Running to wait. Waiting to run. Faster and faster. Hot decaf lattes sloshing out of the cups scalding their hands. Beepers beeping. Overweight garment bags ripping the muscle and sinew from their shoulder bones. John Grisham novel tucked safely under their arm. Cell phones to their ears.

(Removes cell phone from jacket pocket and puts it to his ear as he finds a spot in line:)

GOLD CARD

Talking into cell phone, harried nasal businessman:

Jerry, yeah, hey it’s me. I’m at the airport. Oh, they delayed my flight and they’re gonna stick us on another plane. No, no problem, I’ve got the gold card. Just a sec, Jerry, someone’s asking me something. (Turning, putting the phone to his chest) This is the gold card line, do you have a gold card? (Reveals gold card from pocket) One of these? You don’t have a gold card? See that long line runs all the way down through the terminal? That’s your line. No, I don’t know where you get one. Sorry. Good luck! Have a nice flight! (Returns to call) Jerry? Yeah, so, no, things are very mellow. I’ve been taking this meditation course. It’s great, only takes thirty seconds a day, and the best part is, you can be doing something else at the same time! And me and the fam just got back from vacation, man! Oh, yeah, kind of a working vacation. Pittsburgh! In the morning I’d see clients and then in the afternoon we went sightseeing, visited coal mines. (Checks watch) So listen, Jerry, I just wanted to call to say they’re keeping me out in L.A. through the weekend, so gonna have to scratch the golf date. Yeah. So how’s next week? No? Uh, week after that’s no good for me. And next month I’ve got the convention in Chicago. Then I hit Detroit, Osaka, Tampa, Vancouver, Mexico City and Ulan Bator. Then after that is my busy period.

Well, hey look, we’ll get together sooner or later. We’re best friends aren’t we? Look, Jerry, why don’t I call you, say, in two months, how’s that sound? And hey it was great getting together with you last year. Sorry I had to leave a little early, I had a client in town. OK! Yeah, me too, I gotta go too. Yeah. Cool. OK. Say hi to Janey. Judy, Judy, right.

(Starts to dial again, then notices someone cutting ahead in the line.)