Flight Romance

 Panashe was sitting in the airport lounge sipping on her sauvignon blanc while she read a briefing document from the site she would be visiting during the coming week. She had learnt from previous visits to pay little attention to contents of the briefing documents and more attention to topics that were not included in the briefing document. That is where all the gaps lay!

She looked up from her document and her eyes met with the eyes of a man who was sitting in the corner staring at her intently.

 ‘hmmm, not bad’, she thought as she took a sip of her wine and got back to reviewing her document.

She remembered that she hadn’t scheduled a flower delivery for the day she returned to her apartment. It was a tradition she had started 5 years ago. It was always a pleasant ‘surprise’ getting back home to fresh flowers. She immediately scheduled the delivery.

The announcement for boarding was made and she finished the last bit of her wine and headed to the boarding gate.

Within a few minutes she was settled in her seat listening to the safety announcements.

Mr Not Bad starer was seated across the aisle.

He was holding a ‘How to something’ self-help book.

‘He is definitely not my type’, she thought.

She continued to read her briefing document. The 3 hour flight would be enough time to finish the document.

Turbulence. She hated flying; more so when there was turbulence.

Her pen fell from her tray table and rolled to Mr Not Bad’s feet.

‘Damn the turbulence’ she thought as she looked at her pen

Mr Not Bad looked at her and smiled.

He picked up the pen and extended it to her.

‘Thank you’ she said as she reached for her pen.

He didn’t let it go.

‘I have been looking for an excuse to talk to you from the time I saw you in the lounge. I think the universe has just delivered one right at my feet, pun intended’. He proceeded to laugh at his own joke.

She didn’t laugh. She was not moved by his movie lines.

‘My name is Tasimba’, he continued, with absolutely no encouragement from her.

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you Tasimba, thank you for picking up my pen’. She said as she took her pen.

‘You are welcome Ms…’,he paused to give her an opportunity to fill in the gap with her name.

She ignored the pause and got back to her document.

She imagined telling her girlfriends about this incident

Rosie, the lover of love – ‘Why didn’t you just talk to him? Girl the universe delivered a man on a flight. The whole story is so romantic, I can see it ending with 2.5 babies and a white picket fence. Do you need Cupid himself to come and throw an arrow in your face?’

Mimi, the investigator - would have looked up all the Tasimbas she can find on social media to try and find him for her.

Rudo, the therapist – ‘you really need to be more open to opportunities. How are you going to find a man if you keep moving this way. Being unapproachable and short with everyone. No one said he was the one, but what if he was going to introduce you to the one?’  

Jen the hater – ‘Never mind him, he was holding a self-help book. Who still reads those in this day and age? Loser’.

She looked over at Mr Tall Dark and he was starting at her again.

 ‘I hate self-help books’, she said looking at the book in his hand.

‘So do I but my little sister is nuts about them. I had to make a rushed purchase at the airport or else I wouldn’t hear the end of it. I really hope she gets over them soon’, he chuckled.

She smiled.

‘So, what do you read?’ she asked as she closed her laptop.