- Flash Creative Non-Fiction - I was directed to the back door of the airplane to disembark. My rubber boots thudded against the grated metal stairs leading me and the others onto the tarmac. It had been a while since I’d gotten off an airplane via ladder stairs. It was cloudy and cool outside. After managing to stay awake long enough to see the plane fly over Ireland, I found myself a tad bit loopy. I followed everyone else into the terminal, and down to baggage claim.
Once I had my backpack I was shuffled off with the other passengers to customs. I flipped through my folder of documents to make sure they were all still there. I had all the documents. I had far too many documents, but I wasn’t going to give anyone any reason to not let me into the country. This was it. I was finally here. A dopy smile spread across my face. “Lady, you can head down here to four!” A large security officer hollered at me from across the room. I came out of my sleep-deprived daydream and walked over to booth four. A severe looking woman, maybe in her 30’s maybe in her 40’s, with a tight, slick, dark-blonde bun held her hand out to the slot in the bottom of the glass window, “Alright? Passport and itinerary.” I fished them out of my folder and pushed them through the little opening, “A rather detailed itinerary, huh?” “Figured I couldn’t be too detailed,” I leaned forward on the counter, “It’s my first solo international trip.” She continued to shuffle through the papers and my passport, never once looking up at me, “You here for business or pleasure?” “Pleasure.” “And what will you be doing during your stay here in Ireland?” I took a deep, proud breath in, “Achieving my dreams.” In a slow, emotionless movement she lifted her head up, and stared me in the eye, “Yes. Of Course. Aren’t we all. But what is it that you’ll actually be doing while you’re here?” “Oh right. Um backpacking, staying in hostels, wandering around.” She stamped my passport and pushed the papers back through the slot, “Thank you miss, and welcome to Ireland.” |
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May 2020
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