Conked in the Head

-

We are hearing a lot about enraged and confrontational airline passengers.

I was of the belief that most people get smashed at the airport bars and then they lose their sensibilities when they board the plane,

Maybe it’s more than that.

I had a 6 a.m. flight scheduled for Monday. I hustled out of bed at 4:00 and jumped in the shower. I heard my phone beep…signaling an incoming text. At 04:05!

It was from United:

“Your flight is delayed until 08:00 as the crew came in late and needs more rest time.”

I went back to bed for another hour of sleep.

Then I thought about my connecting flight.

(Yeah - no straight flight to Boston!)

Another beep.

“We re-booked you on a flight that will arrive in Boston at 1 p.m.”

“I was supposed to be there at 09:30!”

I still needed to go, but all free minutes built into the trip were gone. 

“Whole day is going to be a race,” I thought. 

Didn’t get back to sleep.

The first flight out was delayed again. On the second flight we all boarded the plane and sat there for 20 minutes as they “got the paperwork in order.”

Landed. Shuttle to rental car station. Drove an hour to the site. Spent two hours doing my job. Back in the car for the hour back. Returned the rental car and caught the shuttle to the terminal. I was hungry but didn’t have time.

I made it to the plane out about three minutes before it boarded.

It was now 7 p.m., - 13 hours after the alarm went off. We boarded the plane, and sat there on the tarmac - another half-hour delay.

I had to once again worry about the connecting flight. As the plane landed I received a text telling me that the plane was ready to board in 15 minutes!

They also explained that I was landing in C terminal and it would take me 17 minutes to get to my gate in Terminal A.

At 15 hours after the alarm, I made it to the gate.

“You had three minutes to spare,” the man who checked my boarding pass said. “You shouldn’t cut it so close.”

I growled at him. Hustled to my seat and was in the process of securing my seatbelt as the flight attendant worked to jam a bag in the overhead.

She dropped it.

On my head!

“@&$@&@!” I screamed 

(It was a Italian curse phrase that left my mouth).

She didn’t know what I said, but she knew I was mad. I rubbed my head as she apologized over and over again. I didn’t respond.

I know she felt badly about it, but my head hurt! I wasn’t about to let it go!

Just as we were about to pull back from the gate, she came over.

“Would you rather sit in the exit row?” She asked.

So, I got free leg room with no one sitting beside me.

An hour later, we were circling the Buffalo airport waiting for clearance to land.

“Sorry for the inconvenience.”

18 hours after my alarm went off I crawled back into bed.

“How’d the trip go?” Kathy asked.

@&$&@$

The Italian curse phrase again.

But hey, they were sorry for the inconvenience!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Suits

-
Like a lot of other people we got pulled into the series, ‘Suits’ on Netflix. I’ve never had much fun hanging around lawyers who have questioned me as a construction safety officer. I once testified in a case where the opposing lawyer started questioning me by going through my educational background. “So,” he said, racing to a crescendo, “You graduated from college with a degree in Communications-Journalism and suddenly, 30 years later, you’re a ‘safety expert.’” He actually made the quotation marks with his fingers. I just looked at him. “How does that happen?” He bellowed, sure that he was going to discredit me. “Well,” I said. “I knew I was overqualified to become a lawyer.” The courtroom erupted in laughter. Even the judge chuckled. The rest of his questions landed flat. So, I wasn’t all that keen on a show about lawyers, but ‘Suits’ is great. Meghan Markle became a princess because of the show, and she is very good in it (and a beautiful woman). Yet, there is so much more. The wri
Read more

My Buddy, Dave

-
Way back in 1997, I started working with a steel erection company out of Syracuse. I was coming straight from a long stint with a steel erector here in Buffalo so I knew my stuff when it came to steel erection safety rules. On day one, I met with the safety director and he was just getting started as a safety guy, but man, he certainly cared about the guys he worked with. Dave was a good man from the start. He’d say things like: “You’re so full of beans.” Just a down to earth, hardworking guy who became a fast friend. We drove all around New York State setting up jobs. I always let Dave drive so that I could rest. One fine day, way up North of Syracuse, we passed a state trooper.  I glanced at the speedometer. “You’re screwed,” I said, and seconds later, the lights came on. Dave was beside himself.  The cop stopped by the window, grabbed the license and registration and headed back to his vehicle. “Here’s the thing,” I said. “You’re pissed, but you’re such a good guy that I bet you tha
Read more

Mom & Ollie

-
Image
 Ollie Stadium is a mess. The heavy rains rendered the backyard a mud pit and even though we threw in the side yard, the Big O was looking for more, and we were both covered in mud. I had to take some steam out of him somehow so I suggested we go visit Grandma. Ollie hates the car, but he laid quietly as we made the trip. We even brought the football because there is plenty of room to play at Grandma’s. Mom opened the door and started laughing. I thought about the love she had for every single dog we ever had. Oliver was quick to give my Mom a kiss, and then he stood beside her. The love between Mom and Dogs is a mutual bond. Through the years, Mom would make breakfast for the dogs.  Fried eggs, toast, bacon… She would wrap Christmas gifts for them. “To Jeter, Love Santa,” she would write on the cards. They played with the big chicken that made a lot of noise. Mom tossed the football and Ollie brought it back to her. As the visit drew to a close I headed for the door.  “C’mon, Oliver,”
Read more