Missed Connection; Anchorage, Alaska

A man and a woman. They stand in similar positions, awkwardly. They make similar movements to fix their hair, scratch their neck, look at their shoes. They exist in two different planes. But he listens, intently. He seems like an ideal human being.

Woman : Hi. I found you. Holy shit, I found you. Do you remember me? We met while I was waiting for my kids' flight to take off. So were you, but you were on the same flight. You... smelled like fish. You're a fisherman, right? In Kodak? I'm sorry. I remember.

she laughs at herself.

Woman : You told me you were, or are, a fisherman. In Kodak. I said I'd not been out that way since my dad took me fishing. My dad said there was no greater joy in life than taking a group of six tourists out for a day of fishing for trout and halibut. Not that the fish was that great, but more the percieved adventure of being in the water where the boat could tip or a shark could -. Do you remember? You had eyebrows that hadn't been kept up with in years, but it really only drew me to your eyes. You have brown eyes. They're big, too. Your pupils, not your actual.. sclera. I studied medicine for a while. I could keep from staring. I'm sorry if that was weird. Here is this middle aged woman sitting with her kids waiting for a flight completely ignoring them and focusing on a man who smelled like he'd been to see for years. You'd just gotten back from Hawaii, though, right? My kids were heading there soon. That's how we started talking. You suggested a great area to learn to su - Maybe you'll remember when we talked about marlin. I interupted. You were saying you're favorite fish to catch was Marlin and the best place to get a good marlin was - Tijuana! Best marlin tacos in the US! You chuckled and said Gran Canaria, Puerto Rico. Funny, all the places we've been and places we've forgotten we've been to. Like South Dakota. Before I had the girls, Karen and Sara, I went to South Dakota for a friend's wedding. Did you know you can gamble there? Maybe we could go.

She quickly covers up her forward notions.

Woman : -Uh I went with some other friends that were at the wedding. It was in Sturgis. The wedding. We drove out to this ridiculous casio called Stars Casi- No Celebrity Casinos. We had this ridiculous notion that some would be there. In South Dakota. It was an ok place, and it actually did have some memorabilia from movies. I think a tunic from Ben Hur, though I'm sometimes convinced that not a single person has actually seen Ben Hur. There were a bunch of props and costumes from the movie Dave. Do you remember that? I have no idea what it's about aside from the glaring memory that Kevin Kline was in it. God. That was maybe ten years ago? I guess the point is we had a great conversation- No not Kevin Kline and I, but you and me. We connected. You know, there comes a point when you have ask yourself, what's more important to remember, because I know I won't remember everything, the date of my daughter's first day of school, or a random stranger in an airport?

pause.

Woman : I haven't connected in years. You were funny, warm, listened. All these things in just a matter of fifteen, thirty minutes. I didn't get your phone number, or even email. I should have. I'm sorry. But here I am now. You've made me feel ways that I haven't felt since the girls' father and I first met. It was in college. A heavily warm Saturday night. We somehow both ended up in the same place. There was this place on the roof of the library that, amidst all the lights from campus, you could see clearly up into the sky. And it was cloudy, so I just read. He was doing the same thing. "Hi," he said. Just like you. "Hello." "I'm -" and so on and so on. It. Sounds. Cliche, to say we were there until dawn just talking. And not entirely true. I was quite the - heh. Well, you can figure it out yourself. You made me feel things. And I want to keep that. I've spent all this time alone. I. have feelings for you. Big ones. I.. what am I trying to say? Love you.

She stops. She doesn't change her face from the "oo" in you.

Woman : Wow. That. sounded ridiculous. I'm sorry. I.... have to go. Here is my numb-

She takes out a piece of paper and a pen.

Woman : No. Uhm. I.

She walks away. He remains standing, unflinchingly ideal.