the north pole

The airport bar, United terminal LAX, 10:32 pm Christmas eve. $2 extra buy you a double shot drink. Denise returns with a pint glass of scotch and soda on the rocks with a lime. She is gone before I can ask for the lemon. Hell with it, lime on the table and a deep sip crosses my lips. I survey the crowd.

2 hipster guys, my guess is internet, one is a little heavy shaved head and full goatee, second has a skull cap, with dark full but trim sideburns and a type of beard. boh have very understated but modern bags and sharp shoes.

Blond woman on the phone (bluetooth headset), late 30's tall, orders a margarita rocks salt, spends the $2 for the double. call ends, opens laptop, PC, not a creative, must be an account person or maybe a producer.

Tech guy next to me checks e-mail on his laptop. non-descript, not a coder, sits quietly taking in the situation.

A Woman comes in and sits down in the middle of the room. She has great posture very straight back and a book, drinks a hefaavisen

There is a beautiful black woman at the counter almost recognizable, maybe she is famous, or almost famous, maybe i should have paid more attention when i was working on TMZ.com, nah. She seems to want the 2 hipster guys to chat a bit, but they are in there own conversation. She orders a shot, something dark, downs it with ease, grabs her stuff and is away to her gate

Everyone gathered here just before last call on Christmas eve, alone together making time in this little bar, headed to to destinations where people are waiting for expecting them, to be delivered like presents form santa in the morning.