People Watching

I just got home (1:45 am) from picking up Sara and the kids from the airport after their stay in Arizona.  I love to sit outside the Customs doors there and watch all the people as they arrive...especially in the winter.

As I was waiting and watching, a young lady holding a tiny dog sat beside me, along with a male companion also holding the twin of the girl's dog.  I shamelessly listened as they talked.

Girl:  Just watch, when Mum sees the dogs she's going to be so excited she'll hug them before she hugs me.

Boy:  No, you're her daughter.

Then the mother came through the doors, spotted them, broke into a big grin, pointed and said to her husband, "Oh look, they've brought my babies!".  Wherupon the daughter walked up to greet her mother and her mother reached for the dogs, hugged and kissed them, while the daughter looked at the boy and said, "What did I tell you?"    She eventually got her welcome hug too.

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There was another larger dog waiting for his person too.   When he came through the door, he grinned when he saw the dog but had the good sense to lean in to kiss his wife before bending down to greet the dog.  Smart man!.

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I love watching people greet one another.  Some cry, some smile, some kiss, others hug, some laugh and clap, some just shake hands, some take pictures and some are coldly nonchalant. Everyone's different. I thought it was odd though when a family group came through, looked around and walked slowly toward the exit.  Then a girl who appeared to be the young woman's sister and who had obviously come to meet them, walked up to them and without a sign of greeting or welcome from any of them, they all headed to the door and out.  I guess I must have missed some secret family signal of welcome.  None of my business anyway.

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I was one of the lucky ones who got hugs and kisses and shouts of  "Grammie", and toddler arms reaching out to be picked up.  That makes it worth the midnight run to the airport and back.

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You know what's really funny though...seeing these Canadians arriving from Arizona in April, which is still pretty cool up here, in the same strange clothes they wear when they're down there.  I don't know how many middle aged men I saw wearing plaid shorts with mismatched patterned shirts and sandals.  This is Canada, people!  What is appropriate in the heat of Arizona just looks ridiculous up here.  I think in a lot of cases it looks rediculous in Arizona too.  Why do tourists insist on dressing so funny?  Some of the women wearing tank tops and light T-shirts stopped to pull jackets out of their suitcases.  That made sense to me.  I always figure when I'm leaving Arizona I should dress for what the weather is like at my destination...but that's just me I guess.

I wish I had the nerve to take pictures of some of the interesting people and sights in an airport at midnight but I guess that would have been a violation of privacy and if one of them read my blog and saw their picture, they might not be too happy.

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Well, it's late and I've got to go to bed.  I'm glad my babies are all home safe and sound, and dressed appropriately :)

Pat