Well, the trip back to NOLA was an experience. I got out of Wichita with no problem other than I was tired as hell because I hadn't slept well the night before and I started my period. I managed to get myself to my NO gate with no trouble and had about an hour to wait. A nice Hispanic lady from LaPlace struck up a conversation with me, and a sweet Cajun man from Thibodeaux fetched water for Reba that she stalwartly refused to drink (because she was already going in to depressed mode). Our flight was delayed about a half hour because our flight crew was late, then my biggest fear happened -- they closed the airport due to weather. It had been drizzling in Houston all day so everything was wet, and the temperature was dropping close to 32. Planes coming in were icing, so the airport freaked out and shut down.
So there I was -- exhausted, depressed, aching, cramping, and starting to have to pee. And they closed down the airport.
I cried. I couldn't help it. I cried and I cried and I cried. What would I feed Reba? How would I pee? How would I clean up? All I wanted was a bowl of Iam's for Reba and my bed. And a toilet. During my breakdown, I had four female passengers (including my Hispanic LaPlace acquaintance) and one gate agent offer to help me with whatever I needed, even going to the bathroom and cleaning up.
I called Sarah, and she had just arrived at the NO airport with her boyfriend Greg to pick me up. Fortunately, while she and I were talking, they reopened the airport and started boarding my plane. Sarah said she and Greg would go to my apartment to get my lift so I could pee as soon as I got off the plane.
Upon arrival in NO, I was expecting to see Sarah in the lounge, but she wasn't there. I found her and Greg further out in the terminal because no one would give them a gate pass to meet me. She had gone to the ticket counter but it was closed. She found a patroling security officer and he told her to go to baggage claim to get the pass. The guy at b.c. said they couldn't give her a pass because there was no one at the security checkpoint to frisk her through. She explained that her friend was in a wheelchair and needed her help when she got off the plane, but all the guy could say was, "Ma'am, you're dealing with the federal government, and there's no way we can get you through security." She was steamed.
I went to the bathroom, then I headed to b.c. myself to put in a claim on my busted armrest. The same man who refused to help Sarah was sweet as pie to me (go figure) and gave me all the information I needed to give to the wheelchair repair place of my choice to have the airline billed for the repairs. There was also a man there waiting for me to exchange our laptops. Apparently he had grabbed mine by mistake when de-planing. I hadn't even noticed, but he did as soon as he opened the case and couldn't find his car keys. I did notice on exchange, though, that my case strap was busted, and the b.c. guy got me another one out of their store of random bag straps. I was glad that neither of us had gotten out of the airport before noticing the switch since my entire academic life is on this box. I was also glad I'd tagged the case with my address and cell number -- had insisted on it because, frankly, all damned laptop cases look the same to me.
I got home and to bed at 2:00 a.m., then I got up at 7:30 to go to the office. I didn't get caught up on my rest until the weekend. Stupid, because that first morning, Rachel gave me the option to sleep until 11:00. Oh well, no one ever said I was brilliant.
So this semester is set to be busy with another stats course, a peer review workshop, our usual weekly lab meetings (which I am conducting this week) and departmental seminars, taking part in our Society for Conservation Biology chapter's education program (going to city high schools to talk about how groovy conservation biology is), being the graduate student liaison to the faculty meetings, editing my review article, and getting started on my research. I have a whole list of things I want to do for the latter, and I'm anxious to get going.
Well, I should head to bed soon. Lots of reading to do tomorrow, and I might even do a little fun reading.
Oh, and I finished two more of Kender's "Man From U.N.C.L.E." books (#3 and #4).
Good night, all.
2 comments:
Hey girl!! You are one busy woman all the time! I'm glad you made it back to NO safe and sound! Sounds like it's an adventure when you travel!! Hope to hear from you sometime soon! You know I miss you!
Your travels are never smooth or easy! Sounds like we are both getting the shaft in the luck region! Why do bad things happen to people who try to always help others and don't do bad things! I was at work last night and my car got broken into--they didn't steal my 2 new books, though! And of course, I have my period too (really didn't want it if you know what I mean)! Hang in there, surely things will turn around--okay prob not, but I think they should!!
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