Breakout Session

I was in the lobby with a group of people and we had to get to the airport where we would all go our separate ways. My plan was to walk to the station and take the train as the station wasn't far, maybe a half-hour hike at most. But I heard the people talking about taking a taxi and thought well there's no reason I can't join them. After all I came all the way to this strange city to do some networking, and a taxi would save time. So I went out with them to the street corner and stood waiting in the harsh morning light. A taxi zipped by and then another, showing no sign of slowing down or stopping for us. The taxis in this city had their own unique color patterns: some were all black, some all red, some red and black as though offspring of the red and black ones. After a few minutes I thought well I'll just go ahead and walk and while the people were staring into their devices I slipped away dragging my suitcase and flipping on my floppy hat for protection against the sun. Before I got to the first light I looked back to see that the street in front of the hotel was now crawling with taxis with tail lights flashing. One by one the taxis went down the ramp to the underground parking lot and the line of them went way back, stretching all the way down the street in the direction I was headed. The hotel must be the entrance to the colony, I reasoned. I couldn't see any of the people but imagined I might see one or two of them at the airport, where we'd be strangers again.