midwest bound

last night
after days without
horizontal sleep,
countless delays,
hours of tarmac waiting,
enough dashing through

airports
to quench any marathon runner…

i had finally made it.
to the very
last leg of my
return
home journey.

breathless and sweat-full
my terminal sprinting
ended as i deflated
in front of the final
gate.
chicago to minneapolis.

the airline worker
looked over her glasses at me,
pitifully.

“you missed it” she said.

“but isn’t that the plane?”
i ask.

{some ultimatums
must be questioned.}

“and besides, it’s 7:58 and the
plane doesn’t take off for
another 6 minutes.”

the airline worker’s eyes
locked with mine.

{the starring over the glasses
was beginning
to get old.}

she agreed to check
if the gate was open.

it was.

i’d made it.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
traveling.

such a gift.
the chance to leave what is
here.
and go.
just go.
to see and explore and wonder
and test and search and marvel.

there is nothing quite like it.
especially
when you know
precisely
what home is like.
what you’ve missed.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

sneaking onto the aircraft
not a moment too late,
i approached cautiously.

the plane was
of course
full of eager travelers,
who had been on time.
who were waiting.
ready to get on with their journeys.

the situation had potential to be
intimidating.

the stares.
the glares.
because after all.
being THE ONE.
THE ONE
the late one.
the holding-up-the-plane one.
the your-tardiness-is-foiling-my-connection one.
never a good
position.

but.
intimidating and scornful
looks did not greet me.
only smiles,
nods of approval,
and congratulatory
last minute plane-catching
compliments
were doled my way
as i,
still short of breath,
found my way down the aisle.

and when seat 26A was
doubled booked
and i had no where to sit,
3 rows in all directions
of concerned travelers
found another seat for me.
all before
a flight attendent even
knew there was an issue.

the midwest
truly welcomed me home.

and while
even though it felt
like my time traveling was
too short
and it was hard to leave.
to say goodbye.

it’s good to be back.

as for last night.
dear United 959 plane-mates,
thanks for the
warm welcome.
home.

– n.

ps
stay tuned for
tales of the past weeks.
of meeting
christmas-ing
traveling
new years-ing
tappas-ing
and sunning.
with sister & parents
and a bunch of Oxford MBAs.