Spare Change

I don't like waiting in the airport all alone. At first, some time to myself seemed nice, but that got old fast. Traveling with someone makes waiting around seem less cumbersome and sort of in an odd way exciting. I guess because the situation is shared, and company is cherished.

I had been reading my book for about 3 hours, when my eyes could no longer read the letters on each page. My eyes were heavy but not tired, just tired of reading. Tired of staring, and my mind was tired of giving the book a chance to be great. It wasn't great and wasn't even interesting me. I was bored of doing everything people do when the are bored and waiting. So now what? Maybe I just needed coffee? Can't go wrong with that. At least it is something to do in a very simple sense. Wow, how lame... sipping coffee was something to do and pass time. Yeah, it was. Maybe I get a cookie too? Might be stimulation overload! No, I'll just get the coffee, I decided. A cookie might make me even more anxious to get out of the terminal than I already was.

I waited in a ridiculously long line at the little coffee shop. I could have wandered down into another gate, but didn't want to miss any important updates about my flight. After waiting in line for about 5 minutes, I placed my order at the counter and waited another 2 minutes for the slow coffee shop workers to bring me my toffee flavored coffee. I dug deep down in my big purse for some change, and came up with a handful. As I was sorting through the handful for $1.85, my klutzy hands caved and the whole pile fell to the floor. There must have been ten dollars in change swirling and clinking beneath. The strangers in the line behind me glared, crossed their arms, tapped their feet and huffed to express their impatience. Several people helped pick up the coins that were right at their feet, but nobody went out of their way to fetch me my spare change. Finally, after prowling around on the floor like a cat, I was able to come up with the $1.85, pay for my coffee and escape that klutzy, embarrassing moment.

I was blushing, and frazzled by that incident. I felt so stupid and out of place. I wasn't supposed to be in Atlanta, and it was really starting to annoy me. I realized I was teary eyed, on the verge of a cry attack. This tiny tiny glitch was about to set me into a tizzy. Thoughts of Tom flashed in my mind, along with all the other negative things that feed on weakness. So, I quickly found my way back to my gate and skimmed the area for a seat that was just as alone as I felt. I slumped down in the cold chair and sipped my coffee, hoping to get a grip, zone out and hear good news about my flight - soon.

Then, suddenly… I felt a light tap on my back and heard a guy say "Umm, I think this is some of your change."