| Powder Monkey March 2010 |
Short Story #4
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| A Plane Ride by Willie Peters |
Inside an airliner on the tarmac passengers are loading for their flight.
Mike stood in the aisle and looked at the window seat. Did he really
want it? It would be great to have that window to look out of during the trip.
That is if he stayed awake, something he didn’t plan on doing. Would be nice
to be on the aisle and could get up at any time. Wonder if that guy would
trade me? Let me have the aisle seat and he could enjoy the view. Why not
ask, all he can do is say no.
“Excuse me. Would you like to trade?”
The man sitting in the aisle did not even look at Mike as he remained
quiet.
“Cuse me. If you don’t want to trade then would you move so I can get
in?”
Again the man seem to ignore Mike.
Mike tapped him on the shoulder as he spoke. “Look guy, my seat is
beside the window. Either trade with me and move over or I’m climbing over
you. No way am I standing here for the entire trip.”
Finally the man looked at Mike. “My English is not good.”
Ah, hell, an arab looking guy who doesn’t speak good English. Wonder
if he’s on a one way ticket and has any baggage? Huh, Okay, have to play
this carefully or the ACLU will try to put me in jail. Damn commies. Bastards
hate America. Wish Congress would repel 42 USC 1988 so the jerks would
not have my tax money to fund them. Well, lets try to make this as simple as
possible so mister terrorist will understand. That’s a funny looking coat. Mike
pointed to his seat and then himself. He was half glad when the arab got up
to let him in.
“You don’t want to trade seats?” Mike tried to signal the trade. He was
not surprised when a wide eyed man shook his head. “Okay, no problem.”
Mike muttered as he took his seat. Damn, he looks nervous. Wonder
whether he’s got the stuff in his shoes or underwear? Hell I hope it ain’t some
where else. Too damn many checks now.
“Thanks, buddy.” Mike wiggled for a good fit in the tight chair. “Well,
lets hope we have a safe trip. Should be. Can’t see how any stinking
raghead could get through that security.” When the man did not react in any
fashion Mike tried a different approach. “You a Muslim?” Before the man had
a chance to answer Mike continued. “I heard there are 72 virgins waiting for
each of us. But someone told me they were all males.”
As the man turned to face Mike his eyes opened wide, his lips parted
showing his teeth and his upper lip curled upward. Mike prepared to defend
himself. Whoo. Did that hit a nerve. Okay, time to back off.
During the flight neither man spoke to the other. The arab kept looking
at his watch, Mike read.
“Cuse me, Got to visit the little boy’s room and right now.” Mike started
towards the aisle. He did not give the arab a chance to ignore him.
Reluctantly the man let him pass. Mike made a mad dash for the restrooms
at the front of the aircraft.
A couple minutes later Mike was ready to make the trek across the
arab to his seat. After a look that could kill, the arab got up to let him in.
Just as Mike was passing the arab the plane rocked and he fell onto
the arab. “Sorry guy.” Mike helped the arab stand up and straighten his coat.
“Must have hit a strong air current.”
For the next hour the plane’s cabin was quiet. Everyone had settled in.
Many were trying to catch a few zzzz. The next noise they heard was the
Captain’s voice.
“Ladies and gentlemen. We’s approaching Atlanta. We will be landing in
about ten minutes I hope - ”
The announcement was interrupted by a large shrill scream. The arab
had been very quiet during the trip. While he doubted it Mike wondered if he
had gone to sleep. Now he was anything but asleep.
“Ali is great! Ali is great.”
“Shut up and let the Captain finish. You can act like a fool later.” Mike
repositioned his pillow. Several passengers began screaming there was a
terrorist on board. “Didn’t I tell you to sit down?”
A wide eyed arab turned and looked at Mike and yelled. “I am going to
kill you!”
“Yeah, right. And I hope all your virgins are jews. Now shut up or I’ll sic
the rest of the passengers on you.”
“You will do nothing.” The arab pulled several clothes bags out of his
coat and held them up. A move that caused a lot of screams. Mike tried to
cover his ears with the pillow.
“Why are you so calm?” asked a man sitting behind Mike.
“Cause I’ve got his detonator.” He held up a plunger.
In disbelief the arab looked at his bomb.
