Glorified waiting room for the worst ride in this country

Editiorial Note: This post was created and saved as a draft (my stupidity). It was not published back on August 31, 2005.

Picture this: A sun filled glen of joyous rest and relaxation. Mild temperatures make an afternoon nap (under a large tree on a comfortable blanket) just a little slice of heaven. The smell of the clover and other flowers that seem to spring out of the ground everywhere delights the senses. The sounds of a brook lull you to sleep.

BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ!

There goes the alarm clock, which I had pressed the snooze button 8 times, trying to tell me that I will be late for work. So I get up and do my best impression of the Flash in my small apartment. Cat freaking out because this 6'5" goliath is running around trying to shower/shave/brush teeth all at once and then on to the cooking of eggs/ironing of shirt/actual dressing in record time. Looking like a pack mule with luggage for the business/family/friend trip, I waddle out of the door. Scream "LOVE YOU, PI" to my cat. Slam the door. Rush down the 4 flights of steps and into the car.

And then it starts. My brain goes . o O ( did you turn off the iron? did you lock the door? did you feed the cat?) Out the car I leap. STOP, TURN, LOCK CAR! Up the 4 flights of stairs I bound and run into a locked door. (Yes I locked it like I always do) Open the door and look at a cat that is about to kill me. (No I did not feed the cat) Forced loving on little kitty soothing the savage beast as I dump food into his bowl and plop him down in front of it. Glance in the laundry room at the iron cooling, unplugged, on the dryer with the cord wrapped away from the hot plate. (I did put the iron away). Off I go locking doors, screaming at kitty, running down steps, into the car and squealing tires on my way to work.

BREATHE IN, BREATHE OUT! Repeat.

I took my carry on bag into the office and dumped my desk into it. Not knowing what I would need made me want to take everything. I took a few minutes to write my "To Do" List and realized I left stuff at home but I had time to get there and get back to work before my friend took me to the airport. Call my friend up and was off to the airport at noon (flight leaves a little after 3 PM). I get there, check in, go through security and find a seat in the "Waiting Room".

My name is called over the loudspeaker and I approach the Gate Lady who informs me that the flight has been canceled and that the earliest possible flight out is at 5:45 PM. Time: 12:52 PM. *SIGH* I accept it and meander back to a restaurant to grab some food.

Waiting on the $18.00 Happy Meal, I realize that I have 5 hours to kill. So, I decided that I would go into every shop in the concourse, which took all of an hour to complete. Played a game on the computer until the battery was depleted. Took a cat nap. Finished a book (only 75 pages left). Doodled. People watched. And still had 2.5 hours to go. Head back to the book store, buy another book. Camp out by a power plug to recharge the laptop. And wait.

And wait... And wait.

Finally you get to board, pray that there is a place for your carry on (reminder: I am 6'5" and need every milimeter of space imaginable), find a space, find your seat and settle in ... the middle seat. So here I am trying to sit while not touching the short man who is as wide as he is tall, and the fem bot, not a hair outta place ready for the model shoot when she exits the plane sitting like a priss. The direct flight although quick was horrible. Wedged in my seat unable to get my book outta the luggage compartment. I suffered quietly.

What does not kill me makes me stronger.

Damn, I should be the Incredible Hulk by now ...