UNGODLY HOUR

She looked at her wrist watch. She had an hour until her boarding. Girl, Interrupted rested on her suitcase. There had to be something wrong with her for not feeling the temptation to pick it up and read. Just when she put on her ear phones someone waved a hand in front of her. She took off the ear phones and looked at the stranger questioningly. 

"Umm..can I get a pen? I need to fill up a form." 

"Sure." She reached into her bag pack and took out a pen. "Here."
The boy, she noticed, had tattoos on his arm. "Nice tattoos." She said when he returned her back the pen.
"Thank you." His smile seemed forced. She wondered if he regretted the tattoos. Most people did anyway. 

"Where are you flying to?" He asked. 

A conversation. She didn't like conversation with strangers. What is wrong with you? she thought to herself. 

"New York."

"What were you listening to?" 

Another question. Now she was panicking. "Ungodly Hour by The Fray."
"Oh, I like The Fray."

He took a seat beside her but didn't ask her any other questions. She felt relief. From the corner of her eye she saw him take out a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird.
"You read?" 

"Sometimes." 

"How is the book?"

"You never read it? This is my 4th time reading it. It is fantastic." 

"You think it is better than The Catcher in The Rye?"

"Better than a teenager whining about the world? Yeah, I think so." 

She laughed. 

"So, what's your story?" 

"Is it necessary to have a story?" 

"Not necessary but everyone has one." 

"Well, I am just a twenty three year old going to New York for a purpose. That's the story."

He looked at her intently and said, "Your purpose or someone else's?"  

She was dumbfounded for a moment. Before she could answer, she heard the announcement.
"I have to go. It was nice meeting you." She started to leave when his words made her stop.
"Have a great flight but if New York is not your purpose, I hope the aircraft doesn't have any phalanges." 

She smiled a weak smile and made for counter. When she turned around to look, he wasn't there. 

"Hello, can I get your passport?" The lady at the counter asked. 

Handing her passport, she hoped the aircraft didn't have phalanges.