Trip Home from Florida

I almost spent another night in Atlanta. Airtran overbooked the flight and ask for volunteers to give up their seats. The reward was two free round trip tickets anywhere in the continental USA and a night’s stay at the Airport Marriott. I, being a generous humanitarian, bolted toward the desk screaming “ME ME PICK ME!”.

As I hurdled over waiting travelers, evaded overstuffed carry-on bags and pushed through impatient passengers, I spotted a large object moving at a high rate of speed out the corner of my eye. “Corner of my eye” is a bad description, “total eclipse of the sun” is a better depiction. I remember seeing this woman riding on the back of a leaning cart down Concourse D and praying she wasn’t on my flight. Not only was she a fellow passenger, we had our sights set on the same prize. Damn she was quick!

I increased my now unreasonable dash to the desk when a small child sucking on a juice box stepped in front of me, slowing me down just enough for Moby Dick to gain a half second advantage. That is all it took.

I rocked back and forth on my tiptoes trying to get the attendant’s attention, realizing I had to climb Mt McKinley before attaining that goal. The damage was done. As the sun reappeared and I stepped up to the ticket counter, the attendant looked up at me over his reading glasses, slowly moving his head from right to left. “Thank you for volunteering, but we have met our needs and do not need any more seats.”

I was crushed, 2 round trip tickets! GONE! I sighed (or sobbed, it was hard to tell), turned to reclaim my place at the end of the long boarding line and heard the attendant add, “There is a bright side. She was seated next to you on the plane.”

It did make the 2 hour plane ride little easier as the child with the juice box, whom got the seat next to me, howled in my ear most of the flight. His mother had no more juice after he spilled the first one, IN MY LAP!

I am already wishing I was back in Florida. I cracked open a beer tonight and instantly felt melancholy. Didn’t stop me from drinking it, but I would have enjoyed it more on the boat in the company of you guys.

THANK YOU, Jim and Phyllis for having us. Jim, it gets better and better every year. The first day's sail this year was AWESOME!!!!! I find myself planning for this trip earlier each year. Hell, this year I will probably start planning for March 2013 six months before I book March 2012.