Stranger on a Plane

I took my seat just as I would have on any other flight home, 42E. I didn't sleep on the flight from Abidjan to Paris so I was exhausted.  I sat down, put on my seat belt, put my pillow behind my head and put my blanket over my legs.  The plan was to sleep until lunch was served.  I was in the aisle seat of the middle row. My eyes were closed when the person in 42F took their seat and they were kind enough to not wake me but to walk around and come in from the other side. 

About an hour into the flight drinks were served. I ordered red wine with my complimentary snack of rosemary crackers. In a heavy accent the man in 42F ordered,  "orange juice and whiskey." He says it twice,  slower the second time so the attendant understands.  I'm not sure if they did but he never received the whiskey.  He doesn't pursue it.  I look to my right at the man in 42F. He's a boy really (As he was completing his customs form I took a peek.  He was born in 1992.), young face,  short hair and smooth olive skin.  I didn't see his eyes as they were staring at the screen in front of him.  

After taking four bites of lunch I decided it was  time for another nap. So I went to sleep. I'm not sure how long I was asleep but an announcement in French loudly came over the speakers.  "The Captain has turned on the fasten you seat belt sign. Please, fasten your seat belt as we are experiencing turbulence." I heard the announcement, but I was not fully awake. In fact my eyes were still closed. So slowly I open my eyes. Somehow, sometime during my nap, my head was leaning toward the right. Earlier during the flight 42F and I were "fighting" for arm rest dominance.  Somehow,  sometime during my sleep we both seemed to have called a truce,  both on the arm rest,  arms slightly entangled.  My eyes slowly opened more.  Somehow,  sometime he'd fallen asleep and his head was leaning toward the left.  The announcement also interrupted his sleep.  His eyes slowly opened. They were light brown with specs of green. And these eyes were looking into mine,  softly,  smiling.  I smiled and then realized these eyes belonged to a stranger on a plane! I was now fully awake.  So was he.  "You hum..." said 42F. I flashed an awkward smile and turned my head.  He had made me feel "something." Not for him,  but for me.

Waking up, looking into the smiling eyes of a stranger also 'woke me up!'  I realized I want to wake up to my loves' smiling eyes.  To call a truce on our bed space,  waking up entangled with my him who notices I hum when I sleep. In my thoughts on the rest of the flight I thought "this has to change..." I need to slow down. I need to do more of what makes me happy: being active in my church, volunteering,  dancing...I want to be ready,  smiling when I met him,  this stranger.  The one whose eyes will greet me and after a kiss his lips will say "you hum"...