A Trebled Love

1 - To the UK

It's a sunny morning in California. However, for Lucas Carter, it's a particularly exciting day. Lucas had spent the past three years as a musical theatre teacher in a local high school, but now, he is starting a new venture. He is going on a paid trip to the UK for three months, August to October, in order to set up a drama group for secondary schools around London. 

He packs last minute items, like his charger and a toothbrush, then puts a playlist on his phone. A theatre playlist. The first song starts playing, Helpless from Hamilton. As he quietly sings along he gets dressed. He puts on a white button-up shirt and plain blue jeans. He swoops his brown hair to the right of his face, the way he always had it! He puts on his favorite cologne before quickly throwing it in his toiletry bag. He zips up his bags and looks to his dresser. His silver watch glares at him. He adds the watch to his wrist. After brushing his hair, he puts his carry on bag on his back and rolls his suitcase to his door. He opens the door and heads out, locking the door behind him without looking back. Finally, after months of waiting for this trip, it's happening. 

He arrives at the airport, stepping out of his yellow taxi he took to over there, still listening to the playlist he had on earlier. He gets his bag checked in at airport reception, goes through security with ease and even has time to grab a coffee from the Starbucks at the terminal. The coffee was bitter, but it gave him energy at least! After a while of waiting, his gate number is called for boarding. His heart is racing at this point, he wasn't thinking when he accepted the job in London. What if he ends up hating it? He drowned out the chattering of everyone around him with his own thoughts instead. 

"Sir, I need your boarding pass", he hears, from a woman's voice "Are you okay?" 

Lucas snaps back into reality.

"Oh, sorry" he shyly says, handing the woman behind the counter his boarding pass.

"Have a nice flight!" says the woman.

He walks down the gangway and boards the plane, finding his seat and sitting down. Still listening to the playlist from earlier. Showtunes had always cleared his mind. Sometimes, listening purely to the lyrics and the stories of the fictional characters in the stage productions he had come to love so deeply, gave him the solutions to real life problems. As he sits down, the song 'When he sees me' from Waitress comes on. He tries his foolproof method of listening to the lyrics to find solutions to his current issue. He had an odd talent since when he was a kid, allowing him to overthink all the lyrics and find a deeper meaning behind them. This is how he found the solutions previously mentioned. Listening carefully, he hears:

"So, I'm just fine inside my shell-shaped mind
This way I get the best view
So that when he sees me
I want him to"

From these lyrics, he realizes that life is simply unpredictable. He can't decide on what terms he does life altering things. This trip was no different. His mind was at ease. He sits back and relaxes, tuning out the safety demonstrations. Lucas had a window seat. He did have to shimmy past the two people to use the bathroom, but at least he could watch the plane take off, land and taxi to the runway. The people around him tried making general conversation, but Lucas wasn't in the mood. He simply wanted to get to London without any hiccups. He politely replied to their questions and statements, but wasn't trying to engage in a meaningful discussion. 

After a long, approximately 10 hour flight, Lucas had finally arrived in London Heathrow airport! He deboards the plane and was hit with the wave of noises from the busy airport. He eventually found his way to baggage claim and got his suitcase. He was thankful that it wasn't lost, but tired and fed up regardless. He located the exit using a map in baggage claim and eventually got out and signaled a taxi. The taxis looked nothing like the ones in the US. They were big and black, with more than four seats in the back, unlike the standard three in an American taxi. Oddly though, Lucas feels a sense of belonging in London, he knows he is going to enjoy the next few weeks. He gets into the taxi he signaled.

"Hilton Garden Inn please, sir" Lucas says, in an American accent.

"No worries, mate" replies the taxi driver, in a strong English accent. 

At this point to Lucas, he knew he stood out, but instead of letting the doubt consume his brain, he simply lets himself stand out. It wasn't his thing in America, but he may just enjoy it in London. A newer, out-going version of himself. This would be his goal for the remainder of the trip, he decides! He arrives at the Hilton, which for the next three months, he would call home.

"Twenty pounds, please" says the taxi driver.

Lucas hands the driver the money, with a 2 pound tip, which the driver seemed surprised about, but accepted regardless. He didn't know what his experience would be like from here on out, but he was prepared and even excited for what it would in tale! As the taxi drives off, Lucas steps into his hotel, ready to start his journey.