WHEN WILL IT END?

Once in the Arrivals portion of JetBlue, my next major task is at hand. Find the tote board. Descending the escalator, I land in this very large empty room, six luggage carousels facing me. I am impressed! It is 5:30 AM, Christmas time, and no one is flying into New York, Just leaving.

#1 Son had called the night before, explaining that his connecting flight in Las Vegas was canceled, and that he would get back to us about when he would arrive. His original schedule for arrival was 6:30 AM on flight #196. I tell TLW (The Little Woman) and we go to sleep. I know it will be early in the morning, but not that early since his flight was canceled.

There is a rocking of the bed, my body is rolling around the sheets, and I’m not having any fun! It is either an earthquake of TLW trying to get my attention. It is the latter. Half asleep, she says that the flight will be at 6 A.M. and the number is either 201 or 208, or “something like that”, and I’m confused, he is arriving earlier?

Off I go to JetBlue and JFK Airport, to claim #1 Son. I go through what I related in yesterday’s blog, and find the tote board. It tells me that the flight #1 Son was on originally was canceled, but I can’t find any corresponding flights that TLW mentioned. As I scan the board, I look for an arrival of 6 A.M. I scan the board again, but can’t find any from Burbank, Ca. I think, maybe he is coming in on another airline, which means another building. I take out my cell phone; the darn thing is nearly dead! I go back to the tote board and see something from Long Beach Ca., arriving at 5:49 A.M., flight 216! That must be it! He went to another airport and caught a direct flight!

I find a comfortable chair to watch the arrival gate, and rest my eyes. #1 Son comes out, he will be able to see me. This limo driver decided to stand in front of me with a sign that reads someone’s last name. That means I can’t close my eyes, #1 Son might miss me.

Miguel the limo driver decides to sit down next to me, and I think: “Good, I’ll be able to rest my eyes now!” No, Miguel likes to talk to strangers. He decides he wants to tell me how he’s been here only three times before, how now he’s learned to park on the fifth floor of the garage. OK, Miguel, if I ever catch you parking on any other floor, you will catch it from me.

There is a God! He sends over Ackmed to talk to Miguel, thus alleviating the burden of my having to worry about where he may have breakfast, too.

Finally, #1 Son appears from the gate, my calculations and surmising have been correct! We greet and move to the carousel where he luggage is scheduled to appear. We wait for over 30 minutes; the dumb airline puts two other arriving flights on the same carousel! There are 5 empty carousels available!

Pleased remember my pals Joan and DD, and all those that need our prayers.