I remember being in the airport in Amsterdam at Christmas in 1994. My younger son John
was with me. We were coming to the states to surprise my mother and father and John's
grandparents during this special time of year. We lived in Greece at the time and we would
visit in the summer, but an extra trip at Christmas was often out of the question. My mother
at 87 had been hospitalized and released with a fair bill of health.
The only flight that we could book from Athens to Amsterdam had a four hour lay over. We
had a snack, walked around this large airport to stretch our legs and admired the beautiful
Christmas decorations. I have a picture of John standing next to an enormous Christmas tree.
Eventually we sat. John worked on a crossword puzzle book and read. I stretched out using my carry on bag as a pillow and slept.
My main impression was the silence. Airports are normally filled with activity, the hustle
and bustle of people rushing to their next connection as announcements that are made non stop suffuse the air. One is normally accompanied by people also waiting to catch their
next flight to the final destination. I have had more interesting conversations with strangers
looking to pass the time. This airport was empty - we were part of a handful of people
passing through.
Airports at that time were friendly places to people watch, shop and observe. The thought
of a terroist attack, a killing or any violence was unheard of. Two people like John and
me, who were almost all alone felt safe and secure. Our long hours of waiting came to
an end and finally we were off and heading to New York.
I am extremely happy that this flight to Detroit from Amsterdam had a happy ending. All
passengers and crew landed safely and were able to be reunites with their loved ones; just
as I was reunited with my son Angelos and truly surprised my parents. My mother passed
away in February of 1995 - we created one lovely memory.
What evil lurks in the mind of some people.
Vera A. Tzelepis-Liddle MS. ND, CPT
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