Standby

Author:Kim Fielding
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing
Published: 2015-03-20T16:00:00+00:00

TOM AWOKE with a start. He looked around blearily, trying to figure out where the hell he was. Oh. Yeah. Airport. He was scrunched on the floor in a corner, his suitcase digging into his side, and his sport jacket serving as a passable blanket. Quite a few sleepy-looking people were wandering by or sitting in chairs, many reading newspapers, but the large windows across the hall still didn’t show a hint of morning sun.

Yawning, he looked at his watch. Just past four. Perfect—he had enough time to freshen up and get to his gate. He hoped he’d make it onto the Cedar Rapids flight, but for some reason the need didn’t feel quite as urgent as it had several hours ago. Perhaps because he’d managed a few hours of shut-eye. Or maybe because he could feel the last whispers of a very good dream tickling at his consciousness. He couldn’t quite remember what he’d dreamt. Was it something about flying?

He found an empty restroom and used a wad of damp paper towels and some liquid hand soap to clean himself a little. He brushed his teeth, combed his hair, and shaved; he then changed into a clean T-shirt, underwear, and socks.

By the time he emerged from the bathroom, he was energized and refreshed. He felt like a new man.

When he got to the proper gate, he marched up to the desk. “Hi,” he said to the gate agent and held out his paperwork with a smile. “I’m on standby for this flight.”

She smiled warmly in return. “Let me see what I can do for you, sir.” She took his papers and, of course, spent several minutes working on her computer.

When she looked back at him, she appeared genuinely chagrined. “I am so sorry, sir. I know we’ve left you stranded here for a long time. But your chances on this flight aren’t looking very good.”

“Oh.” Surprisingly, he didn’t feel anger rising. Just a minor curl of disappointment and a hint of resignation. He sighed. “How am I going to get home?”

She clacked away again. This time when she looked up, she was grinning. “I have a confirmed seat for you on the next flight, which I’m afraid isn’t until one fifteen this afternoon. I do apologize for your numerous delays.”

He decided she definitely wasn’t a robot. She was very pretty in a round, motherly way, her Afro forming a sort of halo, and her dark eyes sparkling with kindness. He glanced at her name tag. “Thank you, Gabi. I appreciate it.”

“Hang on a sec and let me print your new boarding pass.” After she typed for a while longer, her printer whirred. She placed a little stack of papers on the counter and tapped the top with a gold-painted fingernail. “This is your new boarding pass. Window seat, and it’s guaranteed. I even got you a whole row to yourself. For now, anyway.” She gave a conspiratorial smile.

“Thanks.” He reached for it.

“Hold on! I’m not done with you. I’ve arranged a few other things too.

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