in the aisle seat

of row eighteen

on the airplane

bound for oakland

another passenger

i watch

from the window seat

holds out her hand

for the flight attendant

with spread fingers

as if her arm

were a tree branch

and the stewardess

coming by with her cart

rather than

pour water in a cup

and hand it to her

would walk by

with a spray bottle

and spray her

humanoid

branch hand

for sustenance