Up in the Air

DOUBLEDAY

new york  london  toronto  sydney  auckland

up in the air

walter kirn

Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Also by the author

Epigraph

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

About The Author

Copyright Page

For Maggie, Maisie, and the child to come.

With thanks to all of my families and

in memory of Father David Parker.

up in the air

also by walter kirn

Thumbsucker

My Hard Bargain

She Needed Me

These are the days that must happen to you:

You shall not heap up what is call’d riches,

You shall scatter with lavish hand all that

you earn or achieve,

You but arrive at the city to which you

were destin’d, you hardly settle yourself

to satisfaction before you are call’d by an

irresistible call to depart,

You shall be treated to the ironical smiles and

mockings of those who remain behind you,

What beckonings of love you receive you shall

only answer with passionate kisses of parting,

You shall not allow the hold of those who spread

their reach’d hands toward you.

WALT WHITMAN

“Song of the Open Road,” verse 11

Secure your own mask before assisting others.

NORTHWEST AIRLINES

Pre-Flight instruction

Itinerary for Ryan M. Bingham

(9/08–9/13)   SUNDAY, SEPT 8 SAN ANTONIO/KANSAS CITY/DENVER   Travel #1 Great West Airlines Flt. 3881 Depart San Antonio 6:50 A.M. Arrive Kansas City 8:40 A.M.   Transportation Maestro Rent-A-Car (Mid-Size)^*   Travel #2 Great West Airlines Flt. 3465 Depart Kansas City 5:55 P.M. Arrive Denver 7:25 P.M.   Transportation Local   Hotel Homestead Airport Inn & Conference Center 3670 Tower Rd. (Business Advantage Suite)   MONDAY, SEPT 9 DENVER/RENO   Travel Great West Airlines Flt. 3204 Depart Denver 9:55 A.M. Layover Elko, NV Arrive Reno 12:20 P.M.   Transportation Maestro Rent-A-Car (Mid-Size, Premium Import)

Itinerary for Ryan M. Bingham

(cont’d.)   TUESDAY, SEPT 10 RENO/ONTARIO, CA/DALLAS   Travel #1 Great West Airlines Flt. 3278 Depart Reno 7:35 A.M. Arrive Ontario, CA 9:05 A.M.   Transportation Maestro Rent-A-Car (Mid-Size, Premium Import)   Hotel Homestead Suites 4576 Citrus Blvd. (Ultra Single)^*   Travel #2 Desert Air Airlines Flt. 5468^† Depart Ontario, CA 8:25 P.M. Layover Tucson Arrive Dallas-Fort Worth 11:40 P.M.   Transportation Local   Hotel Homestead Airport Inn 739 Commerce Rd. (Business Advantage Suite)   WEDNESDAY, SEPT 11 DALLAS/SEATTLE   Travel Great West Airlines Flt. 3835 Depart Dallas-Fort Worth 1:10 P.M. Arrive Denver 2:10 P.M. Depart Denver Flt. 3950 2:55 P.M. Arrive Seattle 3:40 P.M.   Transportation Local   Hotel Homestead By-the-Bay 356 4th St. (Chairman's Suite)^*

Itinerary for Ryan M. Bingham

(cont’d.)   THURSDAY, SEPT 12 SEATTLE/LAS VEGAS   Travel Great West Airlines Flt. 3454 Depart Seattle 7:40 A.M. Arrive Las Vegas 10:50 A.M.   Transportation Maestro Rent-A-Car (Compact)   Hotel Cinema Grand Hotel & Casino 555 Las Vegas Blvd. (Bel-Air Elite Expanded Suite)   FRIDAY, SEPT 13 LAS VEGAS/OMAHA/MINNEAPOLIS   Travel #1 Great West Airlines Flt. 3115 Depart Las Vegas 11:25 A.M. Arrive Denver 12:50 P.M. Depart Denver Flt. 3860 1:30 P.M. Arrive Omaha 2:40 P.M.   Transportation Maestro Rent-A-Car (Full-size, Premium Import)   Travel #2 Great West Airlines Flt. 3010 Depart Omaha 6:05 P.M. Arrive Minneapolis-St. Paul 7:20 P.M.   Hotel None reserved^*

one