On my way to Oklahoma City for the wedding of my colleagues daughter...I realized how happy I was to have my "traveling shoes" back on again. I really had only been in one place for 4 days, but nonetheless I was ready to hit the road and fill my senses with new people, places, experiences and things.
I always seem to meet interesting people when I am on the road. Perhaps it is because I am more open and not in an everyday situation. I love to watch people. I am not really a "talker" but if the right person walks into my sphere I engage because I know it is right. I love to hear their stories, life experiences, perceptions of similar situations.
On my flight today I was sitting in the airport watching and working on my computer sharing an outlet (which always seems to happen these days)and the man commented about my laptop which is dual English and Arabic keyboard. We started talking, conversations intertwining, synergistic. I noticed the the people who were sitting across from us.
I then recollected a story of being in Washington D.C. with my 1 1/2 yr old twins and Sabrina traveling to KY for my nephew S's graduation. On the way we were stuck at DCA for quite sometime due to the usual onslaught of June thunderstorm season rolling through D.C. Eight hours in the airport with a set of twins provides for loads of interaction with people and interesting observations and conversations.
As we wonder around the airport trying to induce sleep by letting the twins walk off all their energy (I know now, it has the exact opposite effect at that age. They become physically exhausted however mentally they are completely afraid if they close their eyes they might miss something new and spectacular. Thus it creates stumbling exhausted children) we move closer to our gate hoping that perhaps we might get them to lay down on a blanket or in their stroller and take a brief nap. I notice a group of various age young boys and men, all with white packets in their hands. They wore various t-shirts with designs on them but what caught my attention was they way were walking or sitting and staring at their feet. I mentioned to Sabrina that these boys and men had obviously never worn shoes before, and looked as if this was one of the first flights that they had taken....They were obviously a long way from home.
In the tired state of mind my son walked up to a young man around 12-13 yrs of age and grabbed a hold of his leg and hugged it. I thought the boy was going to jump out of his skin, but he looked down at my son with the kindest eyes... as I walked up to him and smiled and apologized. Of course he understood nothing that I was saying but the smile and the eyes spoke a thousand words, that were understood by all of us.
He picked up my son in his arms away from his leg, my son looked at him in the eyes and smiled and proceeded to put his arms around this young mans neck and his head upon his shoulder, closed his eyes and fell directly asleep. I put my hand on the boys shoulder motioning if I should relieve him of his un obligated duty. He smiled and sat down with my son and held him until the plane started to board. I wish I had a camera for that moment.
My daughter of course continued to romp around drunk tired.
As the plane began to board, I could sense the anxiety and fear that had risen in the air...all of the boys and men looking at their tickets pointing... I then knew they didn't understand where, when or what seat they were supposed to be boarding too. Sabrina and I pre boarded with the kids onto the plane, my daughter fell asleep immediately. I walked back out the door and went to the boy who had held my son, I grabbed his hand and pointed to his ticket. I walked each one of them to their seats on that plane. A sigh of relief washed over all.
I was very happy to arrive in KY everyone safe and sound. I was even happier to see as I deboarded the plane with all my "ducklings"safely following closely behind. There was entire crowd of people with "Welcome to America" signs waiting for my ducklings :-) I smiled and hugged the boy and looked him in the eyes and said "Welcome to America" he smiled back with a tear in his eye and said "thank you".
My sister in law met us at the airport as always ready to give the twins huge hugs and love. I explained to her about the hug and the boys. She explained to me that their is a huge population of immigrants that are sponsored by local charities to bring them to KY....who would have ever thought. This is where they go after arrival:
http://www.lostboysfilm.com/learn.html
Popping back into the current days travel and story:
The man smiled. He explained that he was an ER doctor from Nairobi, Kenya and he was here to ensure one of the boys made it to San Antonio. He would return to Kenya the following day... What a wonderful man he is.... Now I have a new pen pal. We exchanged email addresses. I hope to be fortunate enough to return to Kenya someday. Perhaps, I can convince a few of my MD and Dentist friends to come along and help plow the way to peace together.
All from a random meeting at an airport....
