The tannoy sounds the next departure, soon after empty seats and litter all but in sight. A set of flickering lights, create shadows reflecting of the glossy white walls, underneath the faltering lights an old bulletin board. Advertisements, along with broken promises rest in the eye-lines of those awaiting departure or waiting to meet a significant other. In the midst of the poorly looked-after waiting room, is an old clock but time seems to be frozen, no hourly chimes can be heard. Generations sit discussing past joys, and memories not so long ago, jovial children running around in between the rows of seats playing with a set of toys marked with images to suggest there souvenirs from the recently visited holiday destination. The soundtrack to the room just a lot of murmurs, rustling papers echo through-out the room un-swept leafs creeping into the room. The social media generation crowd around the aging clock, posing in groups unknowingly capturing parts of the mosh and fungi that line the perimeter. Wide eyed socialists tweeting and instgraming the heart shaped likes assured, the waiting room clerk looks on and smiles. An old boy sat in the suit, set of badges at the top of his coat, must be a war-hero or something the wrinkles help tell a million stories. Reading the instructions to a paper-plane just purchased the spitfire the plane with the distinctive pattern.
The old boy with the tie pulled up so high seems to be almost chocking, seems content although resting on his lap is an old photograph but it’s too far away to see what the photograph is off. In the distance is a lady that seems to be fighting a losing battle against greed. Clogging up the isle with a rickety old trolley and bags piled up-on each-other see through plastic bags display more, and more food she can’t help herself. Ironically she laughs about the fact that she’ll need a larger seat to accompany her large body mass. People around, give looks of disgust but she doesn’t seem to mind, the proud fat lady reaches into the bag to pull out more food eating a family sized meal in seconds. The pranksters sat a few rows back with pea-shooters aim for the fat lady; she’d never feel a thing as its only saliva and paper. Her back now looks like the underside of secondary school table, these dudes real amazed.
In the distance close to gate 4 sat a guy in casual day ware, tapping his fingers of the metal arm of the chair, the tempo of the track gets too much and he knocks the headphones out but for that split second hasn’t noticed, people staring. In the hurry, grabs the headphone lead and changes the tempo heading outside transport in sight. A newlywed couple sit mumbling to one another whilst clutching their tickets reading the departures and arrivals board over and over almost like they don’t believe their own tickets. The bride sends the groom to run some errands fetch some drinks and what not, still starring at the departures board. Like, the sound of hoover being disconnected from a household plug socket the electronic systems crash, slight power cut. The now not so flickering light stops the old man from finishing the completion of his flimsy polystyrene plane. The over-weight lady pauses looks around but still tucks into the meal no electric needed to eat. The social generation switch their phones to the sides and begin to film almost like it’s the Blair Witch Project.
In the open space just to the left slightly high street clothing brands, H&M and Topman are positioned just underneath the escalator. People stood next door, inside the W.H.Smith’s store panic as the automatic doors lock them inside. The ever so cautious newlyweds shout each other names in a desperate attempt to find one another; there strain in their voices can be heard now by the not so jovial children who seek their parents. The clerk at the information kiosk shouts at the top of her voice for a calmer atmosphere telling them it’ll be over soon enough; the back-up generator will sort the electrical issue. The people in waiting room B sit anxiously, worried. Attempt two the clerk shouts telling people relax waving a phone with the torch light in the air trying to calm the people down assuring them it’ll be fine, what fine customer service. A few minutes pass, the back-up generator brings light to the waiting room again, the people regain their senses and look at each-other sighs of relief can be heard. As if this where a victory the old man throws the polystyrene plane into the air and in this moment the generator stops and the plane fades into darkness.
