I stir from deep slumber as I hear the Faceless Voice again.
"We've landed! Welcome to The World. This is your happy layover, all-paid.
Go out and have fun! Just remember to be back on time,
So you won't miss your onward connection in this endless journey."
I blink, confused, as I am birthed into the brightly-lit
Arrivals, full of people, strange sights, noises, colours.
A friendly nanny at Assistance smiles.
"You don't have a care, dearie, go out, have fun.
Leave your cares with your baggage on board.
This is your Fun Day in the The World."
The guys in uniform are easy, as they check
My documents more than my face.
After all, I'm a layover tourist.
I go around to malls, museums, art schools, arty schooners.
Food courts with coconuts, orchids, coloured straws.
Lobsters cooling their claws on ice, ready to be cooked.
An hour of massage. Meditation.
Parks full of make-believe rain-forests.
Feathered performers that strut about and sing in a cabaret.
Skating rinks, soccer stadia. Esplanade by the shimmering waters,
where I take in magic tricks and singing bands.
At last it is time to go back to the endless journey.
As I march into the lounge, I smile to see x-rays and body scanners.
You see, I don't really care. It is time to go.
I simply wait for the Faceless Voice to call me aboard.
Well, I am happy it was not an ego-trip. It was only a layover.
To a tourist, nothing really sticks. So it's all fun!
