Gemotions

The gate agent’s voice was a flat monotone: "Delayed." His wife's surprise birthday party. He'd been so careful, planned everything to the smallest detail, and now this. A wave of frustration washed over him, a familiar and unwelcome guest. He was minutes from calling her and coming clean.

He noticed a young man, dressed in a suit, frantically pacing and muttering into his phone. He overheard the man talking about missing a very important job interview. He saw the desperation in his eyes, the same desperation he was feeling. He remembered how he felt when he was in the same situation. He approached the man and offered to let him use his laptop to at least finish the application. As he sat there, typing, the man started to talk about the job and his dreams. The delay became a moment of human connection.