through the floor to ceiling windows, warming the cool, industrial interior with pure, yellow sunshine. Inside, people of different backgrounds walk to their own hurried pace, getting ready to make a flight. The rhythmic thuds of suitcase wheels rolling over brick floors are highlighted with the soft clunks of high heels.
A man in a dark blue blazer walks into the airport with the flowing lights as the symphony of sound surrounds him. He carries only a rolled up newspaper, today’s edition of The Wall Street Journal. As he walks, his demure manner reflects his affluent lifestyle. In his back pocket, is a wallet, filled with family photos, credit cards, $50 bills, and business cards: Charles Smith, Smith & Roberts Associates. A businessman no doubt, ready to retire in a few years at the age of 55.
Mr. Smith approaches the arrival screen that flashes “on time” in bright red letters. Standing next to him is a large, middle-aged woman, dressed in flashy colors, carrying a small suitcase and a curious, round tube. The man, who has finished looking at the arrival screen, notices the woman in her gaudy garb. He studies As the woman walks off, he doesn’t give her another thought.
He strides past the check-in counters, which are filling with people: a female college student with a pink backpack and headphones, an Arab family speaking in a foreign tongue, wearing soft, colorful fabrics, and a group of young entrepreneurs, dressed in fancy business suits, that have great aspirations for the future.
An older gentleman, customer service representative passes by, wearing a red jacket, black pants, a white button that says, “How can I help you?’ and a gold name badge with “ Phil L.” proudly displaced. The man in the dark blue blazer approaches the escalator, reading the caution signs as he places his foot securely on the emerging step. His left hand slightly grips the moving railing, causing his ring to shine brilliantly in the sunlight. From the moving stairs he can see the whole airport, all the people below him and all the people above him.
The second level houses the two terminals, a snack shop and a small, modern café. The smell of freshly brewed coffee drifts towards the man, welcoming him. A sign behind the counter lists the prices of the coffee concoctions: Latte $$3.25, Cappuccino $4.00, Espresso $2.75. After paying for his Cappuccino, the man opens his newspaper after settling into a small table near a window overlooking the runway.
Behind him is a group of thirty-somethings, chatting away, telling jokes, laughing full-heartedly. To his left, along the wall, is a young man, in his mid-twenties, listening to his I-pod and working on two laptops. On his right is a small girl, no older than five, sitting patiently at a table. “Is Daddy on that one?” the little girl asks. “No honey,” the mom replies as she picks at her blueberry muffin.
The man glances at his watch every now and then, but time seems to be passing slowly. Unable to focus on his paper, the man watches one of the four televisions. Scrolling headlines flow along the bottom of the screen as a CNN news reporter informs the general public about the happenings around the world. Time passes faster now, and suddenly a woman with a soft, gentle voice comes over the intercom, “United Flight 305 from Chicago will be arriving in five minutes.”
The man begins to drift back to reality as a plane approaches the airport. His eyes follow the large, gray and blue plane as it quickly advances towards the runway. A small puff of smoke appears as the tires touch down on the pavement. A loud roaring noise fills the air, shaking the windows only slightly.
The man leaves his table near the window and heads towards gate three.
