Page 1 of A Dirty Merry Christmas

BRYNN

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is, as always, a shit show to get through. It’s loud, chaotic, and messy, and I nearly get bowled over within ten minutes of stepping foot inside by someone making a mad dash to get to the security line in time to not miss their connection. Lines spill out from coffee shops and restaurants, and people gather in clusters by the chargers as half-muffled announcements of boarding calls, delays, and the ever present ‘if you see something, say something’ reminder echo through it all.

My flight doesn’t board for another hour and a half, but I’m already at my gate, sitting in a seat strategically chosen to be as far away from the chaos as possible, while still in sight of the boarding doors and electric boards.

The usual recommendation to be at the airport two hours before your flight is laughable to me, since I’m incapable of not showing up with at least three hours to spare. Being able to sit back with my coffee and my phone in my hand is more important than sleeping in, and it’s not in my DNA to show up anywhere late. That’s just how I am.

I check that my bags are where they should be for the fourth time, patting my carry-on and my tote like they might have moved from in front of my feet somehow in the last ten or so minutes. But you can never be too careful. Especially in places like this.

The gate across the way gets called for boarding, and there’s a shuffle of people moving from one side to the next, catching my attention as I hum a new melody under my breath.

My phone buzzes in my hand, and I look down to see Marnie’s responded to my last text.

MARNIE: How much of a shit show is the airport right now?

MARNIE: ATL is always a mess, right?

ME: Crazy as always.

ME: Saw some guy trying to bribe his way to the front of the line at security and everyone basically laughed at him.

MARNIE: Was he someone important?

ME: If he was, I didn’t recognize him.

ME: Probably just impatient.

MARNIE: Stay classy, ATL.

MARNIE: How long until your flight?

I check the time and do some mental math.

ME: An hour and twenty three minutes.