Extender

She sits in
A wheelchair
At the airport
Gate among the
Preboard passengers,
She waddles into the window
Seat one seat away from my aisle
Seat and asks the steward for an
Extender to fasten her seat belt.
She is young in her early 40s
Fat occupying a seat and
A half so when an Asian
Lady asks if the empty
Seat is taken she
Looks up saying
It is reserved
So I grasp
She has
Paid
For two
Seats and
I wonder how
She must feel to
Say this each time
Someone asks about
The half-empty seat but
I cannot imagine her courage
To o travel no matter the shame
Others think she should feel
When neither they nor I
Know who she is or
What she has had
To endure but
Only she is
Brave to
Endure
Persevere
Fly to who or
What she is going
To meet in San Jose
But I do not know
Her way to what
Motivates her
To put up
With the
Nitwits
Like
Me
Who
Need an
Extender for
Our empathy.