A FLIGHT TO MISS

When I got to the airport, I immediately had a feeling of Deja vu, but I ignored that because I really didn't have time to ponder. I had rushed myself to make sure that I had enough time to get my plane, but I could tell that it was going to be a close call with no time to spare, especially with all the commotion that was going on in the airport. It even distracted security because I just put my bag on the screening belt, and it rolled though. For a second I even thought it floated though as I walked right though the detector with ticket in hand without a word being said to me. My thought was that it should be like this all the time.

     People were standing everywhere some were crying and some were just blocking my way and since I didn't have time to inquire of what all the ado was about, I just kept it moving minding my own business as I ran towards my gate; because whatever it was, it didn't concern me anyway. I was on my way up and not just up into the wild blue yonder in the plane but also to the big money corporate world.

    When I got to my gate I was stunned, and my world came crashing down. The area was empty. my hustle and bustle were all for nothing, I had missed my plane anyway and as far as I remember, there wasn't another one until tomorrow. The greatest job opportunity of my time and I blew it, but I wasn't the only one.

    In the corner of the waiting area a young woman sat crying and appeared to be preying. As I moved closer to her, I could hear her thanking God for letting her miss the plane. I just figured that wherever she was going she was apparently happy she wasn't going to get there, at least not on time. She seemed to ignore my presence, so I ignored hers.

     I went to the other side of the room, sat down and pondered my next move and how I was going to explain to my wife how I let this job opportunity as great as it was slip away. It wasn't long after that I looked up noticed on the flight monitor screen that my flight number was colored in red. As I got closer to the screen I wondered if my flight had been cancelled Afterall and that it wasn't my fault it was the damn airlines.

     The tv next to the monitor caught my attention because whatever was being reported on the news, I could see that it was taking place right here at the airport. I started thinking that whatever was being reported was the reason for all of the ado I had seen earlier. It all became clear when the words on the monitor read "Flight 8198 has gone down shortly after takeoff...no survivors". 

     That was my flight and just to be sure I checked my ticket on which I could see the numbers 8198 along with the sudden appearance of burn marks on the ticket. I asked myself how the hell did burn marks get on the ticket which never left my pocket after the screening at security. I reached down for my travel bag and realized half my clothes were hanging out and some missing. The bag was now burnt and torn.

     At this time, I noticed the lady who had been praying and crying coming towards me. Just maybe she could explain to me what the hell was going on or maybe she was just going to ask me to explain it all to her. I thought I was going to find out, but she didn't slow down as she approached me, so I started to sidestep as I asked her "Did you miss the plane too" but at that very second, she walked right though me as if I wasn't there. 

     I thought I stumbled backwards but I probably didn't even move, even though the shock suddenly and profoundly overwhelmed me but as a man who has watched so many movies, I knew instantly, that's right instantly that everything added up to one hell of a fact. That I was dead, and she was alive because she really missed the plane and I boarded it.

    The Deja vu had been real, I had already gone thought security and passed though the detector as my bag passed though the Xray machine, had presented my ticket when asked and then ran off to my flight where I boarded with a smile on my face, for I was on time.

     I was never going to find out the reason for all of this especially since I could see that I was fading from what I'll call ...the now. The airport around me also started to fade and I started to hear screams of which somehow, I knew were coming from my once fellow passengers. The screams were accompanied by a loud bang that none of the fading people in the airport seemed to hear or react too. It was the crash, and I was going back to it.

Maybe everybody that was on board was going though or had gone through what I'm experiencing, and I just can't see them.

 I looked myself over up and down for what I assumed was the last time I would ever be able to do it and I could see that I was almost completely gone from ...the now.

For some reason at this time, I thought of the woman who had really missed the plane, the one I now know was praying for me and the others. The woman who had walked right through me. Oh, how I wished I was her instead of me, but I wasn’t, and I figured in some weird way I only had myself to blame for what was happening to me. Afterall, I had rushed today, making it was one of the few days or occasion in my life, that I had rushed and was unfortunately on time.