It’s 16th September; the hour approaches
when I take my place 'mongst the First Class and Coaches.
I shall brave tiny seats
and eat unknown meal-treats.
(Are these dinners really rejected by roaches?)
I’m off for a year! as the London lights beckon.
And my bags, I am always obsessively checkin’
to see what I’ve brought
and what I’ve forgot
but they’ll probably sell it in England, I reckon.
My only concern: the secure airport zone
always patrolled by that slow airport drone.
My half dozen whistles
you’d think they were missiles!
As he paws his way through my backpack, I will groan.
On to Chicago, the great Windy City
I’m told that it’s actually kind of quite pretty.
But I’ll never know.
Whenever I go
I travel right through it, and often am giddy.
I recheck my info so I can’t mistake it.
A hour for transfer - I hope I will make it.
But I have no choice:
bought a ticket, not voice
Though, as long as it gets me to England, I’ll take it.
I’m at the next gate in a half hour flat
Seat 43 H?? Okay, where the heck’s that?
Window, centre or aisle,
I’m not in denial -
Wherever they put me sigh that’s where I’m at.
An eight hour flight across this great ocean
the dry cabin air makes me wish I had lotion
My seat moves with a jerk
and my headset won’t work.
Customer comfort? What an odd notion.
Snatches of sleep when conditions are right -
On these flights I average two hours a night.
My eyes get quite bleary
so sore, red and weary -
But now we are landing, and soon we’ll alight.
Three hundred people all shoved in and canned
None of us moving - so why do we stand?
If you all will please sit
and just wait for a bit
We’ll all be more quickly deplaning to land.
And here’s immigration - the worker who sees us
eagerly holding our passports and visas
He holds the high power
as man of the hour
I hope he has no plans to try to displease us!
Waiting for baggage, good time for a nap
Watching that empty mouthed baggage-hold gap
I sit with a sigh
lean my pack on my thigh
And I hope that no one has stolen my cr-- stuff.
I will be offline for the next few weeks, possibly popping into the odd thread when I have the opportunity, but mostly trying to get resettled in London, which will be home for the next year! Thanks to everyone for your patience and support, and see you later from the other side of the pond!
