Conversations at the airport

Working at the airport, I meet many people in a day. Sometime there is time to actually have a conversation besides the business of boarding a plane, changing seat assignments, and getting people rebooked if they have missed a flight or are one of those who can't get on a plane because of overbooking or weight restrictions.
Today I had several interesting conversations:
I talked to a man reading a Michener novel about reading those and his work for FEMA and my past life in the Peace Corps and our plans to travel to Albania to visit my PCV daughter. I learned that one of the pilots that I see from time to time at my gate is the son of a Group 1, Philippines, Peace Corps Volunteer. We talked about Peace Corps and places in the Visayas in the Philippines. A third conversation was with a man headed to South Dakota. He works for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Educational Department. I told him about Becca's work with the Seeking Common Ground Building Bridges for Peace camps and her trip to visit friends at Pine Ridge. I also had time to visit with several friends who are members of our flight crews and to other agents about planning trips.
Last week I talked to several passengers about the books that they were reading. Last year I met an actor that I recognized from the 80's show "Hill Street Blues". He was waiting for a plane to Montana with a companion and had several hours to kill. We talked off and on for most of that time. We talked about TV characters and shows, education, Montana, skiing and other topics. I was working at the customer service desk and we weren't very busy. His gate was right next door. I was a delightful meeting. A week later when they passed back thru on their way home to California, they said hello to me. How nice.
Another day I met the grandson of Winston Churchill. We talked for only a few minutes but it was interesting. "6 degrees"!! A gentleman I saw one day was wearing military insignia. It turned out he was one of the "Code Talkers" from WWII. He and his wife were traveling for a ceremony somewhere. We often get sports groups going thru. They usually have matching bags or jackets. Today it was a track team from Iowa. Another day I had a roller derby team go on my plane to Colorado Springs. We had to alert the bag handlers working the ramp the day that we had a minor league baseball team coming thru. They didn't want to arrive without their gear. Cute guys!! Last week we had groups going up to Aspen for the DAV winter games clinics.
A woman I met one day was on her way to Huntsville, Alabama. Our conversation started out because she was wearing a beautiful necklace. I told her it was beautiful and she said,"Thank you, I used to be the president of the US Opal Society, but I am really just a rocket scientist." That lead to me talking about working for NASA during my college summers and her talking about her childhood in New Mexico where her father was also a "rocket scientist" and "Uncle Werner" and "Uncle Albert" came to dinner. What an interesting lady.
Each day brings it's challenges and a new cast of characters. I enjoy talking to my fellow agents, especially those who have come from other countries around the world. We like to see the crews coming through. Talking to them keeps it interesting.