Long Distance - Seth Clearwater

Chapter 1

                Boarding pass, passport and phone in one hand and a cold Starbucks drink in the other, I got on to my plane. I had travelled on my own man times before; Paris, Milan and Tokyo were just some of the places I had gone without my parents, but this was different. I was travelling cross-country to a place that was known to very few, and I was staying with my uncle who I hadn't known existed until 6 months ago. The man had basically fallen off the face of the earth after his parents disowned him when he came out to his family. My dad had spent years looking for him until he found him on Facebook once he made his profile public.

"He's really a great guy; I've really missed him and I wish I was going with you," my dad says and hugs my lanky frame. I nod and stare into his cool, blue eyes and wonder about his relationship with his brother. My dad has always been a very compassionate man, he gives away money all of the time to those who need it and expects nothing in return, and we often spent Thanksgiving at soup kitchens or at other shelters just giving a hand to whoever needed it. I didn't mind doing it, but I didn't get the same feeling my dad seemed to get when he helped out. Don't get me wrong, I liked helping people, but it made me so sad to see all the suffering in the world right through my own eyes and not behind a TV screen.

I find my seat and sit down and settle in. I pull out my headphones, a book and my phone to keep me company on the plane. My family is fairly well off, so first class flights are the norm for me, but so is the loneliness that accompanies first class is also too familiar for me. Big spacious seats with large gaps in between each one and angry-looking businessmen line the way, so keeping to myself is all I usually do.

My phone buzzes, and I see it's a text from my uncle.

Uncle Ben:

Hey kid! Hope your flight goes well and I'll be here waiting for you when you get off.

I reply:

Thank you! See you in a bit!

I plug in my headphones just as the captain's voice comes over the intercom and we are off.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please buckle your seatbelts and remain seated. We hope you enjoy your flight from New York to Washington State."