wanded by the light

on the flight and headed home. i wish that my battery would last longer; it could be a more productive return flight.

lucky for me lufthansa subscribes to gossip magazines. maybe this is another way to work with my german?

over londonderry and on 5447 km to go in six hours and 38 minutes. we are presently at 10972 meters.

lt. col jefferson and his companion are on the same return flight to dtw. as i climbed into my little hutch – also 31 D this time – he was inspecting the seat pocket cards about the aircraft. he assured me, when asked, that he thinks we will make it.

strange pat down at frankfurt airport, and then i watched as two colleagues in front of me got patted as well. (and a very little boy.) there are some things that colleagues shouldn’t have to do in front of each other – like have to disrobe in their stocking feet and stand in a T-shape while uniformed officers wand away.

up plenty early this morning to enjoy my last conti breakfast -- i do like having sweet and savory; hot and cold; rough and smooth and creamy all at once. and i took a taxi by myself to the airport, FMO. too much talk with the cab driver. he was from iran. and wants me to visit him next year. i do not like making small talk about why i am kein Ehemann; keine Hochzeit; kein Kinder with a pal let alone a stranger in broken english.

i have liked the opening of this poem by naomi shihab nye since i first heard it read aloud. thanks wendi for turning me onto nye.

"This plane has landed thanks to God and his mercy.
That's what they say in Jordan when the plane sets down.
What do they say in our country?
Don't stand up until we tell you. Stay in your seats.
Things may have shifted."


things may have shifted? i was surprised and impressed and heartened to see on cnn international this morning that 200,000 people turned out in the streets of L.A. to protest. i liked the tag board sign that one woman was sporting; the one with the corner cut out so she could poke her head through it as though it were her residency card. i wonder what hal foster thought of that demo? probably doesn't count as his kind of political.