The Mystery of Flight 108

by Eddie Cruz

                Flight 108 will be boarding at Gate no. 23 in fifteen minutes."  That was the announcement made at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Mr. James and his wife, Claire, were anxiously awaiting their first trip to Jerusalem. Mr. Jameswas a tall, slender man in his mid-fifties. His wife, Claire, was one year older than him, but looked five years younger.

                "Imagine honey, all of our children are all grown up now and for the very first time in many years, we’re actually going somewhere on our own. Just the two of us," Mr. Wilson said.

                She looked deeply into his light blue eyes. "Honey, I’m very excited to be spending time alone with you. This is a special moment for me because I love you very much."

Mr. James knew that he had a wife who deeply loved him for who he was, more than anyone in the world.

                "I hope you didn't forget the tickets for the trip," Claire said jokingly. Mr. James reached into his right side vest pocket and pulled out the tickets. "They're here," he said smiling.

"Flight 108 will be boarding at Gate no. 23 in ten minutes," came the announcement over the airports speakers.

"Honey, do you know where the restroom is?" Claire asked.

"We just passed it while our luggage was being checked in." Mr. James told his wife.

"I'll be right back, honey." Claire got up and left to the restroom.

                Five minutes had passed and Mr. James was getting a little nervous thinking that his wife would probably miss the flight. He got up and went searching for her. As he approached the ladies room, he asked a young lady coming out if she had seen a petite woman with a brown coat go into the bathroom.

"No, sir, I was the only one in there," reply the young lady.

"Thank you," Mr. James said, while scratching his head.

                "She's probably waiting for me upstairs near the gate. That’s odd. Why wouldn’t see tell me she was going upstairs?" Mr. James took the escalator upstairs to the second floor and rushed to the boarding Gate no. 23. To his surprise, his wife was not there.

"Excuse me, sir, have you seen a petite woman with a brown coat waiting in this area?" he asked an attendant.

"No, I haven't," was the reply.

                "Where can she be?" Mr. James was now getting a little worried. "Can you do me a favor and check and see if she boarded the plane without anyone noticing?"

"I’ll check for you, sir. Just wait here. What's her name?" The attendant asked.

                "Claire Wilson," Mr. James said. After searching the plane diligently, the attendant came out and explained to Mr. Wilson that there was no one by the name of Claire onboard.

"Are you sure you're at the right gate, sir?" The attendant asked.

                Mr. James reached into his pocket and pulled out the tickets. "Here are my tickets."  He handed the tickets to the attendant.

"This is impossible. It can't be." The attendant said with a bewildered look on his face.

"Is there something wrong, son?" Mr. James asked.

                "Sir, there must be some kind of mistake. These tickets are three years old. Flight 108 crashed on the same date that are on these tickets—that was three years ago."

Mr. James sat down numbed, and didn't say a word.