To Unexpected Friendships (Closed for IAmIncognito45)

[SurrealObsession]

Jade Ruiz pushed back her shoulders in a small stretch, letting out a tired sigh. This was week six of her travels, and thankfully the last stop before she was done and could go home for a little bit of rest and relaxation. A fact that somehow had her more excited than she had been when she first learned that she would be going around the country for what was essentially her greatest dream.

The 26-year-old had wanted nothing more in her life than to be a writer. It was a career that many struggled their entire life to achieve, working tirelessly for that single publication offer that would throw them into the life of a best selling author. Many never made it, dying with nothing more than a room of rejected manuscripts and a couple of self-published titles with no sales.

She had always felt that it was worth the risk, and besides, what else would she be? Her lackluster performance in high school had come to an abrupt halt when she had dropped out at seventeen and run away with her older boyfriend and his band. When she had returned four months later to furious parents and a serious gap in her ability to continue on, she had decided she didn't see the point. After all, she knew what she wanted to be.

Instead, she had started working at a crappy diner downtown, pouring coffee and putting her tips away so she could get out from under the thumb of her family and into her own place. All the while plotting her future in the literary world and writing continuously, whether it was drivel or genius never a concern as long as someday someone would read it.

After a few years she managed to latch on to some minor successes. A couple of poems published in journals, a short story added to a university anthology. Then, a year ago, her big break. She had managed to catch the right person's eye at the right time, and had been given a publication offer.

Sure, she wasn't likely to hit the New York Times bestseller list. It was just a deal with a small company that produced indie novels for a cult following online. But it was something, and she had already finished a final draft, gone through the editing process and was now traveling all over creation to finalize the details before it hit the presses in the summer. Or, until it hit the digital screens since the initial release would be online only.

Whatever, she still had a decent check behind it, and a little credit to add to her name.

Jade checked her watch and sighed heavily; another hour until boarding, at least. She had managed to get two days rest in her home city before having to rush off to the final meeting in New York. Still new to travel and having several run ins with security checkpoints over the last month, she always left for the airport early by several hours.

Now she was wishing she had at least remembered to bring along her iPod. She was too tired and hungover for a book right now. Never much of a drinker, she had nevertheless indulged a great deal with her friends the night before.

Flipping her hair out of her face, her lips quirked into a wry smile. If nothing else, she was thrilled about this final venture. Jade had never been to New York City, but she had always wanted to go there. Who wouldn't, with the history and the culture and the intensity of such a rushing place?

Who knew, it might even be the start of a long and lustrous career. If not, well...fuck it. She would start over, and damned if anyone was going to stand in her way.

 

[jryder71]

He was sitting at his desk watching Manhattan roil by below him out his window. Publishing was a dying world, but he was going down in style. The Italian suits, the long lunches, the book parties with doyennes and dandies. and interns, and grad school girls and ....

Today was going to be just like that. A few meetings, an editorial review, two new authors to interview a non-fiction author and a poet. A poet. That should be amusing.

 

[SurrealObsession]

OOC: As the thread title states, this is a closed thread meant for myself and IAmIncognito45. Please delete your response. Thank you.

 

[iamincognito45]

David Conner took a sip of his beer as he watched the waitress flitter around from table to table. From his corner table in the back, he had full view of the bar as well as the steady stream of weary travelers walking up and down the concourse. As a seasoned traveler, he was resigned to the drudgery of the process. Hurry up and wait. Hurry up and wait. Long days, changing gates, delayed flights, overpriced food and drinks, and rude fellow travelers all wanting to be somewhere else. Anyone that thought this was a glamorous life clearly has not done much traveling. Traveling alone so much of the time, Dave learned to entertain himself in what was an otherwise unentertaining experience. Over his many years as a road warrior, he had developed a keen interest in observing people. Reading their body language, expressions and movements. Often amusing himself by trying to predict their behavior in advance.

It was the typical Monday crush at the airport. Business travelers all trying to get to their distant destinations for the busy week of work ahead. And he was just another lemming going through the indignities of the process of moving from one city another. He might be a lemming, but he was an experienced lemming. Years of traveling had taught him the ins and outs. The short cuts. The keys to making it as painless as possible. Like everything, there was a system and Dave had learned to work the system.

Like so many others before him, Dave had learned things the hard way. His trial by fire started with overseas trip to Paris. A long flight, complicated international travel rules and a language he did not understand. But he was a thinker. An observer. And man who enjoyed learning new things. His new position as the international sales manager at a large defense contractor meant this was a process he needed to fully understand. And the sooner the better if he was going to survive much less thrive in the cut throat world of international aerospace business. So learn he did and now, he was now a master.

