Just Another Day in Paradise

Winter came in a rush that year and covered Autumn in two feet of snow. The early blizzard caused delays at all the major airports along the east coast. Unfortunately for me, my flight was not just delayed, it was cancelled.

So, I sat.
I stared.
I crossed and uncrossed my legs.
I went through the gift shop twice and bought nothing.
I watched people.
I inspected my cuticles.
I doodled on my boarding pass.
I read a day-old USA Today.
I listened to my iPod.
I went through my carry-on looking for a snack.
I stretched.
I sighed.

Defeated, I gave in to my heavy eyelids, got as comfortable as possible, and fell asleep.

I began to dream...

of waterfalls and the scent of tropical flowers and the romance of wide, empty beaches....until

(the sound of a man snoring loudly...or was that me?)

Suddenly, I was back in the stale air of the airport terminal.

Old coffee cups.
Half-eaten hamburgers.
People who needed a bath.
Baby diapers.
Whiskey on the breath of the man sitting next to me.

I believe in hell. It's 24 hours in Terminal C.