Day73 - Kindred

I was en route to Brazil, in transit in the States. The call came over the intercom, designating a new waiting point for the connecting flight - the tone of the announcer provided me with some degree of trepidation in that they sounded like they unsure as to what was going on with the flight, and the meeting point was not at a designated gate. Had there been a mixup? There was noone immediately available at the desk to answer, so I collected my carry-ons & started off as directed.

It was as I was leaving that I saw a little girl. We had been on the same flight and she was travelling by herself to the same destination. Standing there, she had a very lost expression on her face. It would not have surprised me if the same airline had forgotten to send an escort for her. I let her know that she needed to go to the new spot to wait before being called for processing at the gate. She asked if she could come with me, so I agreed.

We arrived at an empty part of the airport near a baggage claim carousel with one lonely, long-forgotten bag making perpetual laps. I knew what that bag felt like. We talked a lot - very similar people her and I - and waited & waited for the call that never came. Eventually I decided to head to the original gate as I was becoming anxious. I'm usually very relaxed, but the prospect of missing an international flight will summon the anxiety. Sure enough, this was the correct gate all along. Worse than making a mistake: the airline had made a mistake when there was no mistake to be made. At least the outcome was in our favour. We boarded the flight & she sat next to me. We'd each found a new friend for the day.

When we arrived in Brazil it was obvious that the airline had completely forgotten her and she had no relatives there to meet her, so I took it upon myself to help my little friend make her way to meet her parents which was at a hotel on the coast.

We arrived, and again we waited, this time on deckchairs in the sun, near an olympic swimming pool that overlooked the ocean, so it wasn't all bad. Her parents were staying at the hotel, but when they failed to show up at the designated time, I inquired with the concierge who informed me that they had not been back to their rooms for some time. I left the girl in the custody of the hotel staff, and went to search for her mother. In the process I found her father, but upon returning to the hotel, girl to be missing.

Even though she was no relation of mine, I cared a lot for new friend, and though still a child, we each felt the recognition of kindred spirits; that nod without nodding; that wink without winking; that conversation without speaking.

And so I vowed to find her.

(Wed 20100721 - From an 0600 dream)

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"See everything on the inside out."

Blind Melon - Mouthful of Cavities

"I write a letter to a friend of mine
I tell him how much I used to love to watch him smile
See I haven't seen him smile in a little while"
But, I know you're laughing from the inside out."

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