ニューアーク空港を利用したのは、３年ぶりくらいだろうか。
マンハッタンから東、クイーンズ側に渡るJFK空港に向かう時と違って、
ホランドトンネルを抜けて、ニュージャージー側に車を走らせる。
活気あるターミナル、人々の喧騒。
セキュリティーゲート前の長蛇の列、ゲート前に座り込む搭乗客。
すべてが懐かしく、かつ新鮮に目に映る。
ユナイテッド航空の利用客に、日系人は２割もいない。
大半が、水際対策緩和を待っていた外国人たちの模様。
到着空港では、カタコトの日本語で「自宅から妻が迎えに来ている」と交渉。
コロナで２年間、家族が離れ離れであったという。
それぞれのストーリーが、流れていく。
これも、当たり前でない日常。
It has probably been about three years since I have used Newark Airport.
When I use JFK airport, I cross over from Manhattan to the east, Queen's side.
But this time, I drove through the Holland Tunnel to the New Jersey side.
I saw a bustling terminal the hustle and bustle of people.
There were long lines in front of the security gates, and passengers sat in front of the gates.
Everything is both nostalgic and fresh in my mind's eye.
Japanese passengers were less than 20% onboard United Airlines.
Most of them were foreigners waiting for the easing of the waterfront measures.
At the arrival airport, one negotiated in broken Japanese that his wife would pick him up from home.
He said that his family had been separated for two years because of the COVID-19.
The stories of each of them flow on.
This, too, is an everyday life that is not ordinary.
