Upon waking up from her slumber, she was fortunate enough to have some more space now with her neighbor away from his seat. Most everyone was asleep in the quiet airplane cabin. Only a few people were awake doing one thing or another. The dozen individual reading lights scattered throughout the cabin illuminated the heads of those for whom the simulated night couldn’t draw into slumber.
With her more rotund neighbor vacant from his seat, she stretched out her cramped limbs. She couldn’t imagine how frequent travelers got accustomed to such a lifestyle even if they traveled business or the luxurious first class. Just being on an airplane with the circulated air that stung her nose and the lack of space were good enough reasons to not fly terribly often.
Looking about the quiet cabin, she decided her limbs needed more blood circulation that her measly stretch could give. The pleasure of more space in my seat or the much needed movement? she hesitated. Nevertheless, with the tingly sensation creeping up in her legs, she was reminded that it was well past time to stand up and walk around again. With a last glance at the map on her monitor, she let out a sigh and got up. Flying hundreds of miles above the vast Atlantic, with another three hours before reaching their destination, she took what was a sad excuse for a stroll down the narrow alleys of the giant jet.
As she stretched her legs and walked through the aisles, she found herself rather bemused by the sleeping people. No matter how big or small they were, they were all able to nod off in the tiny airplane seats. One little girl with two little pigtails on either sides of her head curled up into a ball with one hand gently clutching her mother’s sleeve while the mother herself rested one hand on her young daughter and the other on her younger son who quietly sucked his thumb in his sleep.
A large, well built man who was over heard saying he was a high school football coach who was feared and loved by everyone in the district slept with his arms folded across his chest. Though his gruff appearance earlier had caused young children to cower away, the peaceful image of his sleeping expression suggested a softer side to him.
A few seats away, a young husband’s head rested on top of his wife’s who had fallen asleep on his shoulder. There seemed to be no remnants of their prior argument as the two of them slept rather huddled together. Like the child earlier, her hand rested on top of his wrist, where his hand was on her leg. Neither hand was clenched with animosity or frustration, but the gentle protection and comfort that a single touch can give to another individual. Though the argument seemed to have been of a reoccurring theme, the youthful wife had still fallen asleep on his shoulder marking her silent profession of love. As he too began to fall asleep aboard the darkened plane, he rested his hand on her lap lending her comfort as she slept. Upon feeling his touch on her leg, a smile unconsciously played upon her lips as she drowsily rested her had on his wrist. Visions of young love were apparent in the two as suggestions to their prior argument were now nowhere to be seen as the two slept aboard a plane carrying hundreds.
One of the stranger sleepers she found as she continued to stretch her limbs through the narrow aisles was a young adult of twenty who seemed to have gotten herself into quite a strange ball. Legs curled up and wedged between the wall and the her, the young woman had one hand underneath the tiny pillow supporting it with both her arm and her head while the other arm was wrapped around her legs, ensuring that they stayed tucked while she was sleeping. The earbuds still in her ears continued to play the sounds of the current movie playing, though she was clearly not listening. How she was able to be comfortable in such a position was beyond anyone’s guess, but still though the sounds of the movie against the silence of the airplane cabin, the young woman slept as peacefully as a seat in an airplane would allow.
The few scattered around the cabin who weren’t able to sleep, seemed reluctant to do what little they were able to do. One can only be entertained by doing the same few things for so long in a tiny seat surrounded by others without the luxury of personal space or privacy, or even the mere ability to stand up and move. There is only so much space on an airplane, thus significantly limiting your choices of action. Those who chose to read tolerated the scattered jolts of turbulence that interrupted their characters’ development. Those who were able and didn’t mind the interruptions carried on with their card games, occasionally having to stop to hold down the cards while the airplane shook.
She returned to her seat, somewhat surprised to see her neighbor’s seat still vacant. As she settled into her seat for the rest of her journey, she took one last look around the compartment. Everyone here had their own story. Everyone had their reasons to board a plane and leave the country. Whether it was meant to be a short stay or a longer one like hers, everyone here was waiting. Waiting for this part of the trip to be over with. Like Juliet, they were all tired of the confining seats cabin of the confining cabin. They were tired of being in transit. In this case, Juliet thought as she curled up into her own ball of comfort and close her eyes again, happiness isn’t found in the journey. Just another few hours until we land.
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