This is my baby, my work in progress. My girlfriend is a flight attendant (not a stewardess and she is always quick to point out), and though Angela is not modeled after my girlfriend in any way, the job is quite lonely and this is my fictionalized glimpse into it. Comment and critique if you wish, I appreciate them all, good or bad.
Last Call
Last Call
The moment Angela stepped off of the airplane it started to rain and they still had to run halfway across the runway to get to the terminal. Silently she was cursing the tiny aircraft as she waited for everyone else to get off as she smiled at them and thanked them for flying with her. She didn't have an umbrella and her feet were killing her, she'd rather cut off her feet than have to run all the way to the terminal in heels and a skirt that leaves zero mobility.
Inside she sat down and rubbed her feet while she waited for the airport shuttle to come and take her to the airport hotel. She looked at her watch, the shuttle was late and the restaurant in the hotel was going to be closed and maybe at best they'd still have the bar open so she could throw back a few drinks and drift off to sleep before she had to be back in the air in the morning.
The shuttle showed up late and the only people getting on were her and another flight attendant from another airline. The ride was bumpy and uncomfortable but she was just glad to be off of her feet and off of the airplane.
She had to run from the shuttle to the hotel lobby and silently cursed herself to picking such a lonely, god-forsaken job in the first place. Inside she composed herself, checked into her room and took the elevator up to her room.
Every hotel, no matter what the name, all have the same rooms. No matter what city or airport the hotels are all the same. The same hotel smell and uncomfortable feel as if they are trying their hardest to remind you that this is not a place anyone would ever want to call home.
Angela took off her heels and sat at the edge of the bed, opening her luggage and getting out a change of clothes. She laid out her uniform neatly on the bed and changed into something more comfortable, loose fitting jeans and a pink spaghetti strap shirt. She walked down to the lobby barefoot, as if anyone was going to be up at midnight to see her anyway.
As she guessed the restaurant was closed but luckily the bar looked open even though there was no one sitting at it. She went and took a seat, the bartender took her order, a vodka tonic, and went back to the other end of the bar where he silently cleaned glasses and watched sports highlights on the TV.
She took quick sips of her drink trying to get it to hit her as fast as possible so she could get back up to her room, slip under the uncomfortable hotel sheets and fall to sleep.
When she called the bartender over for another vodka tonic a middle aged man in a business suit sat down next to her and ordered the same. He smiled politely at her and they both sat, nursing their drinks and staring at the wall.
A few minutes passed and the man stretched out his hand and said, "I'm Henry." She took his hand and shook it, saying, "Angela." Another minute passed and Angela felt awkward. She wasn't used to people paying any attention to her when she was off the plane and she didn't know if she was obligated to say anything or if the introduction was it.
Henry turned to her and said, "So what brings you to a hotel bar in the middle of the night? What could possibly be that bad?" He said it with a gentle smile so she took no offense.
"I'm a flight attendant, just spending the night until I go back up in the air." She took another sip of her vodka tonic. She caught his eyes looking her up and down, she felt embarrassed talking to a complete stranger while so dressed down.
"And I'm a product vendor, kind of the same as you, I travel but never get to see much of anything past a convention center or the hotel lobby. You can name any major city in the United States and I've been there at least once, just don't ask me if I've seen the sights 'cause I haven't."
She smiled and nodded, "I know the feeling."
Another awkward silence and Angela had no idea what to say. She can't remember the last time that she had a conversation with a stranger that didn't involve them asking for a blanket or complaining about the temperature on the plane. She can't remember the last time that a stranger was polite to her.
She saw that he didn't have a wedding finger on and wondered if he had kids, if he was divorced. She didn't want to ask and seem rude so instead she asked, "So where are you from?"
"I have a home in Jersey that I haven't seen in a while but one of these days I'll get back to it. I'm going through a divorce so my soon-to-be ex-wife is looking after it so I'm in no rush to get back. Stop me if I get too personal, I'm sure the last thing you want to her about right now is my divorce."
Angela shook her head and politely said, "No, it's okay."
Henry tried to change the subject and tried to explain his job to her and the product that he was selling. She was having a hard time following because by now the vodka started going to her head and he worked for a medical supply company so some of the things she had no understanding of but she nodded her head as if she knew what he was saying and tried to look like she was paying full attention.
