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May 19, 2007

Flight 53, Where Are You?

Friend arrives today. Must give myself plenty of time to get to the airport. Just in case I get lost, you understand. Downloaded directions. Out of the house, early. Smooth ride, no problems. I am super early. Find the short-term parking lot and stroll to the terminal. Every airline is listed outside except the one I want. Pardon me, but where is the gate for TransAn? Gate C. At the end of the terminal. It is 12 noon and the flight arrives at 12:53. Time to kill.

Slip into the magazine shop. Might as well pick up something to read. Check out the decorating magazines since I've switched into the decorating mode big-time. 12:30 p.m. Better go out and take a seat where you won't be missed. Hugs and kisses, people coming and going, last minute instructions all around. Love to people watch. Page through the magazines but can't get too engrossed--I don't want to miss or be missed.

12:53 p.m. Plane should be landing. 1:00 p.m. Maybe it is late. 1:10 p.m. I'd better check the desk. The plane came in early? Passengers with luggage are downstairs? Down the steps to an empty area. Well, now. I know he would have called if he'd missed the plane, a highly unlikely possibility.

Dig out the phone. Two missed voice mails. What? I didn't hear the phone ring but there they are. Friend is wandering somewhere in the airport. Try to call but I'm in a dead zone. I hate cell phones. Stroll outside to make the call, looking all around. There he is, watching me trying to find him. So how did I miss him? The plane arrived at 12:20 p.m. Where was I? Flipping through magazines trying to kill time.

Off to the car, out onto the main road. Finding my way back to I-240 easy enough. It was a piece of cake getting there, should be a piece of cake getting back. Wrong! Don't ask me, 'cause I don't know but somewhere I came off the highway at the wrong exit. Of course, I was running my mouth a mile a minute. That couldn't have been a factor. But not to worry, I saw this section coming in and we're not far.

Had a grand tour of Chickasaw Gardens and beautiful mansions. But where is Germantown Parkway? Now we are going in circles. Stopped for directions. Just follow this street all the way in. Wrong. Stopped again. Sales clerk can't help. Please tell me why people working in gas stations can't give directions. Isn't that a job requirement? Help from the customer in line. Off we go again. Just driving along but where's the street we're supposed to take? Stop again. At least we're in the ballpark. Turn left and ride it in. Finally, the street takes on familiar, I'm serious, landmarks. Aha, there are the flags. Was only lost for an hour. I'm getting better.

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