Day 554: flight

i board the plane, excited to pass out asap

i lean against the window and drift off

i wake up to a tap on my shoulder

“it’s my daughter’s first flight. would you mind switching seats with her so she can look out the window?”

grogginess gives way to annoyance

why would you wake someone up to ask them to move

irritation amplified by fatigue

but you know what, you only have your first flight once

i switch seats with her teenage daughter

it’s harder to fall asleep without a place to rest my head

oh well

i wake up to the announcement that the plane about to land

the mother and her daughter are staring at the city taking shape below

they are mesmerized

we land

“thank you,” the mother says