Finally he stopped and said, "I'm boring you, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, it's good having someone to talk to," she said with a little smile. He returned the smile and she knew he was flirting with her and didn't know if it was the vodka or if she was really attracted to him because she was flirting back just a little bit.
She ordered one last vodka tonic and decided to cut herself off. He ordered another one and the bartender told them it was last call but he'd let them finish their drinks.
They started talking about things they had in common. They both owned dogs and both had a severe dislike for their jobs. Henry casually placed his hand on her hand that was resting on the counter. She felt a little taken aback but thought nothing of it. She had seen people on the airplane do this all the time. Two people sit next to each other and naturally strike up a conversation so they don't have to avoid each other for an entire flight, they're just doing what anyone else would do.
Eventually their drinks were finished and Henry was polite enough to pick up her tab saying, "It's my pleasure."
He walked her to the elevator and they were both staying on the same floor so they rode the elevator up. They walked down the hall and Henry's door came first so he stopped her by saying, "This one's me."
They stood in silence for a second. She wondered, how do strangers say goodbye to each other?
He said it was nice to meet her, that it was good to have someone to talk to for a change. Another moment of silence and he put his hand on her arm, gently touching her elbow with his fingertips and he leaned in like he was going to kiss her but he politely kissed her on the cheek instead.
"You can come in if you want," he said to her. Angela shook her head no and he said, "I understand, goodnight." He unlocked his door and it shut behind him. Angela stood by his door for a moment not knowing what to think about the pass that he had just made at her. Surely he invited her into his room with a motive in mind, she thought. She did find him polite and slightly attractive though but he was just a stranger and surely she wasn't capable of having a one night stand.
Angela found herself still standing in front of his door with her arm up as if she were about to knock on it but she took a step back and put her arm down. She walked quietly back to her room, walking on her tiptoes as if she were sneaking around. She unlocked the door to her room and turned off the lights, climbing into bed and under the covers.
In the morning she showered and put on her uniform. She walked down to the lobby in her uncomfortable heels and Henry walked passed her as she was walking out of the lobby. He nodded at her and she nodded back but that was that and they kept walking.
Angela sat down on a bench next to the sidewalk and waited patiently for the shuttle which was running late again.
Last Call
Last Call
The moment Angela stepped off of the airplane it started to rain and they still had to run halfway across the runway to get to the terminal. Silently she was cursing the tiny aircraft as she waited for everyone else to get off as she smiled at them and thanked them for flying with her. She didn't have an umbrella and her feet were killing her, she'd rather cut off her feet than have to run all the way to the terminal in heels and a skirt that leaves zero mobility.
Inside she sat down and rubbed her feet while she waited for the airport shuttle to come and take her to the airport hotel. She looked at her watch, the shuttle was late and the restaurant in the hotel was going to be closed and maybe at best they'd still have the bar open so she could throw back a few drinks and drift off to sleep before she had to be back in the air in the morning.
The shuttle showed up late and the only people getting on were her and another flight attendant from another airline. The ride was bumpy and uncomfortable but she was just glad to be off of her feet and off of the airplane.
She had to run from the shuttle to the hotel lobby and silently cursed herself to picking such a lonely, god-forsaken job in the first place. Inside she composed herself, checked into her room and took the elevator up to her room.
Every hotel, no matter what the name, all have the same rooms. No matter what city or airport the hotels are all the same. The same hotel smell and uncomfortable feel as if they are trying their hardest to remind you that this is not a place anyone would ever want to call home.
Angela took off her heels and sat at the edge of the bed, opening her luggage and getting out a change of clothes. She laid out her uniform neatly on the bed and changed into something more comfortable, loose fitting jeans and a pink spaghetti strap shirt. She walked down to the lobby barefoot, as if anyone was going to be up at midnight to see her anyway.
As she guessed the restaurant was closed but luckily the bar looked open even though there was no one sitting at it. She went and took a seat, the bartender took her order, a vodka tonic, and went back to the other end of the bar where he silently cleaned glasses and watched sports highlights on the TV.
She took quick sips of her drink trying to get it to hit her as fast as possible so she could get back up to her room, slip under the uncomfortable hotel sheets and fall to sleep.
