Airport Business Cards

By the time you reach gate D3 in the Atlanta airport terminal, chances are you will be tired, hungry and ready for a coffee.

I was. It was 10:00 in the morning on a Sunday and I had left the hotel where a dear friend had celebrated her wedding reception earlier than most of the crowd to catch a plane back to Boston. I saved my coffee purchase until after the security line.

There is something about airports that relaxes me, especially the ones in unfamiliar cities. Out of the hundreds of people around, no one expects anything of you. Nothing is permanent and you are free to float along.

I opted for the Passport Grille, a sit-down restaurant. It was dark and almost empty, and out of the ceiling-high windows you could see the idle planes preparing for take-off. The waiter gave me the seat closest to the cash register. He was young, 35 or so. He immediately apologized for the hold-up, even though there was no hold-up, and continued with the same introduction to every guest that followed. I ordered a coffee and scrambled eggs. All of the beverages were served in Styrofoam cups and the table settings included a plastic knife and a metal fork. From afar I could hear the bartender politely decline a customer’s beer order to comply with state laws. I was at peace and in the midst of people that I would never be in the midst of again.

A couple from Kansas City sat down at the corner table and deliberated over their order with the waiter's counsel (BLT or burger? side salad or fries?). I overheard that in May the two, who were fifty five or so, would go to Baltimore for a friend’s wedding, the waiter’s hometown and my college town. “Small world” the waiter said, and we all agreed. We chatted for a few minutes about the city—the Inner Harbor and Fells Point, crab cakes and good spots for live music. They especially like blues bands, and asked for my favorites. Before I left, they gave me their card, just in case I thought of anything else. Unlike most business cards, this one was for the both of them, and included only first names and a phone number and email.  No title or company or indication of expertise. It was is if they wanted to remind all of the people that they met along the way to keep the line open, just in case.