Wordless Wednesday: The Great Hall for Nobel Prize Dinners

Location: Stockholm City Hall, Stockholm, Sweden
 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Heritage

Location: McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada
 
It was around noon when I arrived at the McCarran International Airport to catch my connecting flight to Baltimore. For somebody who hadn’t been there before, the place was quite a spectacle to behold with rows after rows of slot machines enticing you with the usual come-on.

I guess it should be expected in Sin City. It’s part of its colorful heritage. Still, I found it a little odd considering that when you’re at the airport nothing could be farther from your mind than entertaining these one-armed bandits. Whether you’re arriving on a vacation, going home after losing your inheritance at the casinos, or just passing through, your main concern is getting out of there as quickly as possible.

To prove my point, I took the above picture of the slot machines around the departure gate. As you could see, there were hardly any takers. Just having a slow day, perhaps? I bet, that’s the best the owners of these machines could hope for.

As I boarded my flight, I thought of coming back to Las Vegas if only to take on these one-armed bandits. It’ll be cool to beat them at their own game before they become history.

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The Medium is the Message

 
Southwest has been one of my favorite airlines. It started back in the day when its flight attendants were young and perky. Now they are looking more mature like your kindergarten teacher. But hey, there’s nothing wrong with that as it goes with the territory. I’ve gotten older, too.

The airline is notorious, and I mean it in a nice way, for coming up with catchphrases that reflect the company’s character and the image that it wants to project to the world.

These include “The Somebody Else Up There Who Loves You,” “Wanna get away,” “Low Fares. Nothing to hide,” “Love Bags Fly Free,” “I Carry Free Bags,” “Luv Goes A Long Way,” “Nonstop Love,” and “In a world full of no, Southwest Airlines is a plane full of YES.” Etc. Etc.

But there’s one that I find a little confusing. It’s in the in-flight magazine I was browsing while on a flight to Oakland International last Wednesday (see above photo).

“We’re adding all new seats to bring you added space,” it says, “Getting there just got more comfortable.”

Boy, does it give me the shivers. How could adding new seats be more comfortable? It seems like it should be the other way around and lead to the dreaded shrinking leg room. Unless, of course, I’m not reading it right.

Wordless Wednesday: Levitating Street Performers

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
 

Brief Encounter

For Friday Fictioneers 100-Word Challenge: 5 May 2017

Photo Credit: Sandra Crook

Sheldon found the young runaway in Union Square shivering in the cold winter evening.

When the 40-year-old bachelor invited her to stay the night at his place, she accepted to his surprise.

She barely touched the pizza he offered. She was so tired all she wanted was to lie down and sleep.

At that moment, she was forbidden fruit ready for the taking.

“Do whatever you want,” she said, “just don’t wake me up.”

Sheldon left to work the night shift. When he returned, she was gone.

“Thanks for being considerate,” she scribbled on the bathroom mirror. “Stay cool, Emma.”