20. Sardine Babies on a Mission

Two hundred sardines in a can.
I’m next to a baby sardine.

She’s on a mission to rip my eardrum out.
Am I deaf yet?

The stranger next to me seems to need more space.
He presses his elbow against me.
At least baby sardine is quiet now.

We taxi onto the runway.
We're about to go airborne.
I hate this part.

My seatmate's arm hairs tickle my arm.
Gross! And my cute little neighbor starts crying again.

More problems…
There’s another baby sardine in front of me.
She’s joined the mission.
They both cry now.

Ha-ha. What a circus.
A circus in a can.

Okay, we're airborne.
Still climbing.
I hate this sensation.
But the babies are quiet now.

Damn it! One of them started crying again.
She's really going to rip my eardrum out this time.

I bet during severe turbulence I wouldn’t care.
I prefer arm hairs and loud crying to turbulence.

I’ll enjoy the circus.
Sardine life is a privilege.

Mozart would have thought it magical.

7. Aug. 2026