Seth Astill: Church without the pope

Suspicious guy isn't shady

Flight no.1257 to France landed at the Mulhouse airport and its passengers got down and went to the baggage collection to collect their possession. A tall well-built boy in a white shirt and blue jeans followed his parents. He had a faraway look in his eyes, the boy was thinking about deep-sea diving, that his uncle and their group might be enjoying while he is struck here. He heaved a deep sigh thinking of all the fun he was missing.

He increased his pace, to catch up with his parents who were well ahead. He reached them as they entered the baggage collection doors. Mr.Astill made his way to the rotating belt that was spitting out the luggage of the fellow passengers. Mrs.Astill and the boy went to the corner to wait for him.

"You might be tired after the long flight, Seth here take some water" his mother a young petite lady said to him as they stood waiting for their bags.

"Thanks, mom, I really feel tired," Seth said as he accepted the bottle of water from his mom. He took a swig of water and gave it back to his mother.

"I know, we have been up from the morning, and its evening now and this being your first time this was bound to happen"

"I know mom, I have studied about all this, its called jet lag" he started to say and continued "...This happens because we travel against the time when we do intercontinental flights, this affects the natural clock of our body and that is the reason we feel tired also......."

He was interrupted by his mother,

"Okay I get the point, I don't want the whole theory prof. Astill" she said raising her hand to stop him.

Seth stopped with a smile knowing that continuing now will be futile, for his mother would stop listening to him.

By that time Mr. Astill came struggling with their luggage - two traveling bags one red and another brown and a green backpack. Seth went to his dad and took the backpack, shouldering it he took hold of the brown traveling bag.

"Thanks, Seth," Mr. Astill said gratefully to his son, relieved of the bags weight. They came out of the collect point and made their way towards the row of people who were standing at the arrival booth.

They joined the queue waiting for their turn. Seth observed the other people in the row as he was standing there waiting for their turn.

He saw the lady in the line ahead of him with a toddler up her arm and with her husband ahead. 'A family for vacation, just like us' he thought. Then his eyes went over to the lone man standing slightly outside the queue further ahead, he was wearing a black overcoat with the cuff of the collar straight, thus not much of his was seen by anybody. Seth knew better than to think of the guy as some criminal or shady character.

He was proven right as he was cleared out of the terminal without even being checked. The couple ahead of him were cleared next and then came their turn. Mr. Astill produced their passport and gave it to the girl behind the booth.

"What is your purpose for coming to France...... Mr. Astill" the girl asked after consulting their passport.

She was young and inexperienced. Seth could tell this by the question she had asked, a question always asked by the person behind the booth in any movie.

"We are here for holidays" Mr. Astill replied to the girl with a dazzling smile.

"Where will you be spending your holidays, any specific place," the attendant asked looking at the trio, her eyes rested for a moment more on Seth and she blushed a little.

Seth saw this but, ignored it. He was used to girls looking at him and blushing.

"Actually we were planning to have our holidays in Èze, it's a remote countryside to the southeastern part," Mr. Astill said continuing with his smile.