Carrie's Phenomenal Journey

My head droop, heart thumps loud and I try to think. There’s nothing up those stairs. He won’t return my ticket and I don’t dare leave without it. I have to get my computer and get to my travel area. God.

From the side of my eyes I see a pilot’s blue uniform, hat and golden wings across his lapel. He walks from the take off area towards the exit gate, no towards me…?

“Security,” I mumble. “Guess, I’ve done it and will end up in security or the Embassy.” I’m frozen in place, full of awful thoughts of the outcome of all this. His quick steps moves towards me and I’m almost panicky by the time he stops at my side. Silence.

We just stand there for an eternity. “You wish to leave this area?” he asks in a gentle English voice. I’m apprehensive of strangers, but in this moment, not afraid of this man.

“My carry on. It’s in the lockers. The clerk has my ticket and that’s why I’ running around in this way,” I stammer on in an effort to explain and gain composure. “Come. You can get your personal things with me,” he says a twinkle of a smile across his face. “Come along.”

He waits for me and together we pass through the swing gate and enter the spacious dome shaped room. The agent’s occupied and never looks up. We pass right by him, as if unnoticed.

“You’re from America,” the pilot says on our side-by-side walk through the huge, but empty dome shaped room.

“My first trip abroad,” I say. “I’m kind of new at this.”

“I’ve completed a few assignments in America. I like the Americans,” he says and we are in the center of this huge dome in conversation. Dim lights sparkle from the high ceiling above. Around the room a few people sit in the outer areas near flight entrances. This terminal’s stillness surpasses a silent church. Our footsteps cause an echo on the marble tiles. We pause in the center of the dome for a second.

There’s a stifled noise from the far side of the room and I turn in that direction to see. One quick glance at the elderly couple near the cargo entrance and I turn back to the pilot but…huh. I’m alone. I turn full circle, in both directions and I’m alone and there’s no one in sight. No one around me at all, I’m Alone! I’m alone in the center of this huge dome shaped room and there’s no pilot besides me. He was gone.

It’s a few moments of puzzlement and I stand still and wait. A warm pleasant feel of confidence rises within me. I’m alone but no longer afraid. I smile a sigh. Ah! God.

Retrieve my carry on bag from the locker area and return to the gate and pass through. The clerk never looks up. Rejoin my companions in the departure area for the final leg of our trip. Jeff was seated, Eileen’s head lay in his lap and all the other passengers sat sprawled out on seats around them. All doze in and out a light slumber. Only a wide-eyed toddler with a dozing mother acknowledges my presence. We smile and share a slight wave of two fingers.

“I’m far away from home but I’m not alone,” I sigh. “I’m not alone.”