Today he was just relaxing and watching the dance. He could identify the teams of business travelers huddled together while working on their latest team briefings. There were the solo warriors, often on their phones, trying to keep up with customers while running their offices remotely. And then, there were the solo women, traveling alone. Dave was no creepy stalker. But he did enjoy picking them out of the crowds, trying to imagine what business they might be in by the style of clothes they wore. Or the books they might be reading. And admiring them for their resolve. It was a tough world traveling. All the more difficult for women. So many type A men pushing and shoving. Dominating more than just the sheer numbers in the airport. They often stayed out of the way, preferring to cling to the walls in the concourse for fear of being run over. Or sitting alone in a booth in a bar or restaurant, desperate for a little personal space in world lacking any elbow room.

On this Monday afternoon, Dave saw such a woman sitting in the same airport bar. She was dressed very well in a smart looking business suit. Conservative but stylish. She seemed a little fidgety, glancing at her watch repeatedly and keeping a close eye on her bags. She had a roll aboard suitcase and an over sized purse. Not exactly a brief case, but every bit as functional with room for a laptop, and God knows what else women carry around with them. He was just starting to watch her when the waitress came by and dropped of his ticket. Slipping his credit card in the bill holder, he returned his gaze to the interesting woman who was waving down the waitress for her own tab. She looked a little tired, but had a smile on her face as she rose and walked out in front of him. As he followed her out the entrance and back into the concourse, he admired the woman’s nice round ass. She was a little taller than average and heavier than average too. Curvy in all the right places.

He continued to follow the woman and was surprised to see her stop at his gate. The flight was destined for New York and the gate area was packed. She leaned up against the wall and sighed heavily as if a heavy weight was placed on her shoulders. She looked tired.

Dave walked up to stand next her, leaning over and said to her “They have just about taken all the fun out of traveling haven’t they?”

The pretty woman looked up at him and smiled and nodded. He glanced down discreetly at the ticket in her hand and saw she was in boarding group four. She would be one of the last to board and there was no way there would be any room for her roll aboard bag by the time she got on the plane. As an elite flyer, he was allowed to board first so overhead bin space was never a problem for him.

“Tell you what. Stick close to me and you can board first with me.” He told her and winking at her.

 

[SurrealObsession]

To say she had been feeling overwhelmed was an immense understatement. Though she had been traveling for weeks, each flight had been at rather low traffic parts of the day. Usually red eyes that were cheaper, or mid week when less people were crowding in. Not a bustling Monday like this one, where an entire city of people seemed to be pressed into the airport at once, and all with places they were very eager to be.

Hearing a voice beside her, she looked up in surprise. It was an older man, much older than herself. He was fairly attractive, with kind eyes and a nice smile. His wink actually made her grin, and she nodded again. She didn't quite trust her usually quiet voice to make it over the din around them.

Keeping close to his side, the call for early boarding was given and she followed him through the crowd and into the blissfully empty gateway. Letting out a sigh of relief, she glanced over at the surprise hero in relief.

"Thanks," she told him, smiling. "You probably saved me from being trampled by business tycoons out there. I'm Jade...Jade Ruiz." She stuck out her hand in introduction.

 

[iamincognito45]

As they approached the boarding gate, Dave handed the gate agent his boarding pass and nodded over his shoulder “She’s with me.”

“Of course Mr. Conner. Enjoy your flight.” She replied, handing him back his ticket and passing Jade though with a warm smile.

As they stood in the jet bridge she introduced herself. “Very nice to meet you Jade. I’m Dave Conner.” Shaking her hand warmly. He held her hand for a little longer than might otherwise be appropriate but she didn’t seem to mind. There was something in her eyes. Her smile. A naiveté if you will. And yet, a warm and inviting spirit. They eased down the aisle enjoying the as yet un-crowded interior and bountiful overhead space still available. She stopped a third of the way down and eased into her seat against the window in row 17 as Dave continued to the extra roomy exit row reserved for elite frequent fliers in row 20. As he placed his briefcase in the overhead bin, he could see the aisle filling fast behind them. He watched his new acquaintance Jade getting situated in her seat and silently wished she has been sitting next to him for the long flight. It would have been nice to have some pleasant company. Especially someone as beautiful as her.

As was the case with every other flight lately, the plane was full, every seat taken. On this particular trip, Dave was fortunate with two respectful frequent fliers sitting next him. They had their headphones and iPods and pretty much kept to themselves. Throughout the flight, his mind kept wandering back to Jade. A cute young woman, he found himself fantasizing about spending a weekend in New York with her. The travel was getting old bordering on drudgery. Hardly the glamorous life others imagined. He was tired. Tired of traveling. Tired of living out of a suitcase. And tired of eating alone. As the plane began its decent, Dave realized she would be deplaning first. But he decided he would look for her in baggage claim. At the very least, to say hello and wish her a good trip while they waited for their bags.