Young Oblivion

      “Priority boarding will begin in ten minutes.  This includes gold members and first class passengers.”  A tired worker announces over the intercom.  Gate C-16 is crowded as everyone anxiously awaits their trip to DFW.  A young boy, no more than five or six years, old is sitting next to his dad.  His face conveys anxiety as he pulls at his fathers jacket. 

         “Dad, dad, what if lightning hits the plane.  There could be lightning!”  The boy pleads to him.  His father is busy on a business call, and pushes away the little tugging hand.  Between the news blaring on the television and droning of unimportant chatter, the terminal is a noisy place.

         “Don't worry, there's a much better chance that one of the engines will fail while we're flying, sending the plane into an uncontrollable spiral, killing us all immediately on impact.”  Says a man sitting on the other side of the boy.  The kids mouth drops.  Frozen with fear, he doesn't know how to react.  “Oh, but there's a much better chance you'll die in a car crash on the way home from the airport.  Statistically speaking, there's a better chance, anyway.”

         “But... but...”  The poor child stammers out.  On the verge of tears, he's trying to make sense of what this stranger has just told him.  He turns to his father, but his father still doesn't notice.

         “Oh I'm just kidding.  Nothing like that'll happen.  I'm just trying to distract you from the tv, so you don't hear about the insurmountable national debt you'll no doubt be paying off the rest of your working life due to reckless government spending.”

Word Count: 278