I have irrational thoughts when I’m in an airport.
I usually have the feeling that I’m going to see someone I know, even when I’m just on a layover. I glance around as we race through terminals, stand in line for Starbucks (mmmm…), or keep ourselves occupied as we wait in the uncomfortable chairs at the gate. I’ve never actually run into someone I know in an airport (unexpectedly, I mean), so I don’t understand why I feel compelled to look around as though I might.
And then there’s the strange sensation that overcomes me when I am being picked up by someone I know. When I don’t instantly see them at baggage claim, I grab my bags and stand in a good-visibility spot. As the minutes pass by, my mouth gets dryer as I’m overwhelmed with the sense that I may not remember what they look like. They may have changed so much or my memory may be so faded that I won’t even recognize them.
Yeah, irrational.
I had that crazy sensation when I landed in Milwaukee the other day. The moment I saw my friend—of course I recognized her instantly—but the moment I saw her, I had to shake my head at myself for even thinking I might not have been able to spot her.
Especially when she’s been forever imprinted on my heart.
Well. You’re well aware of my irrational thoughts at an airport. We won’t go into detail about those here.
But thanks.
I love you.
By: Becca on May 26, 2008
at 12:45 pm
THAT story would make an awesome blog post. c’mon friend… you know you want to share that with mesmerizing cross lady.
and i love you, piehead.
By: alece on May 26, 2008
at 12:49 pm
you’re so sweet. and funny.
we were laughing in chicago because daniel was looking for people he knew in chicago!
By: danielle on May 26, 2008
at 12:50 pm
oh good! i’m not the only one who does that!
By: alece on May 26, 2008
at 12:51 pm
Here in Bolivia we run into someone we know every single time we are in the airport. That is what you get when you live in a third world country and the class division is so distinctly marked. So when I am in any airport I, too, think that I am going to see someone I know. It has actually happened a couple times in the States as well, now that I think of it. hm.
On a separate topic (but not really because coup detat was mentioned and we are talking about airports) have you seen the Tom Hanks / Steven Spielberg movie “Terminal”. DaRonn thinks it is frustrating. I like it.
Happy Trails!
By: @ngie on May 26, 2008
at 1:59 pm
I get irrationally worried on travel days…
I have had some totally random encounters in airports though- so I get the looking around to bump into someone!!
By: Amy on May 26, 2008
at 3:21 pm
humph… I didn’t want that avatar photo to show up… let me try again… a cool kid Silas is much better…
By: Amy on May 26, 2008
at 3:22 pm
GRRRRRRRRRRR… sorry friend… can’t seem to get it right!
By: Amy on May 26, 2008
at 3:23 pm
funny! I’m sure I have irrationalities too … but I can never think of these kinds of things.
By: annie on May 26, 2008
at 3:26 pm
KITTY - i love your picture. silas looks adorable.
GIGI - i enjoyed that movie…
ANNIE - you’re too cute.
By: alece on May 26, 2008
at 4:17 pm
you ain’t right.
By: mandythompson on May 26, 2008
at 4:18 pm
but @ngie is right for liking the Terminal movie
By: mandythompson on May 26, 2008
at 4:19 pm
yes, that means DaRonn ain’t right either…
By: mandythompson on May 26, 2008
at 4:19 pm
OMGOSH I love you more with each post! :D Like, fo reals yo.
By: brandy on May 26, 2008
at 6:48 pm
did roo ever tell you her amsterdam airport story ’bout a trip home from SA? she spotted some famous people boarding her flight to the US … and they flew coach, while roo flew 1st class. it’s a long story - maybe she will share!
i, for one, don’t fly often … and have never seen anyone i know on the flight when i have.
By: roo's mom on May 27, 2008
at 12:00 am
same here as Roo’s Mom.
Mandy (much as i hate to admit it) :wink: is quite right - y’all ain’t right!
you’re not ‘wrong’ - but you definitely ain’t right :-)
Maybe the pink will help?
…or maybe you should meditate on the indisputable fact that God DOES Love you!
That might mean He’s seeing something in you you might have a little doubt about?
Doubt can lead to worry - and we are never to worry - right?
<B
By: lovewillbringustogether on May 27, 2008
at 12:39 am
:) i wish i could have seen the two of you.
By: Hannah on May 27, 2008
at 1:24 am
why ain’t i right, mandy?!
roo’s mom - i heard briefly about roo getting up to first class but not about famous people in economy. roo if you’re reading — nudge, nudge to share!
love - He sees a lot of things in me that i have doubts about! A LOT!
hannah - it was a special moment…
By: alece on May 27, 2008
at 3:36 am
’cause you worry about things that possibly maybe aren’t even a probability…in airports.
but i still love you!
By: mandythompson on May 27, 2008
at 7:04 am
I also scan the masses in airports for familiar faces. With the kind of people we know, it totally could happen.
By: whatireallywanttosayis on May 27, 2008
at 10:05 am
Everyone of us knows THAT Alece. We all see most of them too …
- i was talking about the GOOD things in you tho’ :WINK:
<B
By: lovewillbringustogether on May 27, 2008
at 10:29 am
The most embarrassing story of my life, per request from Alece- is up.
