11 July 2008
So here I sit in 31 E, flying home on Delta Airlines to JFK Airport. I am finally on my way home to the states after an absolute nightmare of a travel day. My original flight was to leave London Heathrow at 1:05 and I left the flat with plenty of time to spare. Navigating the bus and Tube to the airport was no problem. Check the suitcase, get scanned at security, show the passport repeatedly. No worries. Almost home. I can taste the chicken wings. Board the plane, find 10 B and settle in. Why have people stopped boarding?? Captain on the speaker, apparently we have a major hydraulic fuel leak in the nose of the plane. This can't be good. Wait, wait, wait. De-board the plane. Oh crap. Flight canceled. Absolute chaos and not a U.S. Air person to be found in all of Heathrow. Double oh crap. What do I do? Where do I go? Where is my suitcase? WHERE IS MY SUITCASE?! Nobody can help me. Nobody knows where I should go. I talk to Big Bill and Joanne again. I'm losing my mind. I'm completely stressed. I'm at my breaking point. The Big Guy gets me on a flight at 5:00. Thank God. Under two hours until boarding, no suitcase, wrong terminal. Call mom, agree to ditch the luggage search and tear across Heathrow to Terminal 4, while keeping my fingers crossed that I make it. I make it with about an hour to spare. Self check in for boarding passes, scan the passport. Oh crap, won't scan, can't print. The Airport guys are giving me grief since the ticket was booked so late. Not their fault, doing their job. Ten minutes later I get the green light and sprint to my gate. I'm now on the plane with only two hours left until I get to NYC.
Such conflicting emotions right now. It stinks that my suitcase, clothes, and Jameson for Big Bill may be lost and gone forever, but I so cannot wait to see my parents. Forget the material junk, give me my parents, friends, and home. Man, if that isn't what life is really all about, I don't know what is. What a crazy day to remind me of that. Never forget that!
Almost home. I can taste the chicken wings....
About Me
- Bill Vaughan
- I am a Campus Minister at the Buffalo State College Newman Center and I serve on the Higher Education Relations Committee for the Catholic Campus Ministry Association (our national professional organization). As an aspiring Theologian, I am currently pursuing my Masters in Theology from Christ the King Seminary.
2 comments:
Like your Papa Vaughan would say..."Thank the Lard" for small favors...your suitcases did indeed show up! Glory be,.,you gotta have faith my son! I love you and am forever proud! Momma
See as I said the Jameson gods were looking upon your suitcase :-) Glad you are home safetly. I just hope tomorrow I don't have that luck with the plane.
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