I am finally losing my mind. I thought I posted this an hour ago, but here it sits. So forlorn in its lack of publishing. 🙁

ARGH!!!!

This is kind of an addendum thought to last night’s question as to whether you had planned your A to Z. Last year, I had written down the theme for each letter. It worked for me. I may have written it that day, but it helped having the theme before me. This year, argh, I don’t know what’s up. Later tonight, I should sit down and do a “place” for the remaining letters because today was agony trying to come up with an “i.” I even considered doing something out of the ordinary, like imagination. Because imagination is a place, isn’t it? 🙂 Sigh.

(Two “arghs” in a post can’t be good, can it? 🙂 )

Anyway, upwards, onward, inwards. We’re sitting in an airport, friends. Washington Dulles International Airport.

Airports and My Life Suck

I’ve read too many romance novels, seen too many rom-coms. A part of me thought he’d show up, dash through the airport to tell me he couldn’t live without me, that he loved me.

Yet, time is spinning by, ten minutes until boarding, and I must face it. My life is not a rom-com.

My cell chirps. I glance at Tina’s message: you can do this! With a thumb’s up emoji.

Sure, I can. This is what I’ve always wanted. I’m heading out west to study wolves. A chance of a lifetime.

We begin boarding.

The last little bit of hope fades. C’est la vie.

I stash my carryon, sit in my window seat, and glance out at the tarmac, watch as luggage is placed in the hold. Mentally I shrug, pop in my earbuds, and let Emmylou’s Greatest Hits define my mood.

A body sits next to me. I don’t look. They pluck out my left earbud. I glare at the audacity and am about to unleash an unparalleled set of curse words.

“Matt?”

He grins at me. “Couldn’t let you start a new life without me.”

His phone sings: How Can I Live Without you?

end 4/10/2018

Sascha Darlington