A vortex is defined as "a place or situation regarded as drawing into its center all that surrounds it."
I am stranded in this city, for the next five days, as the airline resolves its plane to nature to flight crew to backlog of canceled flights situation. I'm on my fourth cup of coffee. I picked up a comic book in the airport bookstore. I tend to read and not pay attention to the artwork. I spoke to three different airline representatives, I watched five news segments discussing the grounded planes, and I listened to other passengers chime in on their predicaments. In order for the plane to leave the ground, the temperature has to go up and other canceled planes have to take off.
This is a cruel joke from mother nature.
However, I am not alone. My traveling partner is my would be fiancé, if she had said yes. Instead she rejected my hand, my ring and a life I thought we would be sharing together. Thinking about it makes me sad. Nothing like being depressed during the first week of the New Year.
A cruel joke from cupid.
I curse both mother nature and cupid. My phone battery is dead. Before it died I left a message on my mother's mobile, she never answers the phone. The only three people who knew about the proposal are my ex-girlfriend, I assume we have broken up, and her father. I asked him for her hand in marriage. My ex-girlfriend isn't taking my calls or returning my emails. I'm 34 and too old to text. I don't have anything to say to her anyways.
I look up and am surprised to see a familiar face walking towards me. I smile and pick up my briefcase from the chair next to me. I stand up and open my hands to give a hug. This person knew about the proposal. He tells me, "Son, this isn't the end of the world. Clarissa is a young woman who has a different set of priorities. I love her and I wish things turned out differently for you. You will love again and ask for someone's hand in marriage. You are wiser and will love greater because of this. You've been given a second chance, don't blow it". With that he stands up and me I am alone again in the airport.
Alone, stranded but not as depressed as I was three minutes ago. I stand up and throw my cellphone into the rubbish bin. Outside the airport, I catch a taxi. I tell the driver to drive seven miles and find me a hotel in that neighborhood. I am able to check into a hotel where I buy a toothbrush from the gift shop. I stand in a bathrobe and look outside my room window. Nothing but snow for miles.
Vortex Definition
1.9.2014 http://www.thefreedictionary.com/vortex
