Friday, May 13, 2011

Never Again!

Never say never.  But somebody please slap me back to reality if I EVER book the last Thursday night flight from Tulsa to Houston again.

Throughout the day, the website continued to show more and more delays.  Last status check showed departure at 9:40 p.m.!!!  I had reserved a rental car, so at least Neal wouldn't have to pick me up...but since the resort gate closes at 9:00, he would have to let me in.  Actually, we ended up boarding around 8:00.  It was an airline miracle.

The flight was turbulent, to say the least.  The person sitting next to me jabbered away in Viet Namese.  The family behind me conversed in Spanish.  I was trying to read Harry Potter. Yes, I'm not only way behind the times, but I'm reading a juvenile novel...judge me if you like.  I will not apologize.  (I also try to read it in a British accent, 'cause I'm just that weird, which became very challenging, given the foreign conversations surrounding me.)

We landed around 9:40, but sat on the tarmac for almost an hour before we got a gate assignment.  Nope, you can't get up and potty, we may be moving any second now.  The flight attendant obviously didn't know I'd had a Diet Coke before leaving and a water during the flight.  Nor did she care.

Finally.  Arrival at the gate and a full stop.  Yay!!!  Oh but wait.  They have to find a jet way to unload all of us.  Are you kidding me?  So close....and yet so far.  Did they not know we were coming? Can't you just open up the slide/chute thingy and let us jump off?

Walking through the airport was very unsettling.  I can't tell you how many times I've flown into Houston Hobby, but nothing looked familiar.  I started wondering if I had even been on the right plane.  Kept looking for signs that said "Hobby" but to no avail.  My mind was cloudy and I was finding it difficult to keep my balance.  I should never have taken that little siesta while waiting on the tarmac.

Baggage claim was a nightmare.  Note to self:  Only carry-ons from now on.

Collecting my rental car should be easy, right?  After filling out all the forms, I went to the lot to fetch my car in space C-11.  Wouldn't you know it?  There's C-9.  C-10.  Space.  Space. C-15.  C-16.  It's a conspiracy, I say.  They're trying to make me think I've gone completely bonkers.  Now I'd have to wait while they serviced other customers before they could re-assign me a car.

In my younger years, I was very adventurous.  Didn't really get rattled much.  But driving an unfamiliar car--which by the way I hate 'cause the brakes are too touchy and I need a pillow so I can see over the steering wheel--on wet roads, in the dark, not knowing where I'm going, IN HOUSTON is an adventure I can do without.  I brought my gps, but could not find a place in the car to plug it in!  So I just prayed that the battery would last until I saw familiar exit signs.  


Arrived at my destination at 12:02, and even though Neal was on his way to the gate, there just happened to be a cadillac entering right in front of me.  I don't think the resort staff was too happy with me.  The little security golf cart with the flashing yellow light on top followed me all the way to the RV.  "Believe me, Barney.  You do not want to mess with me tonight."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You aren't getting old, you have been around me too long. My fears are now your fears. Actually, it was a fear come true which is a lot worse!

Janet