Business & Pleasure (Audio Script)

Stories

“Seriously…?”

Delayed again.

What is this… hour six? Seven?

Might be faster to just walk back to LA at this point.

I guess I should text Maria and see if she can cover my morning class tomorrow.

There’s no way I’ll be back in time.

“I take it you’re also on the cursed LAX flight?”

I look up from my phone and… notice you, sitting two seats down from me.

Glad to see I’m not the only one drinking my frustration away.

“Uh, unfortunately.

Yeah.

Really wishing I wasn’t.”

“We both should’ve chosen the earlier flight.”

“Yeah.

I tend to go for night flights so I can sleep, but clearly, that bit me in the ass today.”

“Ooh, that’s risky, no?

My ex used to refuse to fly past 6 PM ’cause if it gets delayed, then you’re shit out of luck until morning.”

“Sounds a little neurotic, but I think your ex was right.”

“Yeah, I guess she was.”

You didn’t ping me as gay when I first saw you, but the mention of your ex is a pretty clear indication.

I watch as you dig through your purse, your light hair spilling over your shoulder, your Chelsea boots perched on the lowest rung of the barstool.

“So, business or pleasure?”

“What?

Oh, oh, right.

Um, well, LA is home.

I was here in New York for work, I guess.”

“You guess?”

“It’s kind of embarrassing, but… yeah.

There was this big librarian sciences conference that I wanted to attend.

So I convinced my department chair to send me.”

“Don’t be embarrassed.

Librarians are very cool.”

“Thanks.”

This is easy, talking to you.

You almost made me forget for a moment that we’re both stuck in an airport with no prospects of getting home anytime soon.

“Um… how about you?

Business or pleasure?”

“Little bit of both, kind of like you.

Do you mind if I—?”

“No, no, come on over.”

“Um, yeah, mostly pleasure.

I used to live in Queens and still have a bunch of friends out here, so I was just in town for a few days to visit some old haunts.”

“Mostly pleasure?

So, you’re implying there was a bit of business involved?”

“Ah… yeah.

That ex I mentioned?

We used to live in Queens.

Separated now, so I had to go deal with a bunch of legal documents.

Divorce stuff.”

“Oh, man, I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“No, no, no, don’t be sorry.

It’s good.

Really.

It’s cliché, but we are far better friends than partners.

Thank god we didn’t have kids or anything.

But, yeah, I’m kind of new to this whole ‘single’ thing.”

“Oh, as a tried-and-true member of the ‘singles’ club, let me tell you.

You’re going to love it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, you’ll never want to go back.”

“Teach me your ways.”

“I mean, look, I’ve dated.

I’ve had a couple of long-term relationships.

But, to be honest, I think some people work best on their own.”

“You don’t get lonely?”

“I mean, sure, but that’s a temporary feeling.

There’s so many benefits to being single.

I can… just… you know, go with the flow.

Feel things out.

Do whatever works for me.

That sounds stupid, but… do you know what I mean?”

“I think so, yeah.

You can meet people and see where things go.

Not worry about the future.

Or the past for that matter.

Sometimes I think back on interactions I had with strangers while I was married… like, in line at the store, or… a stranger at a bar.

And I wonder what would’ve happened if I had just… gone for it.

Not because I wanted to cheat or anything, but because I knew I was unhappy.

And standing right in front of me was someone who could have been the next great love of my life or something.”

“Well… they could’ve just as easily been your next ex.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Your head is resting in your palm, your dark eyes shining a little from the alcohol, or maybe the stress of all of our delays.

I like the way you’re looking at me.

That little half-smile and your teeth just barely biting down on your bottom lip.

I’m pretty good at talking to strangers, but something about talking with you is just so easy.

Careless.

“Well… in the spirit of going for it...

I’ve got a SkyLounge membership.

And, seeing as we’re both stuck here for the time being, you’re welcome to join me.”

“Oh, wow.

SkyLounge, huh?

You’re fancy.

I mean, yeah.

How could I say no to that?”

“I used to travel a lot for work.

I’m work-from-home now, but I can’t bring myself to let go of the lounge membership.”

“I don’t blame you.

The perks are insane.”

“Well, I’m more than happy to share them with a fellow stranded traveller.”

“Oh… damn.”

“Better than sleeping on the B Terminal floor?”

“Uhhh… yeah.”

This place is huge, way bigger than I imagined.

There’s massive couches, free coffee and croissants, a bar.

Well, the bar is closed, but still.

I guess those things up against the wall in the back are sleep pods.

“Looks like we’ve got it all to ourselves.”

“Seriously, I can’t thank you enough.

I kind of don’t even mind the delay anymore.”

You sit down in the center of one of the couches.

There’s so many places to sit, but… I want to sit next to you.

And based on our conversation earlier, I think you’re probably okay with that.

“Oh my god.

That’s comfortable.”

“Good, right?

I’ve never actually slept in one of their pod things, but they don’t look too bad really.”

“Was that you attempting to hit on me?

Inviting me to get into a pod with you?”

“What!

Noooo, no, that’s—that’s—no.”