Approaching a Guam Refueling

10 hours in and still in a middle seat near the rear of a very long plane. Next to me, a kind older woman to the left, an older small round man to the right. The man on a four month mission to spread Christian teachings, his wife having “gone to the lord” some 14 years prior, when the van she was riding in to Vegas with friends and family crashed from an exploding tire – four of nine lived, she one of the five who did not. His eyes were sad sweet and searching. The woman to the left on a 2 week trip to visit family in her old province where the 100 islands lie to the north of Manila, a four hour drive. We looked at it on the map in the airplane magazine and she pointed out the rice terraces also about four hours to the north of Manila, one of the wonders of the world she said, worthy of a visit. Everyone smiles when I say I am headed to Boracay, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world they say. She said shopping in Manila is good. I looked at photos of her niece and nephew and 8 month old baby Amaya from San Diego. We traded snacks and now only one hour left towards the Guam refueling. In and out of sleep. Then only four hours away from Manilla. This plane is dingy.