Have fun reading.
By: Becca on May 27, 2008
at 7:02 pm
i’m so glad you did that. thank you, thank you, thank you.
and i will never forget when you told me that story. do you remember where we were?
By: alece on May 27, 2008
at 7:04 pm
HAHA. mmhmm… it was the band, superchic[k]. i got bumped to *business class* because i cried. i really did. my delayed flight from jo-berg caused me to miss my flight in the ‘dam. by 10 minutes. i went to the counter to get my flight changed, and guy told me i wouldn’t get out until the next day. i burst into tears, and he made a few frantic phone calls… and said “um, i was just informed that there is an open seat in business class on the next flight. hand me your boarding pass and ticket, and i’ll get you a new boarding pass.” :D
By: roo on May 27, 2008
at 7:06 pm
oh, but it took quite a while for all of this to transpire. and i hate the ‘dam. i’ll never go there again if i can help it. high on second-hand marijuana smoke and gross airports do not attract me to a city.
By: roo on May 27, 2008
at 7:07 pm
LOVE the new look!
By: roo on May 27, 2008
at 7:08 pm
roo — yay for multiple comments from you. and i remember so vividly you telling me that story. i still feel so badly… but i’m glad you got a business class seat out of damn ‘dam.
and what’s wrong with secondhand dagga?! :-)
mandy — thanks for still loving me.
love — ha ha ha! you have a sneaky way of making me smile…
nat — you’re so right. maybe that’s what makes me continually look around. cause it SO could happen to us.
By: alece on May 27, 2008
at 7:13 pm
oh, the inevitable terminal experiences we all face…I am terrible w/ remembering names AND faces, so I rely on my slice to keep me posted. He, indeed, runs into all the likes of people, from ministry friends, old friends from a past life and celebrities…all while I get stuck in the blasted starbucks line!
When all else fails, play “people watch”…that passes time by perfectly!
By: cathi stegall on May 27, 2008
at 7:59 pm
i love that game, too!
By: alece on May 27, 2008
at 8:48 pm
that game kept us entertained for hours in college…we’d sit at the steamtown mall [yes, we went to school in scranton, PA, dear office fans] and people watch until the stores closed and we were kindly asked to leave.
By: cathi stegall on May 27, 2008
at 9:19 pm
*gasp*
i just realized how behind i am in “le office” as my friends and i call it… french-ish accent and all! no tv + tons of greek homework = no office or csi or lost.
‘lece… you should catch up on lost. 4th season is better ‘n’ better.
By: roo on May 28, 2008
at 1:02 am
aww, roo…I want friends who call it “le office”, and no tv + tons of greek homework = time for ice cream
By: cathi stegall on May 28, 2008
at 2:11 am
i’ve never watched an entire single episode of le office. nope. not one.
and i gave up on lost. are you saying season 4 redeems it?! i just don’t know…
By: alece on May 28, 2008
at 2:28 am
it’s ok, alece, i’ve never watched an entire episode of american idol…i sadly feel less american b/c of it though…can i be african now?
By: cathi stegall on May 28, 2008
at 3:11 am
you know… i haven’t either.
and you know what else? there’s a “south african idol” too!
it’s everywhere.
By: alece on May 28, 2008
at 3:23 am
i’m curious who plays the part of paula in the SA version. poor thing
By: cathi stegall on May 28, 2008
at 3:25 am
the judges are pretty lame-o… even more so than the american one if you can imagine that.
By: alece on May 28, 2008
at 3:30 am
I’ll try out for the SA idol! Maybe I’d have a chance…just promise mandy mac won’t try out, b/c I’d be canned for sure next to her musical dexterity
By: cathi stegall on May 28, 2008
at 3:39 am
pretty much everyone would.
By: alece on May 28, 2008
at 3:42 am
yeah, season four is just about redemptive. they’ve got some new characters that have brought it back to life. and the writers have started to catch on to some of the lost theorists’ guesswork… and are now playing with our minds. :)
YES, cathi. ice cream = very yes. there’s a great place a few blocks away that has 100 different shakes and 100 different sundaes (some of the shakes are the same as the sundaes toppings-wise)
By: roo on May 28, 2008
at 11:56 pm
oh roo…I need to visit that haven of all things ice cream!!!!
By: cathi stegall on May 29, 2008
at 12:18 am
roo - i may need to try to jump back into the lostness sometime… and that ice cream place sounds wild…
By: alece on May 29, 2008
at 2:00 am
yep. sure is… i don’t make it over to hoe’s often. that’s probably good for my waistline, eh?
(oh, it’s called ivanhoe’s. we like to shorten it.) teehee.
By: roo on May 29, 2008
at 8:46 pm
Wow Alece. You should really stop writing about what goes on in my brain. Seriously.
By: Kristiapplesauce on May 30, 2008
at 3:15 pm
i like that it’s called ivanhoe’s, roo. i’m going to a famous-in-wisconsin ice cream place tonight called kopp’s. that name sounds peculiar to me as well.
and kristi — i love that we think alike. more than it seems we might, eh?!
By: alece on May 30, 2008
at 9:16 pm