When she called the bartender over for another vodka tonic a middle aged man in a business suit sat down next to her and ordered the same. He smiled politely at her and they both sat, nursing their drinks and staring at the wall.
A few minutes passed and the man stretched out his hand and said, "I'm Henry." She took his hand and shook it, saying, "Angela." Another minute passed and Angela felt awkward. She wasn't used to people paying any attention to her when she was off the plane and she didn't know if she was obligated to say anything or if the introduction was it.
Henry turned to her and said, "So what brings you to a hotel bar in the middle of the night? What could possibly be that bad?" He said it with a gentle smile so she took no offense.
"I'm a flight attendant, just spending the night until I go back up in the air." She took another sip of her vodka tonic. She caught his eyes looking her up and down, she felt embarrassed talking to a complete stranger while so dressed down.
"And I'm a product vendor, kind of the same as you, I travel but never get to see much of anything past a convention center or the hotel lobby. You can name any major city in the United States and I've been there at least once, just don't ask me if I've seen the sights 'cause I haven't."
She smiled and nodded, "I know the feeling."
Another awkward silence and Angela had no idea what to say. She can't remember the last time that she had a conversation with a stranger that didn't involve them asking for a blanket or complaining about the temperature on the plane. She can't remember the last time that a stranger was polite to her.
She saw that he didn't have a wedding finger on and wondered if he had kids, if he was divorced. She didn't want to ask and seem rude so instead she asked, "So where are you from?"
"I have a home in Jersey that I haven't seen in a while but one of these days I'll get back to it. I'm going through a divorce so my soon-to-be ex-wife is looking after it so I'm in no rush to get back. Stop me if I get too personal, I'm sure the last thing you want to her about right now is my divorce."
Angela shook her head and politely said, "No, it's okay."
Henry tried to change the subject and tried to explain his job to her and the product that he was selling. She was having a hard time following because by now the vodka started going to her head and he worked for a medical supply company so some of the things she had no understanding of but she nodded her head as if she knew what he was saying and tried to look like she was paying full attention.
Finally he stopped and said, "I'm boring you, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, it's good having someone to talk to," she said with a little smile. He returned the smile and she knew he was flirting with her and didn't know if it was the vodka or if she was really attracted to him because she was flirting back just a little bit.
She ordered one last vodka tonic and decided to cut herself off. He ordered another one and the bartender told them it was last call but he'd let them finish their drinks.
They started talking about things they had in common. They both owned dogs and both had a severe dislike for their jobs. Henry casually placed his hand on her hand that was resting on the counter. She felt a little taken aback but thought nothing of it. She had seen people on the airplane do this all the time. Two people sit next to each other and naturally strike up a conversation so they don't have to avoid each other for an entire flight, they're just doing what anyone else would do.
Eventually their drinks were finished and Henry was polite enough to pick up her tab saying, "It's my pleasure."
He walked her to the elevator and they were both staying on the same floor so they rode the elevator up. They walked down the hall and Henry's door came first so he stopped her by saying, "This one's me."
They stood in silence for a second. She wondered, how do strangers say goodbye to each other?
He said it was nice to meet her, that it was good to have someone to talk to for a change. Another moment of silence and he put his hand on her arm, gently touching her elbow with his fingertips and he leaned in like he was going to kiss her but he politely kissed her on the cheek instead.
"You can come in if you want," he said to her. Angela shook her head no and he said, "I understand, goodnight." He unlocked his door and it shut behind him. Angela stood by his door for a moment not knowing what to think about the pass that he had just made at her. Surely he invited her into his room with a motive in mind, she thought. She did find him polite and slightly attractive though but he was just a stranger and surely she wasn't capable of having a one night stand.
Angela found herself still standing in front of his door with her arm up as if she were about to knock on it but she took a step back and put her arm down. She walked quietly back to her room, walking on her tiptoes as if she were sneaking around. She unlocked the door to her room and turned off the lights, climbing into bed and under the covers.
In the morning she showered and put on her uniform. She walked down to the lobby in her uncomfortable heels and Henry walked passed her as she was walking out of the lobby. He nodded at her and she nodded back but that was that and they kept walking.
Angela sat down on a bench next to the sidewalk and waited patiently for the shuttle which was running late again.