Chapter 1: The Unwanted Conversation

Ahmed settled into the back seat of the taxi, giving the driver the address of the airport in a monotone voice. He was a 22-year-old first officer on a 777, and he was dreading this long flight. Not because of the flying itself, but because of the inevitable small talk that came with it. He hated talking about planes, and he was especially bad at making conversation with strangers. As the taxi pulled away from the curb, Ahmed let out a sigh of relief. He was finally on his way to the airport, and he could just zone out for a bit. But, as the driver turned to him with a friendly smile, Ahmed's anxiety spiked. "So, where are you headed today?" the driver asked, his voice booming through the small space. Ahmed hesitated, hoping the driver would just leave him alone. But, it seemed like that was not going to be the case. "Uh, just the airport," he replied, trying to be as vague as possible. The driver chuckled. "Ah, you're flying out, huh? Which airline?" Ahmed's heart sank. He knew he couldn't avoid the question forever. "Uh, I'm...a crew member," he said, trying to dance around the truth. The driver's eyes lit up. "No way! What kind of plane are you on? Are you a pilot?" Ahmed felt his face heat up with embarrassment. He hated talking about planes, and he was especially shy about his job. "I...I'm just a crew member," he repeated, trying to deflect the question. The driver seemed to sense Ahmed's discomfort and laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not going to pry. But, I have to say, I'm a bit of a plane buff myself. I've been to the airport a million times, and I just love watching the planes take off and land." Ahmed groaned inwardly. This was exactly what he had been trying to avoid. He pulled out his phone and pretended to check his messages, hoping the driver would get the hint and leave him alone. But, the driver just kept talking, asking Ahmed questions about his favorite type of plane and his flying experiences. Ahmed listened, trying to respond with brief, monosyllabic answers, but it seemed like the more he tried to shut down the conversation, the more the driver wanted to talk. As the taxi approached the airport, Ahmed felt his anxiety build. He just wanted to get out of the cab and get to his gate without having to talk about planes anymore. But, it seemed like that was not going to be an option. The driver was determined to chat, and Ahmed was running out of ways to avoid the conversation.