Good-byes

Good-byes are all too common in this line of work. Certain good-byes are firmly etched in my memory.

Standing at the top of the escalator next to the ¥2,000 exit tax payment machine in the old terminal at Narita Airport even one time was once too many, watching as departing friends passed the point of no return and headed down towards the immigration checkpoint and their flight to another hemisphere.

I've observed pre-schoolers during a team farewell, when the van headed down the road to the airport seemed to them like any car setting off on any trip around town. Knowing that the young ones had no idea yet what it meant that their friend in the car was not coming back for a year or more almost brought tears to my eyes.

So today it was a special joy when an extra driver was needed at the last minute to make an airport run --- not to take someone, but to meet someone! Standing just on the other side of the cordoned off area as friends emerged from passport control, baggage claim, and the customs inspection was sheer delight!!