朋友儿子从英国留学回国后就在上海工作，工作之余还经常会去看望在青岛的父母。每次回来，老两口都会去机场接机。那曾经的父亲的背影，如今成了儿子迎面而来的笑脸……。平淡的文字，隐隐伤感。
Picking Up Son at the Airport
Qigui Huang. Oct, 2017
On their long-expected night, the old couple drove to the airport to pick up their son, after checking with the Information Service that flight SC4602 from Shanghai Pudong would land at 23:15, just 15 minutes delay as per the schedule, which was already more than normalcy, as China flight delay is worldwide reputed.
Their son has been working in Shanghai for several years since he was back from UK. Busy or free he would maintain a routine call every two weeks, which is a momentous occasion for the parents. Their relationship has been open and liberal, so the talks were more often than not friendlike, lasting one or two hours.
A career starter, he seldom came back home, maximum two or three times a year. When he did, he would always book the night flight taking off after 21:00, either out of economy or for convenience sake.
Every time the take-off had to be long waiting due to air zone occupation division or temporary preferential consideration of VIP passengers who were more conscious of their positions rather than common sense time. So arrivals were proportionally prolonged.
But the old couple every time couldn't bear to get to the airport before chart time, feeling instinctively some divine intervention might favour their heart.
The Information Board was indifferent, indicating increasing delays with regular flashes. The waiting couple tried to be patient, standing motionless and senseless, craning at the outcoming escalator inside. They became impatient only when heads and figures emerged flowing down it.
Baggage claim generally took half an hour, their son's appearance a bit longer, often among or following the last threes and fives, casually carrying, after a fashion, the small carrying suitcase off the conveyor belt, which might be more properly carried with him to save quantity of time coming out if he had been a bit more particular about arriving after midnight.
Youngsters nowadays, however, are more concerned about their own comforts, what to do. Outside always understand parents. Two or three times, they reached their apartment building to meet early risers coming out to morning exercise. Daybreaks!
Tonight, they thought they struck at last a good luck. The flight was announced arrived at 23:10, even earlier than the earlier information. Throngs after throngs came out, there was no sign of son's face. It didn't show up until 00:01. It started raining heavily. When they came, it was clear and fresh, with some sparkling stars overhead.
The airport parking fee had risen to 8 yuan. One mile out of the airport on the highway, the father driving naturally slowed to halt at the tollgate, reaching for the card, "Free Now!" the smiling round face uttered. Its National Day! Sometimes late birds catch more worms.
At their community entrance, the entrance card failed to work. Repeating horns brought out the sleepy gatekeeper. Putting card against the screen, he grumbled: “No money on the card, run out after 12 o'clock. Now is another day!"
One free joy is barely over when another claim comes. Life often shows its double face before one realizes it.
