On the Plane

June 29th

You are boarding the plane leaving for Sydney. You can see your mom waving at you from the observation deck and you waving back before turning to walk through the door. After you have stowed your carry-on and sat down in your seat, you turn on your music and set yourself to sleep for the entire trip.

With a thump, something heavy lands on your stomach, waking you instantly. You look up and see an old man settling into the seat beside you. You assume that the briefcase sitting on you is his. You get up, ready to make him apologize. He looks at you, giving you an absent grin and says “Good morning to you”, then settles into the seat beside you. Since it is 6 o’clock in the evening it is evident that he’s not really all there. Knowing now that telling him off will not help you in the least you settle into your seat again.

Half an hour later you are about ready to jump out of the window. The man beside you, Dr. Anderson, hasn’t stopped talking for even a moment since you sat down. According to him, he is a brilliant mathematician who has decided to take an extended vacation on the beaches of Australia. According to you he is a madman who stole someone else’s ticket, but that’s beside the point.

Eventually you drift off to sleep to the drone of his voice.