A Trip to My Airport

Parking my car at Honda Chapel.
Quickly retrieving the keys for a friend's car from our co-worker who had been borrowing it.
Gladly receiving a free Starbucks coupon.
Weaving my way through the maze of roads near the station.
Stopping at 7-11 for a drink and rice ball wrapped in seaweed.

Entering the expressway.
Heading out toward the beach.
Zipping along through the wooded countryside.
Periodically crossing long bridges over valleys checkered with rice paddies.
Exiting and turning back towards civilization.

Following the straight road past the vegetable stands and fresh egg vending machines.
Passing the many haniwa reproduction statues.
Coming into the area filled with cargo warehouses.
Turning into the South Cargo Gate 6.
Waiting in one of the many security lines.

Showing my alien card.
Waiting for my trunk to be inspected.
Passing the riot bus which is on full alert, perpendicular to the road.
Driving through the curvy tunnels under the runway.
Seeing jumbo jets close up as I prepare to drive underneath the tarmac.

Pulling into my usual parking space, near the elevator that ascends to the covered walkway into the terminal building.
Quickly making a circuit of the souvenir shops to see if there are any new items. (The only thing I saw was soy sauce-flavored Kit Kats.)
Noticing that the sinks in the washroom each had a sample of a different type of Lush soap.
Redeeming the Starbuck's coupon.
Sitting in Starbuck's, savoring the time to sit and read and think and process.

Swinging by the tourist information desk to pick up the latest copy of a free English magazine about Tokyo.
Checking the monitor to see if passengers on this flight would be coming out the north entrance or south entrance from customs.
Wandering over to the south entrance.
Almost bumping into a friend and her toddler daughter.
Enjoying the fun of unexpectedly seeing her.

Sharing in her anticipation of welcoming her friend who will serve their family for two weeks while the husband & dad is out of the country.
Picking up a drink for the ride home.
Searching the steady stream of exiting passengers, looking for my friend.
Greeting.
Riding the elevator up, the moving sidewalk across, and the elevator down.

Driving out the South Cargo Gate 6.
Passing the haniwa.
Arriving back at my parked car.
Heading home.
Refreshed from a brief trip to my airport, gateway to the world, my second home.