If You See Something Say Something

Short Story Day 177 of 365

“See Something, Say Something hotline. Tara speaking. How may I help you?”

“Hi, Tara, my name is Audrey Meekins and I’d like to say something because I just saw something.”

“Okay, Audrey. Are you in a place where you can talk freely?”

“You mean, like in America or in my bedroom or something?”

“No no. I’m just making sure you aren’t being coerced into saying something.”

“Oh no, nothing like that. And yet I think it’s worse.”

“Please go on,” Tara said.

“Well, it’s kind of a long story.”

“That’s what we’re here for, Audrey.”

“Ok, well, here goes.”

Audrey cleared her throat. “Well, I was taking my son and daughter-in-law to the airport with our two cute little grandbabies. That would be Dustin and Tina. Cutest you’ve ever seen, but you probably get that a lot. Cute kids, although they have what you could call helicopter parents, always making sure they don’t get the slightest bit hurt. So, anyways, they were headed out of town on vacation and I was helping them through the airport since it can get so confusing at times. In fact, they wanted me to go too since I am proud to say that I’m their best nanny.”

Audrey paused. “Are you getting this all, Ma’am?”

“Yes, Audrey, go ahead. What I don’t capture, the audio recording will capture. Oh, almost forgot, Audrey,” Tara said. “When you called the hotline, you immediately consented to being recorded. Are you okay with that?”

“Sure sure sure. So, anyways we were at the airport picking up some snacks from the overpriced kiosks along each hallway there. Highway robbery, if you ask me, but that’s for a different time, isn’t it?”

“Yes, I agree, Audrey. Please go on so we can begin helping you in your situation.”

“Right, so I’m buying the kids little toys to keep them occupied, even though it’s probably burdensome for the adults having to lug all those extra toys on the trip.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“And then there was this big commotion outside on the runway near Gate A32 I believe it was. Or maybe it was A23. It was A, I know that. Come to think of it, maybe it was A15 or A16. Oh dear, I forget now. Either or. I’m sure that if you checked the airlines in question, they’d know for sure. Or maybe it was the taxiway. Taxiway. Runway. Tarmac. Something. I couldn’t tell. Everyone went to those big tall windows to see what all the fuss was about. Well, me being 5’2” didn’t stand a chance against all those six-foot people.”

“I’m with you on that, Audrey. I’m only 5’4” myself.”

“So, there I was stretching my neck, straining to see what people were looking at outside. My son goes over to the window. He’s six two, I think. He goes over and shakes his head, comes back and tells us it was nothing but two of the luggage handlers duking it out on the tarmac near one of the planes. Nothing to see, he says. Can you believe it? Nothing to see he says. Sheesh.”

“Okay, and then what, Audrey?”

“What do you mean?”

“What happened next?” Tara asked.

“Well, our flight boarded fifteen minutes later and we got on and went to sunny south Florida. Beautiful time of the year to go. If you’ve never gone before, Tara, I highly recommend it. In fact, it’s where I am now. Wonderful ocean view from my hotel room. And did you know…”

“Sorry for interrupting, Audrey. But what exactly were you calling to report when you called us here at See Something Say Something?”

“Good question, Tara. You’re probably right. I didn’t actually see something, did I, being that I’m too short? I just wanted to report that there were two employees of the airlines fighting over our luggage. Can you imagine? Fighting. Someone could have gotten hurt. Maybe someone did. I never found out. Thanks for hearing me out.”

Silence on the phone for a few seconds except for the click clacking of a keyboard in the background.

“Tara, you still there?”

“Yes, I’m here, Audrey. Just jotting down all the information as we’re required to do.”

“Well good,” Audrey said. “Maybe write up that the airport should supply one- or two-foot standing stools so that if something like this happens again, old grannies like me can see what’s going on. How could I possible say something again if I don’t see it?”

“Bless you, Audrey, you’ve made my whole day. Thank you for letting us know about this incident.”

“No, thank you, Tara. I hope you have enough information to go on to get to the bottom of this little incident. Maybe I’ll get a chance to talk with next week when we return home. If I see something like this again, I’ll be sure to call.”

“You do that, Audrey, and I hope I’m the one taking your call.”

“Oh, that would be wonderful, wouldn’t it? It’d be like we were old friends or something.”

“Yes, it would, Audrey. It would indeed.”

*******