Watching Strangers

While waiting to board a plan, my favorite thing to do is watch other people.

Everyone does something different while waiting at the airport.

Some sleep, some read, some listen to music, others catch up on shows, or go to places in the airport.

Some even just wander around.

The most interesting people aren't those who go to restaurants or stores in the airport; it's those who are sitting down near the boarding gate, reading, drawing, playing video games, or just talking to other people.

Some people like to have a whole dramatic conversation at the airport, loud and clear, for everyone to hear.

It's annoying when their voices are too loud, or their voices sound annoying, or their yelling, or the topic isn't something interesting.

Sometimes, you get the best chisme though.

Other times you just watch little kids go crazy while their parents are distracted. As long as they don't bother me, I really don't care that much. They aren't my kids.

I remember one time, this guy was showing an old man Subway Surfers (I could tell because the volume was up), and the guy's daughter (which was like maybe five or six), was just talking to guy, and walking around in front of him.

She wasn't being loud, nosy, or annoying, so I just kept watching.

I also remember that one time, there were like four kids and their parents. Those kids were running around in circles, jumping up and down, pushing each other, it was pure chaos.

I get it, toddlers, but do something, tell your kids to be on their best behavior at the airport, not to make a mess, and not to cause a scene. Don't let them run around like squirrels being chased by dogs or something.

Another time, there was a group of people, a family, that kept looking at me. I had no idea who they were.

Turns out they were some distant relatives.

They made it so obvious that they were watching me though. At least try to make it look like you're not staring at someone. Even if you know them, if they look like they're avoiding eye contact, don't force them to look back at you.

Deal with your kids about to fall off the chairs they're leaning on.

Basically just a bunch of stories about little kids and other people.

Kids with phones were not a rare sight either.

If your kid is four, don't give them their own phone with Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok. Don't give them a phone at all. Give them one of those plastic tank controller games where you have to press the bottoms to move the water and get the little hoops to land in the hooks.

Take care of your kids at the airport, they're your problem, not the people that work there.

This time though, I saw someone watching Fullmetal Alchemist. I couldn't tell if it was Brotherhood or the other one though.

They were sitting next to me in the rows of chairs near the boarding gates.

They were alone, at least as far as I could tell, and they weren't wearing headphones. They just had the volume down, and were reading the subtitles. Makes sense if it was sub and not dub.

I couldn't tell which part it was, but I could see the characters, so I knew it was Fullmetal.

It had been years (as in literal years), since I had finished watching Fullmetal, including Brotherhood, so it was hard for me to tell which part they were on.

Past the dog, most likely.

After an episode or two, it was time to board the plane, and it turns out we sat next to each other on the plane too.

They kept watching Fullmetal during the flight, and I was just listening to music and playing Subway Surfers, trying to watch at the same time without making it obvious.

Halfway during the flight, they turned off their phone (I think it was dying), and I took out my headphones.

"Are you watching FMA or FMAB?" I asked them.

"FMAB," they said. "I've seen FMA though."

"Same," I said.

It was silent for a bit, and I had nothing to say.

Thankfully, they picked up where it left off.

"Have you finished both?" they asked.

I nodded.

"Yeah, a couple years back, actually. Forgot how it ended. For some reason I only remember the beginning."

"That happens to me sometimes too," they said.

"What other anime have you seen?" I asked.

"Naruto, both, InuYasha, Terror In Resonance, Tokyo Ghoul, Bleach, Attack On Titan, I can't remember the rest," they said. "You?"

"All of those, Ouran Host Club, One Piece, Chainsaw Man, like five Fate series, Cells At Work, Sword Art Online, Kaiju No. 8, Classroom Of The Elite, Assassination Classroom, Soul Eater, and a lot more," I said.

I looked at my phone case.

"Oh, and Bungou Stray Dogs and Toilet-Bound," I said.

"Toilet-Bound?" they asked.

"You haven't heard of it?" I asked.

"Nope, never," they said.

"Watch it," I said. "Better yet, read the manga. I love Toilet-Bound. Full name is Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun. You can kinda guess what it's about from the title if you try."

"Hanako's bound to a toilet?" they asked.

"Something around those means," I said. "It's better than that, trust me."

"I'll take your word for it," they said.

"Please tell me you've seen 91 Days though," I said.

"That, I have seen," they said.

By the end of the flight, we were close friends, or at least in my point of view.

"Can we keep in touch?" they asked, when the plane landed.

"Yeah," I said. "Want my phone number?"

"Yeah," they said, passing me their phone, ready to add a contact.

I typed in my number, and put it my name.

"Kris?" they asked.

"Yeah," I said. "Your name, so I can add a contact."

"Percy," they said.

"Like Percy Jackson?" I asked.

"Yup," they said. "Or like Four Knights Of Apocalypse. I prefer Seven Deadly Sins though."

"Same," I said.

We got off the plane, and as we parted ways at the airport exit, they said, "Bye, Kris."

"Bye, Percy."