I'm Also a Prophet

          I’m in the New Jersey airport internet café. It’s been a long day already, as you can imagine, but it’s still only midday. The flight over here to the States was fairly uneventful. Until, that is, we got Ed’s challenge underway.

            “Now, do it now!” I said, as the air hostess was walking slowly along the aisle toward us.

            “Do what?”

            “Your challenge.”

            “Now?”

            “Obviously.”

            “I’m a bit tired.”

            “What?!” I was genuinely a little shocked by that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Ed act so lame.

            “Oh okay.” The air hostess was alongside us now. Ed leant over toward her and spoke in an almost bored fashion. “Hi, I’m well-equipped, can I tempt you to join me in the mile high club?”

            “Join you?” she teased, and laughed. “I don’t think so.”

            “Go on!” said Ed, getting into it, “I’m also a prophet.”

            She laughed again. “I’d be careful, saying things like that on a plane.” She walked off.

            “Why is that life is never as they portray it?” Ed asked me.

 

*

 

            Touching down in America I felt that sense of excitement one always has when enveloped in the unfamiliar. Stepping out of the plane I breathed in air of a different fragrance and feel. Something inside me connected with days long past, when life had been dreamlike, deep and exciting. This would be an adventure.

 

*

 

            Two hours later we were finally out. There are so many checks these days, they don’t let just anyone in. I’m really not sure about the whole digital fingerprinting either. My fingerprints aren’t even contained in British computers, why should America have them? It really bothered me somehow.

            We went out to the Greyhound station to book our journey down to New Orleans. We hadn’t anticipated their response at all. It would take a day and seventeen hours to get there! We went back into the airport to see if we could get flights but last minute tickets were extortionate and we’d have to wait far too long to benefit from reductions. I didn’t note anything of immediate interest in New Jersey so we went back to the Greyhound and bought the tickets. We leave in a few minutes so I’m off now.