Jerry Johnston sat in the Delta Airlines boarding area. The time was 2:34 in the morning. He stood. He lifted his shoulder bag. He took a few steps. He put the bag down. He patted jacket pockets. He felt papers. He lifted the shoulder bag once again and returned to his chair, actually the next one over. He sat in that chair. It felt cold.

Jane Tucker pulled a large suitcase on wheels. The voice inside her head was loud.

Yes, you took me to a bar. Yes, I left with another man. But it was against my will. So how is that my fault?

Jane sat in the chair recently vacated by Jerry. It was still warm. She turned to Jerry.

“Is your seat warm?” Jane said. “My seat is warm.”

“What?” Jerry said.

“I like a man who is indecisive,” Jane said, “but I always wind up with ones who jump to conclusions.”

“What?” Jerry said.

“Do you have children?” Jane said. “I do. One. A boy. Five.”

“No,” Jerry said.

A plane appeared in the huge floor-to-ceiling window directly behind them. It exploded.

Pamela Roth touched the Delta Airlines pin on her lapel. She considered removing it. Instead she pressed a button and spoke into a microphone.

“Don’t worry,” Pamela said. “We have another plane.”

Jane removed the cell phone from her coat pocket. She swiped the screen several times.

“This is my boy,” Jane said. “His name is Billy.” She held the phone so Jerry could see. She held it there until he looked.

“Very nice,” Jerry said. “Is Billy with your husband?”

“Why would you ask me that?” Jane said.

“What?” Jerry said.

“I’m not married,” Jane said, “if that’s what you’re asking.”

Pamela made an announcement. Jerry and Jane stood. Jerry picked up his shoulder bag and walked toward the boarding area. He patted jacket pockets. He felt papers. He handed them to Pamela. She touched a barcode to a scanner. A light flashed and there was a beep. Pamela smiled at Jerry. Jerry smiled back.

Jane pulled the large suitcase. A wheel fell off. It tipped over. It opened. Billy crawled out.

“Hi, Mom,” Billy said.

A plane appeared in the huge floor-to-ceiling window directly behind them. It exploded.

Pamela Roth removed the Delta Airlines pin from her lapel.

————

Dan Nielsen’s work has appeared in such diverse places as Selected Poems of Post-Beat Poets, published in Chinese by Wengingbooks, and The Random House Treasury of Light Verse, where he shares a page with William Carlos Williams. Dan is a part-time standup comic. He and his partner Georgia Bellas are the post-minimalist folk duo Sugar Whiskey.