LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT

It was Friday morning, and along with TLW (The Little Woman), off to JFK International I go, in her car. #1 Son and his friend Courtney are flying in from Los Angeles to attend a wedding of a friend of ours.

Having made the JFK run dozens of times solo, I’m used to a certain schedule and procedure. It is 4:15AM, and we hit the road. TLW is my co-pilot, and already Lucy Van Pelt is at it! “Why are we leaving so early? Don’t take the Sagtikose to Southern State; take 110, like I did. I’d stay on the right, what exit do you take?” I am the one getting crabby, not Lucy.


The temptation was to leave her on the side of the road, and collect her after I finished picking up #1 Son and his friend Courtney. If I do, I have to hear her all the way home, and in my sleep. I grin and bear it. We enter the parking garage and I have to climb 5 levels to park at the JetBlue terminal. “Watch my tires, don’t go THAT way, and go that way!” I’m grinning.

We get out of the car, and Lucy has calmed down! I have stopped grinning, and my face doesn’t hurt anymore! It is a long walk to the terminal, via the ‘Skywalk’, that takes longer to take than flying to LA! As we complete the Skywalk, we come to escalators that will lead us down to departures.

“Is this right? Where’s the arrivals?” she asks. “Do you know where you are going? Are you sure?” My face is starting to hurt me again! Like any married man, sainthood is not far behind. True love requires endurance, for both of us! I'm no help, I'm tired from the wake up call so early in the A.M.

I explain that we go down, walk behind the escalator and down once more. We do, without hurting my face!

Motherhood kicks in. “There he is!” shouts TLW, transforming into TLW from Lucy Van Pelt, right in front of my eyes! She’s back!

“Where?” I ask. "We're not even in the building yet!" I say.

“Over there!” She states. I follow, (Don’t I always?) into the next building, and sure enough, there they are! How does she do it?

I adjust my Boston Red Sox baseball cap, Courtney is a Red Sox fan, and I want to make her feel at home. This is the first time we will meet her!

We spot #1 Son at the carousel, and walk over, a woman with beautiful long reddish hair is standing with her back turned to us. She turns and sees me in my cap and says: “Nice touch!” and gives me a warm and sincere hug, which I return. Suddenly, both TLW and I are in our comfort zone. The lady is beautiful, and she is very down to earth.

TLW is once again her old self. (I mean in comparison to her Lucy self), and I am enjoying my face not hurting, nor am I bearing it.

Please remember all those that need our prayers, including my brother-in-law, John