Late arrival

Late arrival

Late arrival

It was late in the Atlanta airport about ten years ago,
well past midnight so few people around,
I was waiting for a friend arriving late,
sitting down reading, or trying to,
I hate airports that time of day,
a tomb of sorts.

As I went to get some coffee
needed a caffeine jolt,
my mind fuzzy,
only wanting to sleep,
a little angry that my friend
was coming in so late.

It was then I noticed the old women sitting in the dark,
well dressed,
well over eighty,
just alone,
stone still out of sight in the gloom.

I got my coffee and came back,
became worried,
no flights coming in for that airline;
not wanting to scare her
I kept an eye on her from a distance,
my concerned mounting as the time crawled by.

She did move a bit,
kept her head down as if afraid she would be noticed,
probably by me,
so I kept quiet.

Time was running out
no sure what to do,
so for the time being I just waited.

My friends plane was coming in,
and I was deciding to call the airport 911
for I could not approach her,
nor could I leave her hidden alone like that,
just then I heard stomping feet,
her family came running,
laughing making apologies for being late
hugged her,
she laughed and returned theirs hugs,
she was happy,
they were happy,
and I was happy,
I was even smiling when my friend came off the plane.