Maggie, Sam, John

When I was flying high, I was flying high with you. It was my favorite time of the day as we were higher in the stratosphere than other cars would go. My gratitude for living in 2050 and having this job as an option to clean the sky was high on my list of things I love.

“Hey Liz, did you know my grandmother designed the first flying car to reverse atmospheric pollution?”

“Nope. Well wait, I think you said that's how your grandparents met.”

“Yup she saw John and he was studying astronomy and she was smitten. He never got lost in her ocean blue eyes and brown hair. She accentuated his love for the skies and waters by wearing light blue dresses to catch his eye. He was busy studying the charts with his dark brimmed glasses and plaid sweaters. Sam was his lab partner with the pressed brown suits, stylish ties, and the ability to melt the hearts of anyone he met.”

“Wow, where would we be if Sam succeeded at wooing Maggie instead of John.”

“Hmmm would I be more like you or you more like me…I wonder.”

“Jake, I am happy the way things ended up.” I reached out for his hand.

“How did John win Maggie’s heart?”

“I am not sure he did. But I think Maggie won John while Sam was trying to win Maggie. While John and Sam were the best of lab partners. What I recall is back in 2025, there was a competition that was focused on cleaning up the environment. Maggie was tinkering with a flying car that used atmospheric pollution as fuel while emitting elements that would restore the ozone. Sam was focused on developing environmentally friendly buildings that pulled pollution from the sky and processed it as fuel. The emissions from his building was also designed to restore the ozone. It was John who wanted to focus on the ocean. He figured they could heal the pollution in the ocean and it will restore the sky. At the time Maggie thought if she won the competition then she would get John’s attention. He was oblivious to it all. He was working on creating the partnerships with boat owners, scientists, and getting support from coast guards. In the meantime, Sam was balancing between gaining partnerships within development companies and government officials and flirting with Maggie. She would pause from drawing her diagrams and plans to flirt back. She once told me she hoped to make John jealous. He was oblivious to all her attempts to wink, touch his arm in admiration when he shared details, and her little walk of a sway. Sam was clear she was interested in John but wasn’t ready to give up the fight until a month later. Maggie nearly knocked a cup of water over trying to get John’s attention. She saw his panic and stopped herself.

Sam felt he had to intervene after this incident to prevent Maggie from trying too hard to get John’s attention. He goes over to John and asks him what he thinks of Maggie.

‘Oh, her design is brilliant, it’s fun, playful and sweet. I think everyone will love it. You and I are likely just doing the most practical actions.’

‘I agree, she has the best design.’ Then Sam speaks in a low tone and asks ‘do you think anything else about her?’

John looks up from his drawing table and goes ‘whatever do you mean?’

‘She’s always trying to get your attention. Her asking for feedback is an opportunity to flirt with you.’

‘I..I… I… I never thought about it. I see her being friendly with you and others.’

‘Yes, and she smiles more brightly in your company.’

‘I see.’

‘Ask her out.’

John reluctantly goes up to Maggie and asks if they could discuss their designs over dinner. She was elated and went after looking back at Sam and winking. Now here is where I really love Sam. He connects both Maggie and John to the people he knows. Her project is “Saving the Skies” in a fun way. His project is “Original Ocean” where the pollution is reversed. And Sam becomes the local environmental developer lead. Sam will go on to be hired by the government to train all housing project development companies to redesign not only with recycled materials but also the pollution reversal.”

“You know, I am the most grateful to Maggie, she is the reason you were born. And I got to have the best job in the whole world. I love cleaning the skies with you.”

“I love clearing the skies with you too.”

You turn the plane into a loop and quicken the pace to catch up with an airplane that recently joined the sky.

“Hey Jake, do you think your love for your skies came from Maggie?”

“Yes! I feel so at home up here and I think it’s because she spent some much time cleaning the skies.”

“It’s wild to me how love story became the joining of three beautiful pollution solutions coming together as a team. I love that Sam having become a leader ended up encouraging others to seek Maggie. He was so generous for talking up her solution and John’s.”

“I think Sam talking her up, got John to finally pop the question. John seeing the depth of love and admiration Sam had changed everything. It was like oh I need to make sure Maggie knows I love her.”

“Me too.” I chuckled and smiled. “I am also glad Sam prompted John’s projects to clean up the oceans shortly after that. I think it was his way of proving solidarity and connection.”

I paused and shared “Maggie once told me she felt like this was the best engagement gift ever. It had John’s project sky rocketed and the environment heal with expediency.”

“Mainly, I am grateful we closed up the ozone issue which has balanced out the ecosystem so fires lessened, the oceans stopped rising, and the natural disasters weakened.”