getting back home continued...

the woman waits until i turn to pick up my bags, "is this the line for US Airways"? she asks.
"i believe so". i struggle to move my things.

the woman is heavy set and oriental. she has thick black rimmed glasses, the black roots of her hair contrasting sharply with the light brown color that covers the rest of her short bob and bulky jewelry that can only be described as the last known bridge between old women and young black rappers. her voice is high and mousy, "i don't think i'm going to make my flight". i can empathize with her as i was also questioning my ability to make my flight.

"where are you heading to"? i ask.
"pheonix"
"really? me too". the woman looks at me and smiles. i reach the section where TSA takes your check-in baggage. i am more than happy to relieve myself of all that weight. the line, however, has not shortened. still there are at least 80 people ahead of me waiting for ticket agents.
"there must be electronic kiosks here right"?
"i don't have an electronic ticket" the woman replies. "my husband made the arrangements for me and said i needed to go to the ticket counter to get my ticket"
"oh, i see" i say though none of the information she gave me answered my question. "would you mind just watching my spot while i see if there are any kiosks"?
"sure" she says, her voice still high and wavering.
i push my way through the line and look desperately for the kiosks. what sort of major airport doesn't have electronic ticket kiosks? even the small Ketichan airport has them. they must be around here somewhere. i think perhaps if i started knocking on walls and saying "open sesame" they might appear. i am becoming frantic. they have room for these giant display cases, you would think they could put in a tiny, little, itty-bitty kiosk! the line doesn't seem to be moving as i make my way back.
"any luck"?
would i be back in this line if i had any? i thought. "no, unfortunately"
"i want to see what is taking everyone so long, could you save my spot"?
"sure, of course"

the woman cuts through the line with an earnestness and intensity that i wasn't expecting from someone with such a high, soft voice. she returns quickly.

"i don't know what's going on, but we're really going to miss our plane".

i stretch my neck to see what's up ahead. i catch the eyes of one of the ticket agents. i step out of line and walk up to her. i put on my best helpless face and say, "i have an electronic ticket. i checked my bags. i just need my boarding pass". then from behind me i hear a familiar mousey voice, "i don't have any bags either. i'm on the pheonix flight. i just know i'm going to miss my plane, i just know it. i don't know what to do"

my face scrunches up; this woman is really laying it on thick. the ticket agent smiles and leads us over to a side desk. she takes our information and obtains our boarding passes. i thank her graciously and begin to take off. the woman, however, looks at her boarding pass and begins to frown. then her soft, high voice turns into something stern and rigid. it is like watching the transformation of dr. Jekyll and mr. Hyde.

"i need to change my seat" she says. for someone who is so worried about missing her plane, i am surprised she wants to take the time to make any adjustments. the agent looks at her and smiles, "i'm sorry ma'am but we cannot change your seat this is a full flight"

the woman looks over to me as if to ask if i had a better seat and if i were going to trade with her. even if i did i wasn't about to change, but for simplicity’s sake i also had a middle seat and told her so. she then turns back to the agent and demands, "i need to change my seat. my husband said i would have an aisle seat. i need an aisle seat"

i want to leave and go through security screening but the woman keeps looking at me, like i am obligated to stay, obligated because we spoke a few words to each other and we are on the same flight. i pause a moment and then tell the woman, "it was really nice talking to you but i have to go. i'll see you at the gate"

she looks at me, "but i don't know how to get there"
is she kidding? i can tell by the way she holds herself and her forthright attitude toward the ticket agent that she isn't a flying novice. this ship is sinking and i'm not about to go down with it. this fat lady is singing her tune and it is my exit cue.

the woman turns back to the agent and in that high, soft, whiny voice she exclaims, "but i'm fat. i'm fat. i cannot fit in that middle seat. i simply cannot fit. you can't make me sit there because i am too fat"

she definitely hit the high note on that one and with that i rush to the secruity check point. once there, i realize that the line at the ticket counter was only half the size of the line that is waiting at the security check point. i hear a moan or two behind me and as i turn around, i see the woman pushing her way through the line to stand beside me.

"oh there you are" she says as if she has somehow gotten lost in the hustle and bustle of the airport but has finally found her bestest best buddy.
i smile politely.
"oh my god look at this line! i can't believe it. why is it this long"?
i shrug.
"we are never going to make our flight. i just know it. we are going to miss our flight all because of this stupid line and this stupid security checkpoint"
"i'm sure we'll be fine"
"i don't think so. our flight boards in a half hour. we won't even be screened by then"
"i'm sure we'll be fine"
"i'm glad you think so"

i sigh loudly and smile to the couple behind me who seem a bit off put by the woman who just pushed past them.

"so what brought you to Anchorage anyway"? i ask trying to divert her negative energy.
"my daughter is going to college in Fairbanks so i just took her up to get her settled in. she's my only one. i don't know why she had to go so far away. it doesn't make any sense. i don't think she's going to like it. i don't think she'll stay. it's too cold up there. i don't like it. we're from pheonix so we like the heat. alaska of all places"!
"it sure is beautiful though" i reply.
"yes it is beautiful and i like it but i don't want to stay here which is what i think i'll be doing because i'm never going to make this flight"
"no point worrying about it i guess, nothing we can do right? all the worrying isn't going to make this line move faster, besides i think most of these folks are on the pheonix flight. the plane can't leave without the majority of their passengers".
"but they will leave"

i smile through gritted teeth and shuffle along with the line.
after a moment the woman breaks our silence,
"i hope i don't have to sit next to any children. they always make so much noise and move around so much"

i look past her to the couple behind us with two kids and another couple across from us with three kids.
"what's your seat number"? i ask.
"28 B"
i look down at mine, "33E". thank God, i think. if i have to sit next to this woman i might just jump off the plane.

when we get to the security check stations there are two lines. i pas through one and the woman passes through the other. i wrestle with my computer and extratuffs but i get through with no real complications. once inside the waiting area i stop a moment to put on my boots and get my things back in order. i hear a low but loud sound at the back of my neck, labored breathing with a hint of wincing. i turn my head slowly, like some sort of killer, life-sucking zombie that seems to find you where ever you go, the woman stands next to me. her ten pound jeweled necklace still swinging with the momentum of her brisk walking.

"hey" i say, my tone slightly depressed.

her mouth tightens as if to smile but what she is really doing is showing her disappointment with my abandonment and thereby my betrayal. i begin to walk quickly and she follows although she cannot keep up. i feel bad and slow my pace. we reach the gate and the plane is slightly delayed. about half the passengers are already there. i lean up against a wall and the woman passes by me and marches up to the agent's counter. i can faintly hear the words, "but i'm fat" carrying over the noisy waiting area.

within ten minutes we are boarding. as i struggle to find my way to my seat i pass the woman. she is seated in an aisle seat up front. she smiles at me and returns to her book.