Watching the Airport Lights on Senaga Island One hand on the stair rail, waiting for lights in the sky

At 8 p.m. in August, I walked up to the hilltop on Senaga Island. With one hand on the stair rail, I could see a long line of airport lights across the water. The sea I’d watched in the daytime was dark now, but the lights stretched in thin lines across its surface. I wondered if a plane might appear near those lights.

A patch of sky brightened, and I looked up. As the little light drew closer, I could make out the shape of its wings. A plane. My feet stopped halfway up the stairs before I knew it. I followed it as it headed for the airport, and apparently my mouth had fallen open a little, too.

The plane descended toward the distant airport. I heard it, then the sound gradually faded. When I’m on a plane, I spend the whole time looking out the window, but from outside, I could follow the plane’s descent all the way to touchdown. Maybe the people who just arrived are starting their Okinawa trip today, too.

When I looked down again, I could see the lit path and the car park beyond it. My little red car was parked in one of the spaces below. I readjusted my grip on the rail, thinking about the walk I’d made up here. The night breeze brushed my bare shoulders, and I could feel myself finally cooling down after the day’s heat.

As I watched the lights reflected on the sea, I found myself looking up more often than I had before the first plane came in. I’d catch myself wondering if that was another plane, then realize the light wasn’t moving and look back at the sea. Even that little back-and-forth was fun. I’d pulled out my phone to check the time, but slipped it away again. There was no rush to head home yet.

I was about to head down the stairs, then spotted the light from another plane. Just one more, I thought, and went back to the rail. It would probably head for the airport just like the last one, but I wanted to see it happen all over again. Maybe I’ll stay here and keep tonight’s drive going a little longer. Even the time I spent waiting outside the car had become part of the night I loved.