Flight

Tilt the seat back and loosen the tie.
Fourth departure of a month barely past it’s fifteenth day. I wish I could change this sickly, iodine coloured shirt, but must keep the missus happy when she got up so early to see me off. Still too early for me. I’ll close my eyes now.

Tables up and seat backs upright.
The aeroplane lost touch with the concrete below to take it’s runway up to the clouds,. Too scary a thought. An hour of self preparation at the Weatherspoons and I still feel sick to my stomache. I trust the red wine to send me to a much needed sleep.

Scared looks and eyes close to tears.
To see a child like the revives black nostalgia. I was the same on my first flight, except I probably cried. I don’t remember. Never good at comfort, I wrapped one arm around my son and again felt the pang that his lost mother would have done a better job than my own.

Sepia tones and bright, white lights
A week of this ultra-violet heaven to come, sometimes overseas jobs - and relationships - can have their advantages. Visits to the equator every two months, and less hassle around the house. When he comes home - on that rare occasion - he’s actually pleased to see me.

A blank pad and torn out hair.
Three hours on a flight and not a word on the page. A show to play tonight. Guess it’ll be another night of going through the motions. The last year hasn’t brought any change, nor any innovation. A dry spell I’d normally be able to build a set around, but not this year. Feels like I’ve just been asleep.

Home and Healthy food await.
The last term was soul destroying. An hour or so, and cold beer to finish this flight, then a car to pick me up when I land. The thought itself makes me smile. A smile strengthened by the green streaming through the white outside the window.



A splutter and a sudden jolt.
The beep of the sign above my head telling me to strap myself in. A change of course as the wing tilts and we descend. When there’s no correction to the fall and we find ourselves upside down, more than one scream echoed down the plane. The plane then turns to one, single scream.

        “I’m sorry, we’re going down,
          Brace yourselves for impact.”

Came a tearful voice from the roof, now, below us.
Ashley! Oh, god. I want you here, I do. I love you, I really do.