“The Perfect Trip” by Courtney Kruger

The Perfect Trip
By Courtney Kruger

If you were to ask me how I feel about traveling/flying I would tell you I love being in the airport, for the most part, especially during the holidays. I don’t know if it’s the decorations in the terminals or the excitement of going home during Christmas break for a month (probably the latter), but I’ve come to love the out-of-state-student tradition of traveling to and from my home state during the holidays.

If the trip goes as planned, I will leave for the airport a little over an hour before the plane should be taking off. I’ll listen to music, browse social media, buy some Dramamine and a water, text friends, and give my parents updates.

I’m through security.

I’m at my gate.

I’m on my plane.

Love you, see you soon.

I’ll sit back and relax (as best as possible) in my single A row seat. Around an hour and 45 minutes later I should land in Chicago O’Hare, happily making my way to my favorite dinner spot: Manchu Wok, located in the food court right outside terminal G. I will be able to do this because I will have a 3-4 hour layover. I will get double orange chicken and fried rice or chow mein, depending on my mood, with a diet coke. I will take my tray and walk over to my favorite spot in the corner; the table by the railing right next to the walkway. I will not eat all of my food, but I’ll come pretty close.

Eventually, I’ll decide it’s time to move on and visit my other favorite place in terminal G: the bookstore. I won’t need a new book, but I won’t care. It’s the holidays and I always like to buy “an airport book.” Very rarely do I actually keep reading this book once I’ve reached my destination, but again, I won’t care. Sometimes, if I’ve picked a winner, after I’ve boarded my TOL bound flight, I’ll keep reading. Otherwise, I’ll keep listening to music. When the plane lands, I’ll have the confidence to stand up immediately in the aisle when the fasten your seatbelts sign dings off. I won’t hit my head on the lowered ceiling. That’s for amateurs! I’ll open the above compartment and easily grab my backpack.

Items may have shifted during takeoff? Ha. Not mine.

I will not hit or bump into anyone as I struggle to put it on, and I’ll make my way down the aisle, off the plane, and up the bridge without staggering once. I’ll take the escalator down to the main level of TOL and before I even get off I’ll see my parents waiting for me behind the glass.

Smiling, they wave.

Photograph made available by Nils Nedel via Unsplash