Romance Briefs

Romance Briefs: Chance Encounters

Encounter at the Counter

Although it was almost midnight, she noticed that at least one of the restaurants was being kept open to placate the unfortunate stranded travelers. It was Midway Airport in Chicago and it was snowing outside. Her connector flight had been cancelled and her flight had come in too late even if it hadn't been; getting home was not in the cards; at least not tonight. She had been at the departure counter without anything but a 'we'll try to get you on the 7am flight tomorrow' and so she headed towards the one open eatery that she could see down the corridor.

"I recall a time when the airlines would put you up for the night" a man said walking along side of her.

"They still do," she said, "but evidently, they ran out of vouchers before I got here."

"I forgive them, just wish my flight had come in on time; might have been better luck" he said.

"Sometimes it can be more of a hassle than a blessing" she said, welcoming the contact. He was nice looking and alone.

"I know this one; a bus ride in the snow to a motel miles away where some guy dressed up as his mother greets you at the desk...I think I saw that movie; Psycho, right?" he said as they slowly walked.

"He wasn't dressed as his mother until after she checks in; it's when she takes her shower..."

"That's right, what was I thinking?" he said lightly,"

"You're travel weary; recalling scenes from old movies is the first thing to go for someone in your condition" she said as they continued their slow pace.

"I thought it was your sense of humor that went first" he responded.

"That goes first, but it returns with your second wind; it's like an athletic even; just when you think you've lost all facilities, you find a whole other gear" she said as she slowed her pace even more.

"Is that what this is? I was only trying to get to Louisville" he said keeping perfect pace with her; which was now barely a stroll.

"Louisville? What a coincidence" she said sarcastically, "I was sure you were sent by the Chicago Chamber of Commerce."

"The chamber works in mysterious ways; I'm vacationing in Louisville; it's what I do." He said jokingly.

"Nothing like January in Northern Kentucky; how did you manage to get a room?" she couldn't help but laugh as they started to pick up their pace again.

"You have to plan these things years in advance" he continued the joke.

They found themselves having walked well past the last (and only) open restaurant. They both stopped walking as they had realized what they had done.

"Where are we going?" she said looking back.

"I thought we were just walking to stretch our legs. I know mine get pretty cramped sitting in those tiny airplane seats."

"Mine too," she said staring at the Burger King they had just passed, eyeing the long line that had formed. "I was thinking about eating, but now I'm not so sure."

"It doesn't look like it's worth the effort" he said smiling, eyes fixed on the line that only seemed to get longer.

"No, it doesn't," she said looking around for an alternative, "the funny thing is that seeing a line in front of a place where you don't really want to eat can have conflicting effects; you can reflexively develop a craving for it and suddenly feel very hungry, or, it can have the opposite effect and make you forget about eating altogether."