Persuasion

At the airport, Gate B4.

A teenage boy, pointing to a picture book:

Air flows around the wing, and the air pressure keeps the plane in the air. See? The pilot knows how to fly the plane. It's very safe.

A woman, on the phone:

I took him to the store. I told him, "I'll buy you anything you want. I'll buy you everything in the store if you'll get on the plane." He picked out all this stuff, and I said, "Now you have to get on the plane," and he put it all back! He put it all back! What else can I do?

Teenage boy:

So are you going to get on the plane? Mommy and I need you to get on the plane.

The small voice of a young boy:

No, I'm scared.

Woman:

You have to get on the plane. Where else are you going to go?

Young boy:

I'm gonna see Daddy. You said he's at the airport.

Woman:

Oh, Jesus!

Teenage boy:

Daddy's at the other airport, in Baltimore. You have to take the plane there. Mommy and I really need you to get on the plane so you can go see Daddy.

Woman:

If you don't get on the plane, I'm going to call the police. I'm going to call the police, and they're going to take you to jail.

Young boy:

I'm not going! I'm not getting on the plane.

Woman:

Fine. Then you'll go to jail. Do you want to go to jail?

Young boy:

No...

Woman:

What do you think? It's a black hole up there? Nothing's going to happen. Get on the plane!

Teenage boy:

I'm going to get him some water. I'll be right back.

The teenage boy got up. He walked away from the gate toward a shop in the middle of the terminal. The woman took her young son by the arm and led him to the gate agent. She spoke quietly to the gate agent, then turned toward the shop, leaving the boy by the agent's side. When she caught up to her older son, her step quickened. He looked over his shoulder at his brother, torn, but continued with his mother. She never looked back; she just kept walking.