it was time to fly west
and oversee something
or other
it wasn’t very clear
and in the end
things didn’t happen on time
so i was left with
a sudden overnight stay
in a grubby-windowed hotel
that was conveniently close
that i could get back to work
once there was something
to get back to
in the morning.

I left my suitcase at the hotel
(always good to go prepared -
i’ve already learnt that
these jobs have a way of
turning out like this)
and took a walk
in the muggy overcast afternoon
while i waited
for the room to be ready.
i’ve never spent much idle time
in this city
so the streets were new
i looped the hotel
a couple of blocks each side
and peered into an alleyway
to see a car and its hazard lights
flashing slow
slow
slowly
like in an old music video.

In the evening,
I stayed inside
too tired to go out
unable to sleep
I played an overpriced Santo & Johnny CD
I’d found at a tiny shop
somewhere up near the railway station
and I listened to Sleepwalk
through the tinny laptop speakers
wishing Lian were here -
I feel a bit guilty
exploring new places on my own
now that I’m married.

I woke up in the middle of the night
only to discover that I was still
right here in this particular city.
An unfamiliar morning lay ahead of me
but when it all fizzed out
I flew home earlier than expected
relieved but unfulfilled.

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a new office
(for me)
another unfamiliar setup
another messy machine room
to make sense of.

hours later
the job done
we wait for take off
as a small plane
lands from the left
life repeats itself
and i think
“i’ll be doing this
next week
in another town.”

when i reach home
she’s out with a friend
so i grab a quick pub meal
just around the corner
when i step out the back
i watch a plane head
towards the airport
while the slow, steady rock music
drifts from speakers nearby
and i’m wondering
if those passengers
had as productive a day
as i did?

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