Observations on Wasps in the Airport Terminal

A Story by Olivia

The prettiest one is the youngest. In her eyes the drawl of disinterested entitlement. She’s been given everything but is interested in nothing. Watch out for her. She’ll at once be lost and more found than you ever were or will ever be. And she’ll most certainly leave you; alone, lost, and pretending otherwise.

The son is the whimsical one; egotism and self-importance have clouded what may have been intelligence. And everyone will worship him, and he will no doubt feel the pressure, but he needs it, he craves it, he can’t live without it. Without you, he crumples.

The oldest daughter is the sensible one. She fears failure and desires security. She is haughty, no less than her siblings, because she knows she is better. But she works hard in secret for her manufactured advantage, terrified it will all be lost.

The middle daughter is the hedon. She grows into herself nicely and knows it. She was once the prettiest and knew it then. Now her “free spirit” and earthly pursuit of admiration are poor disguises for the disappointment and newfound jealousy she avoids.

The father is a man of reason. From privilege he came, though born, unlike his own offspring, into duty and misguided rationalism. He won’t understand nor be able to manage the new generation; the ones who see past the lies of their fathers and will have none of it.

The wife is tired, but committed. Perhaps she was beautiful once, but always stern and skeptical. She alone confronts the whims of her children, to rein them in and keep them safe. It must be done. Her tight lips and uncompromising posture may keep them in alive in their youth, but it will be a long and protracted battle. She bunkers down for the long haul.

For what can be done with the wild and entitled youth? Pray for reason, when reason is a farce. Forestall the chaos, who knows what lies on the other side.

And as a family they are an interesting group of wasps. So much belies their gate. So much said in their lips, in the flicks of their hair, in their public displays, whether or not any of it is true.