It seems like the airport harbors a more widely distributed demographic than any other place. No where else does it seem like there is a completely random distribution of all ages, colors, and wealth all around you.
It makes sense because everyone needs to fly (almost), it's not that expensive (sorta), and since there's not an airport every 50 feet, location bias doesn't really come into account.
It's just... refreshing and interesting... considering I live in west campus in Austin TX, so the average age is 21... with a standard distribution of like... three. And in the 2006-2007 year, 55% of the population was white, and only 4.2% were black1.
It's fascinating (to me, at least) to think that every person that you just happen to pass by, all the hundreds of people you just see for a fleeting moment, have full lives of their own; All with their own crazy dreams, friends, family, drama... everything. Everyone's life is just as complex and extensive as yours. And to them, you're entire life and experiences are just a fleeting moment to them. Perspective!
Some of those fleeting moments are more interesting than others. I sat across from a man on the plane, whom I will dub Physics Fun Man. I first took notice of the awkward, choppy conversation he was having on the phone with somebody. A dead give away that this guy was going to be interesting.
Anyway, Physics Fun Man was so called because he was holding in his lap a book entitled 'Quantum Phase Transitions', and another one about percolation theory, which I've never even heard of.
So this guy was obviously pretty rock'n... but the image was complete when, as he got up at the end of the flight to get his bag, I noticed that in his shirt pocket (that was stuffed with misc. notes and random shit) also held a TI-83 graphing calculator.
You know, just in case you need to solve a system of linear equations or bust out a few trigonometric graphs at a moment's notice.
My life sucked just a little bit more however when I told my roommate this story, and the first thing he said was,
"Dude that is totally going to be you someday... that is your future."
Really?!
1 Check this out, the UT Stats Handbook for 2007... semi-interesting numbers for anybody who remotely gives a shit. And super-script references look so fuck'n cool I just wanted to use them.
i strongly disagree! you already dress way better. and i mean...don't you have an 89 anyway?
xoxo