Take Off

Traveling: To make a journey typically of some length or abroad.

As the flight attendant takes my ticket I begin to wonder how far I might go, I start to wonder what’s out there. As I walk down the narrow aisle I search for seat “13B”, I keep making my way down as the pilot comes onto the intercom, “Attention passengers, we are ten minutes from taking off, please find your seats, The Big Apple awaits.” Before I knew it I was seated in 13B and I was watching as we ascended up away from the moderate, calm atmosphere of Springfield Missouri. My adventure has finally begun, I have finally started to make the most of what life has to offer. I close my eyes and I take a deep breath, as I exhale I realize that I will be far from home for quite awhile. I tend to get a little homesick but then I come to a realization, home is not just a building with four walls and a roof, home is a feeling of assurance and inspiration in the things around you.
As I arrived at the JFK international airport I watch as all the snowflakes get drifted by the wind and reach the layer of ice on the ground, this big city is so appealing to the eye underneath all the luminous white snow.
I walk out of the airport and find a tall, elegant man holding a sign that read “Kevin”. I never would’ve imagined that I would have my personal chauffeur, but here I am, walking towards this man in a black cap and a slick dark black suit, “Excuse me, I am Kevin.” I said as he took my bags and led me to the long, luxurious limousine. He opened the door for me and it was almost as if I was in a movie, the interior was lavish, velvet colored leather with a high-quality television and even a miniature bar, it was definitely a moment worth capturing. I pulled out my GoPro and I began to record as I sat down inside the limo, the driver looked back and said “Hilton awaits sir” as he drove into the crowded New York City traffic.
It took us about thirty-five minutes to arrive at the Hilton hotel located in Times Square. While I got out of the cab in the busy traffic I hear people honking, it’s so much different than back home, I was used to a calm, and neutral environment but now as I stand at the entrance of the hotel I soon realize that I am in the complete opposite environment that I am from, New York City, populous, resounding and immense.
As I began to venture the big and broad city I soon realize that I have so much at my fingertips. Each step I take down Times Square opens up new opportunities and new doors to explore and experience.
Unzipping my GoPro case I quickly take out the camera to shoot this great experience, as I run I feel the wind blowing through my hair and my laughs are coming out as if it was the best time of my life. As I reached the end of the bright neon lights I searched my pocket for my phone. I scheduled an Uber to take me back to the hotel and as I arrived I was drained, my head was pounding and I couldn’t believe it but I was homesick on my first day of traveling.
I scan the internet for flights back home but instead I come across the idea to fly out to Cancun. I think to myself, ‘Is it truly worth it to fly out to Cancun and make a trip of a lifetime?’ and as I say that in my head all I could think was absolute. So during my first night in New York City, I decided to purchase a ticket for a flight to Cancun.
Flight 47B was taking off at 5 am and it was currently midnight in New York but what was more stressful was the fact that I had taken all of the things out of my suitcase and now I have to fold them and place them back in so that I am ready for my flight in the morning hours. As I rushingly pack my clothes and throw my shoes into my bag I realize that I hadn’t had dinner yet, like any other person in New York on Times Square it was a routine to have dinner at midnight so I decided to have room service bring me up a steak with mashed potatoes and mac and cheese, I felt a good meal was necessary before leaving the city.
Rushing down the stairs at 4 in the morning I regret taking the nap after having dinner. I think about how I will miss my flight but I also think of how many other people are on the road at 4 am, zero!! I take a deep breath and I exhale in delight and I take a sip of the coffee I was handed before entering the limo. As we arrive at the airport I look down at my Nixon and it shows 4:32. I rush to the gates and I realize that I have to go through the immigration process due to the fact that I was traveling outside of the country. As I finish up the process I look at my watch again and it reads 4:55, I begin to sprint across the lobby searching for gate 8C. I desperately look around, searching, I quickly spot a sign with an arrow pointing straight ahead, as I come to the gate I look up at the clock and it says 5:01. I look at the flight attendant and beg for her to open the doors, she looks at me and says “Let me see your ticket sir”, my hand shaking, I pull my ticket out of my back pocket, out of breath I say “Here you go ma’am”. She looks at it then looks at me and then looks back down at the ticket. She makes her way towards the door and she unlocks it and twists the handle and opens the door, as she says “better hurry”. I took off running onto the flight and as I catch my breathe once again I look down at my ticket once again trying to find the reason as to why the attendant was looking at me as if I wasn’t knowledgeable enough to be traveling alone. I scan the ticket, ‘Kevin McCallister, Flight 8C,, NY, NY to Cancun MX,. Departed 6 am.’ I look up and the plane is empty and nobody to be found. I rushed and woke up from a nap just for me to sit on a plane for an hour before my flight departs. What a great start to this next adventure.
6 am comes by and the pilot comes on over the intercom saying “Ladies and Gentlemen please fasten your waist belts for we are about to take flight.” I close my eyes and leaned back into my cushioned blue seat. Before I knew it I was landing on Mexican soil.
I stood up as the airplane doors opened, I wanted to be the first out so I didn’t have to listen to the old people in the back nag about how the flight was long, and all that. I grab my bags and walk out of the small crowded airport, as I call for a cab I realize that life might be tough here due to the fact that I wouldn’t know what most people are saying. For some reason I felt at home when I walked out the doors at the Airport, I felt like I could build a life here and honestly this might be the start of my stay at home life.
Six months passed and my wife is nine months in about to go into labor, I have a house in Cancun and I have a beloved family that cares for me as I do them. I could not ask for a better life here in Mexico. I am so glad that I could look back and say that I am thankful for that day I sat in that New York hotel looking for flights back to Springfield Mo.