Flying Over I-95 S. So With Hopper.

~ Live & Learn

Best day of the week?  Friday. Friday afternoon. Doesn’t matter how backed up traffic is on I-95 North, Home is no more than 45 minutes away.  Nothing, I mean, Nothing will jam up this vibe. Nothing will impede the start of the Great Unwinding. The seat is reclined a wee bit. The A/C beats back the 86° F mid-August heat. Home, home in minutes.

Best day of the week?  Friday. Friday afternoon. Except when you’re on I-95, heading the wrong way, heading South to LaGuardia Airport.

A working weekend. A long week, getting longer, and blurring into the week after.

Baggage check. A line snaking through the ropes waiting to pass Security. The listless, iron backed chairs in the waiting area. The rush to board. The hopeless prayer for an empty seat next to you to stretch out.  “Drink Sir?” Weary flight attendants forcing smiles with their offers of pretzels and tasteless shortbread cookies – and then, they hawk their gourmet sandwiches tightly shrink wrapped in plastic. “No thanks to that.” A three and a half hour flight that feels like five.  The interminable wait for your luggage to slide onto the conveyer in baggage claim. The 35 minute ride to the hotel, hoping the cabbie will let you sit in silence. The wait for Room Service. The unpacking of the suitcase. A glance in the shower. That would be nice. Too tired, the shower is reduced to a splash of cold water from the sink. Room service arrives. You sit on edge of the bed in front of the TV, a fork in one hand, the remote in the other, clicking by all News (real, fake or otherwise). A Kit-Kat calls out to you from the mini-bar. And then the M&Ms. Laying flat on your back, you float with your eyes closed, savoring the sugar high as the smooth milk chocolate coats your tongue. And then, only then, you let go, Salzberg’s letting go, it’s an inside job, and you let exhaustion sweep you away to your alarm for the Uber pick-up at 6:15 a.m. on Saturday morning.

If this ain’t a scene for Hopper, I don’t know what is.

You believed these weekend things were behind you, way behind you.

I’m standing in line at D5 ready to board.  I twist in the earbuds and flick on Harry Chapin with All My Life’s a Circle – handing the boarding pass to the gate attendant. “Thank you for flying American Mr. Kanigan.” I walk down the jet bridge and stand in yet another line… Sigh. Yes DK, yes. Every moment, including this one, especially this one, is a miracle.

And, oh yea, back to Chapin…

All my life’s a circle, sunrise and sundown
The moon rolls through the nighttime, till the daybreak comes around
All my life’s a circle but I can’t tell you why
The season’s spinnin’ round again the years keep rollin’ by

It seems like I’ve been here before, I can’t remember when
But I got this funny feelin’ that I’ll be back once again
There’s no straight lines make up my life and all my roads have bends
There’s no clear-cut beginnings and so far no dead-ends

~ DK

Notes:

  • Inspired by Elizabeth Corn: “Someone asked me what home was and all I could think of were the stars on the tip of your tongue, the flowers sprouting from your mouth, the roots entwined in the gaps between your fingers, the ocean echoing inside of your ribcage.”
  • Art: Edward Hopper, “Hotel Room” (1931)
  • Related Posts: Commuting Series.

37 thoughts on “Flying Over I-95 S. So With Hopper.”

  3. I don’t know where to start. This is beautifully multilayered . Like the hues of mountains in the distance like a hopeless prayer.

    I have hardly worked since may and I miss being ‘justly’ tired.

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  6. Love the painting, and your post…reminded me of that scene from “Defending Your Life”, where Albert Brooks reaches his afterlife, and checks into a familiar, boring hotel room. Same bad bed cover, table with 2 round-back chairs, coffee pot, tv, phone on nightstand, etc. I’m not sure why, but that’s where I went ?

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  7. Chop wood, carry water. These parts of our life always create gratitude for home, family and the good things in life. Love the writing and the final expression of Elizabeth Corn, just beautiful 🙏🏻 Are you still sleeping well? 😴

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  9. Lyric, as always pal. You’re like a diamond, made finer with pressure. And may I just say that I’m tickled pink that sleep is still trending in the right direction?! Hopin’ you can hop off the gerbil wheel soon….

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  10. How can I have sympathy for you, David, when you are one hell of a good writer! And, it’s this situation, and others like it, that bring out the oh so enjoyable read…
    Oh well; guess I’d better see ‘your’ side… Okay, I’m seeing your side!
    Hope you make it home soon…. 😉 😉
    (Can’t I be just a little bit selfish?)

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  12. Ahhh, David. When you get there, enjoy “home.” Precious. And I love the Elizabeth Corn quote. Since I’m not familiar with her, will need to do some searching.

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  13. Dave, I was exhilarated and then exhausted by this blog. Then I hit this sentence: “Every moment, including this one, especially this one, is a miracle.”

    Yes.

    Stephanie

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  14. I’ve been away from my blogging buddies, focusing my energy on work opportunities (hmmm…you’d get that, right?)…your “real life with David” posts always remind me of the abundant deliciousness of following you. May your next weekend be the Great Unwinding at home…

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