The Book of Leah

Time For Me To Fly - Chapter 3

Saturday afternoon, June 6, 1992, Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix, AZ

Jake held the payphone receiver, trying to cup his ear so he could hear above the airport noise around him. "Yeah, Dad, I just touched down a bit ago," he said, "Everything seems good for Chicago." His stomach growled - he had a good hour before boarding, plenty of time to grab some lunch, he thought. 

"Don't forget to call Uncle Bobby, okay?" his father, Paul, reminded him. "And make sure you talk to him, no second-hand messages." Paul knew well the potential black hole of information his cousin's house could be. 

 "I know, Dad," Jake laughed, thinking of his Aunt and cousin. 

 "Have a good flight, son. We love you. Maybe this time away will clear your head, help you figure some things out. And give your mom and you some much-needed breathing room." 

 "Thanks, Dad," Jake mumbled, a lump forming in his throat. "I really appreciate it. I'll call from Bobby's in Skokie later tonight. Love you, Dad."

"Love you too, son. Have a good flight," Paul said before the line clicked as he hung up. 

 Jake replaced the receiver, a hollow ache settling in his gut. He fumbled with the calling card in his pocket and pulled out the scrap of paper with Bobby's number scrawled on it by his dad. Soon after punching all the numbers into the keypad, the phone's shrill ring echoed in his ears.

 "Hello?" a gruff voice boomed from the other end.

 "Hey, Uncle Bobby," Jake answered. 

 "Jake! You having a smooth flight so far?" Bobby boomed back. 

"Good, I'm just chillin' in Phoenix until they board for Chicago. Thanks for picking me up tonight. I've got another hour or so before we head out, so everything's on schedule," said Jake. 

"Good, good," Bobby rumbled. "Christy and Jenny are itchin' to see you. Ready to ditch that Arizona heat?" 

 "You bet," Jake said, a flicker of a smile crossing his lips. "I'm really excited to see you guys."

 "Can't blame ya," Bobby chuckled. "Excited about spreadin' your wings a little, huh?" 

Jake grinned to himself. "Yeah, something like that. Thanks again, Uncle Bobby." 

 "No sweat, kid. Call if anything changes. See you at nine," said Bobby. 

 "Thanks Uncle .." Jake started to say as the line clicked dead, leaving Jake staring at the receiver. He scanned the bustling terminal, checking his Casio watch. 3:00 PM glared back at him. Boarding wasn't until almost 4 PM, and the departure board displayed a 4:30 PM takeoff. Time for a walk around the concourse, he decided. A news and books store caught his eye, with snacks piled high next to a weary woman who vaguely resembled his Aunt Abbey. In light of what he wanted to buy, maybe he'd stop by later, he thought. He dug into his pocket, pulling out the cash his mom had slipped him. Cowboy Ciao's sign beckoned – a burger and a Dr Pepper seemed like the perfect pre-flight fuel. He settled in, watching planes roar down the runway as he devoured his medium-well burger, all the fixings except onions, and a mountain of steak fries.

 Time ticked by. Around 3:40 PM, he paid his bill and headed back to his gate.

A flight attendant, name tag reading "Florence," was busy with paperwork. "Good afternoon," Jake cleared his throat. "I'm Jake Stanton. Just checking in before boarding."

Florence looked up, her eyes scanning the paperwork. "Boarding pass, please," she asked, as Jake handed it to her. "Ah, yes," she said, tapping away on her computer. "Jacob Stanton, connecting flight from Phoenix to Chicago O'Hare, seventeen years old..." Her voice trailed off as she reviewed the screen. "Everything looks good," she announced. "Seat assignment's all set, and you can even board early if you need extra time to brace yourself for the Windy City."