On the road again

Even though I rather the night, preferring to go to bed late and sleep in, there's still something undefinably tranquil about the ass-crack of dawn in the desert that can't quite happen at any other time. The cool air, the darkness that's different from dusk, the total lack of normal people moving about on the road, the slightly rosy sky, all are very soothing qualities that I find I miss.

Right now, it's about eight minutes to eight in the morning. I'm in the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS). I booked a ticket last night at about four AM to come home. To go to New Orleans. I got perhaps less than two hours of sleep, and will shortly partake of the elixir of life, Dr Pepper.

This little last-minute excursion is partially inspired by my landlord saying he's going to throw everything in the house out. Also by the fact that my grandparents might appreciate my help as they move into their new apartment, or when they see the inside of their home for the first time. (Ed.: I just got a call from my mom, who told me that Maw-Maw cried when she heard I was coming in. I'll be able to make it in for a group lunch. And mom, I have my camera.) I also miss people, my friends. I know that only a handful will be in the city, and I'm short on time - aren't we all? - but I still would like to see everyone I can, since I'm not going to be under the same kind of hectic time-crunch as last time.

I also think dark thoughts about the TSA and civil disobedience.

I sit here, watching the mundane activities around me: an apparently ex-jarhead staring intently at the New Yorker, a hipster chick listening to headphones and untangling a ball of yarn, an older gentleman with a seeing-eye dog, an overweight middle-aged man fiddling with his Blackberry and withearing a UT orange polo, a guy with a banjo case, kids, students and grandparents. There's no overt signs of distress on their faces, and as always, I wonder why these people chose to fly at the same time I did, and where they'll end up at the end of their voyage. Will anyone else that I can see go to New Orleans today?