With big Cheshire grins on their faces passengers began moving
toward the arab.
Mike stood in the aisle and looked at the window seat. Did he really
want it? It would be great to have that window to look out of during the trip.
That is if he stayed awake, something he didn’t plan on doing. Would be nice
to be on the aisle and could get up at any time. Wonder if that guy would
trade me? Let me have the aisle seat and he could enjoy the view. Why not
ask, all he can do is say no.
“Excuse me. Would you like to trade?”
The man sitting in the aisle did not even look at Mike as he remained
quiet.
“Cuse me. If you don’t want to trade then would you move so I can get
in?”
Again the man seem to ignore Mike.
Mike tapped him on the shoulder as he spoke. “Look guy, my seat is
beside the window. Either trade with me and move over or I’m climbing over
you. No way am I standing here for the entire trip.”
Finally the man looked at Mike. “My English is not good.”
Ah, hell, an arab looking guy who doesn’t speak good English. Wonder
if he’s on a one way ticket and has any baggage? Huh, Okay, have to play
this carefully or the ACLU will try to put me in jail. Damn commies. Bastards
hate America. Wish Congress would repel 42 USC 1988 so the jerks would
not have my tax money to fund them. Well, lets try to make this as simple as
possible so mister terrorist will understand. That’s a funny looking coat. Mike
pointed to his seat and then himself. He was half glad when the arab got up
to let him in.
“You don’t want to trade seats?” Mike tried to signal the trade. He was
not surprised when a wide eyed man shook his head. “Okay, no problem.”
Mike muttered as he took his seat. Damn, he looks nervous. Wonder
whether he’s got the stuff in his shoes or underwear? Hell I hope it ain’t some
where else. Too damn many checks now.
“Thanks, buddy.” Mike wiggled for a good fit in the tight chair. “Well,
lets hope we have a safe trip. Should be. Can’t see how any stinking
raghead could get through that security.” When the man did not react in any
fashion Mike tried a different approach. “You a Muslim?” Before the man had
a chance to answer Mike continued. “I heard there are 72 virgins waiting for
each of us. But someone told me they were all males.”
As the man turned to face Mike his eyes opened wide, his lips parted
showing his teeth and his upper lip curled upward. Mike prepared to defend
himself. Whoo. Did that hit a nerve. Okay, time to back off.
During the flight neither man spoke to the other. The arab kept looking
at his watch, Mike read.
“Cuse me, Got to visit the little boy’s room and right now.” Mike started
towards the aisle. He did not give the arab a chance to ignore him.
Reluctantly the man let him pass. Mike made a mad dash for the restrooms
at the front of the aircraft.
A couple minutes later Mike was ready to make the trek across the
arab to his seat. After a look that could kill, the arab got up to let him in.
Just as Mike was passing the arab the plane rocked and he fell onto
the arab. “Sorry guy.” Mike helped the arab stand up and straighten his coat.
“Must have hit a strong air current.”
For the next hour the plane’s cabin was quiet. Everyone had settled in.
Many were trying to catch a few zzzz. The next noise they heard was the
Captain’s voice.
“Ladies and gentlemen. We’s approaching Atlanta. We will be landing in
about ten minutes I hope - ”
The announcement was interrupted by a large shrill scream. The arab
had been very quiet during the trip. While he doubted it Mike wondered if he
had gone to sleep. Now he was anything but asleep.
“Ali is great! Ali is great.”
“Shut up and let the Captain finish. You can act like a fool later.” Mike
repositioned his pillow. Several passengers began screaming there was a
terrorist on board. “Didn’t I tell you to sit down?”
A wide eyed arab turned and looked at Mike and yelled. “I am going to
kill you!”
“Yeah, right. And I hope all your virgins are jews. Now shut up or I’ll sic
the rest of the passengers on you.”
“You will do nothing.” The arab pulled several clothes bags out of his
coat and held them up. A move that caused a lot of screams. Mike tried to
cover his ears with the pillow.
“Why are you so calm?” asked a man sitting behind Mike.
“Cause I’ve got his detonator.” He held up a plunger.
In disbelief the arab looked at his bomb.
With big Cheshire grins on their faces passengers began moving
toward the arab.