Earlier this week, I spent some quality time hanging out at LaGuardia with no plans to board a plane. You might think that sitting in an airport with no intention of taking off to another destination would be terribly boring. And in many ways you would be right.
I have spent many an hour occupying myself in various airports across the globe but usually it is when waiting to go some place other than here. The anticipation of a new city/state/country is something that is hard to surpass. It's easy to feel downright depressed (slight exaggeration... maybe) at your own lack of traveling adventures ahead when you are presumably surrounded by everyone else's. Yes, I like to think everyone is headed off on some grand adventure or visiting loved ones or sometimes even for work to close a deal. I try to keep it happy. Why put unnecessary burdens on perfectly good strangers?
The people watching in airports is prime, especially in the food court. You have people waiting for friends to fly in, about to fly to somewhere new, perhaps meeting a potential lover they've never met in person before - endless possibilities I tell you. In the two hours I was there, there was a crazed man screaming a certain expletive (apparently he did not get what he wanted), small children running about with one in particular doing the whole make raspberries on the glass window panes routine, a gentleman who I would have assumed was homeless in any other locale when in actuality I think he was just ridiculously tired, and so many middle-aged, blonde bobbed ladies with black rolling suitcases. Seriously, is this some new trend?
As I sat there, waiting, and waiting, and waiting some more (ever so patiently). I was reminded by the screams and laughter to look up from this device and take in my surroundings. There were endless stories swirling about me. Now if I could only perfect my I'm-not-staring-at-you-but-really-I-totally-am look. Human beings, we're a pretty interesting bunch.
notes:
another favorite time passing activity of mine is to make up theme songs for strangers. this is a bit easier in situations where people are passing you quickly, say in penn station or the like. just make sure that you keep those songs in your noggin otherwise things get real awkward, real fast. not that i would know from personal experience.
if you should find yourself hanging around terminal b for a couple of hours at lga, do yourself a favor and don't get coffee from fix in the center food court. take the time to stretch your legs and wander over to the food court by gate d for some better options. you'll thank me. better yet, make friends with someone who has a platinum amex and hang out at the centurion.
