I was a little hesitant to board the plane. It wasn’t like I
had a premonition that the plane would crash or be hijacked. It had everything
to do with the trip. I had a script about three quarters done and a meeting
with three brokers expecting to see a finished product. I shuffled my feet
through the terminal and up to security like a toddler who didn’t want to do
something but knew there’d be consequences. The consequences, in this case,
were undefined, but the numbers being thrown around at what these “newbies”
would pay for a solid script from me was no joke.
I found a seat. My Able Abe black leopard print messenger
bag held my essentials I was carrying onto the plane. I checked my messages on
my phone, as I saw my flight was to be delayed. As an avid people watcher, I
began watching the variety of people congregated at one time and one place. It
tripped my mind out a little. I imagined where each person was off too and to
what business, be it vacation, business, or a secret rendezvous. I watched the families
with kids, I watched and watch how they dealt with getting their kids, through
the flood of people moving and going from all directions. I saw the business
types in suits, BlackBerrys glued to their ear as they brokered high tech deals
over the phone. Doing this visual impression kept my mind off the fact that for
the past hour my flight status was still delayed.
In the back of my mind, the finishing touches to the script
simmered, coming together slowly. Nonetheless, I’d have a finished script to deliver
even if I had to lock myself in my hotel room once in New York for the first
few days. Earlier that day, before coming to the airport, I had a photo shoot
with two young college age girls looking to break into the modeling scene. The
image of them looking at their images on my camera laying on the studio couch
and perfect pert asses made for cut off jean shorts or spandex boy shorts
flashed across my mind, as it was the last thing I saw before leaving the
studio.
I was deep into the people-watching mode. I saw a stewardess
walking through the terminal, dragging one of those luggage compartments on
wheels. She looked exhausted. She moved slowly, one foot in front of another,
almost like she might collapse at any minute like a triathlon runner, meters
from the finish line. Her finish line was a terminal area couch just out of my
site line. I could only see her hands and her now crossed legs, as she was now
seated with her rolling luggage next to her. I could see her right hand reach for something out of my
view. Once back in view I noticed she holding a cell phone, as she began
scrolling.
My flight went from delayed, to a slim chance it would be
cancelled, to now boarding in a matter of hours. In that time I had finally
brought out my laptop and began actively working on the script. Knowing someone
wanted a piece of my creativity, made me feel good. It definitely made me want
to do my best work. As I made my way to board the plane, each passenger was
greeted by this gorgeous, model type stewardess that was so flawless it was as
if she floated on air. I watched throughout the flight to prove and even
disprove my theory of her to no avail.
When we arrived at JFK the weather was a bit chilly, with a
brisk wind. I gathered my bags and hailed a cab to my hotel. While checking in,
I saw they had a lounge and thought a drink might sooth the jet lag. So I got
to my room, showered, changed, and made my way back down to the lounge. I
ordered a Grey Goose and ice with a twist. Surveying the place, which looked like
a bunch of quiet out-of-towner’s and a band of regulars. The decor was a bit
dated, and reminded me of a fashion photo I had seen selling make up or of just
the tropical theme. I sat at the bar sipping my drink, strategizing in my head
how I’d tackle the whole script finishing process, when a woman sat next to me
at the bar. She must have come in unnoticed by me, as the bar patrons could be
counted on two hands. The lounge was dimly lit and with all the colored
lighting it was a bit difficult to see what you saw. She sat there rubbing the
rim of her glass ever so gently. At a certain point she turned to me and looked
me over. I acknowledged her presence, looking over and showing her a quick
smile. She wasn’t ugly, but she was definitely not gorgeous. My intention was
just to take the edge off, maybe enter into some easy going conversation, but
the conversation she was looking for wasn’t going to be from me. I finished my drink in silence.
Accepting things as they came, I got up from the bar confidently walking back
to my room.
The whole situation reminded me of this girl I once knew who
was supposedly now living in New York. We talked on the phone long distance for
a while, but it fizzled out after awhile. It was the distance that resolved.
Yet I remember her always talking about owning her own studio apartment with a
walk in closet so deep she could get lost in it. I looked up her contact info
and thought about calling, as I got to my room. The number was there, but I
felt I had other business to attend to so I called up Nausami as I entered my
hotel room, closing the door behind me.
And right now we have a great End of Summer Sale @ ableabestudios.com
...GO!!!
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