I Spend A Lot of Time in Airports

More observations on life.

I spend a lot of time in airports.

More time than most. Which gives me the advantage of knowing more about people than others. Because people are rarely honest.

 

And when I say rarely, I mean never.

 

They can fool you with a charming façade, witty repartee, and an outfit that draws the attention away from the truth. But airports, they reveal the blatant truth. The secret we all shield from one another, the pesky thought that wreaks havoc on the mind when left idle for too long, the creeping paranoia that keeps us up at night.

 

We’re afraid.

We’re afraid, terrified really, of almost everything. In the airport, to those who are perceptive and objective, that becomes almost alarmingly evident. Fraternity boys become uncool, overconfident middle-aged women question their condemning statements, and even the sociopaths feel embarrassment. Places of transit will do that to people. It’s really very unattractive.

The stress of being alone, the lack of the familiar and comfortable, fears of eminent death, wondering whether or not enough underwear was packed, and wishing that McDonald’s didn’t smell so damn good, these are the true and deepest thoughts that penetrate the human psyche. These are responsible for allowing the unattractive, foolish, terrified persons out of their cages deep within the subconscious.

 

In some ways, one could describe an airport as being similar to a zoo. The sad-ish employees who thought they would be doing something more fulfilling with their lives haphazardly shepherd confused and terrified beasts around; while we, the animals, resist all things, good or bad. We become frustrated with too much outside observation, and feel as if many others are obtrusively invading the deepest corners of our minds as they are splayed across our frightened expressions. Some creatures are cute, some are rather large, and some just seem a little malicious, but the connecting factor is their fear.

 

Fear blazoned across their foreheads.

 

Fear hiding in their pockets, swimming in their sweat, dancing on their nerve endings, and biting at their toes. It thrives in the most uncomfortable places, and leaves no hair undestroyed.

Author's Note

Thoughts?

Reviews

[TLK]

There are some interesting bones here, and muscles -- the first line provokes intrigue, the 'flipping' of the various personalities into their fears, the metaphor of a zoo.

However, I'm not sure that these tissues are fully connected. With a bit more tendon and sinew, I think that this beast could move very sleekly. How exactly does going to airports = psychological insight -- why can you see what others don't? Why do airports provoke fear, any more than any other communal waste of time? Is it the lack of anything to do while waiting for a connecting flight?

"Places of transit will do that to people." Perhaps it's because people understand that, no matter where they go, they will always remain themselves.

[zainul]

I used to spend lots of time in airports when I was very young.
The airport was near our home then.
I enjoyed the delicious candies which were not very expensive then.
I also observed people of various types,attires and activities.
My case and your case appear different.
Like to know your point of view in more details.
However,I liked your presentation.