By the beard of Jupiter, gird your loins…I am in story telling mode.
On what was to be my last day in Chicago Kelly and I didn’t leave the dorm room until it was time to head to the airport. We had a whole day planned out, but decided to just stay in. Then the time came to depart for L.A. and we slowly got my bags together and headed for the El.
Kelly had jokingly wished out loud that I would miss my flight and have to stay in Chicago.
And, well, her wishes came true.
Half way to the airport the El stopped. Overhead we heard something about a ‘medical situation’ and a ‘slight delay.’ We waited for 15 minutes and they finally said that we could wait or we could get on a bus to go around. So the entire car of people got out of the train and walked to the nearest bus stop. Weird. It felt like a movie. While we were there a CTA lady said that someone had jumped onto the tracks at Montrose. I guess the medical situation was CTA cleaning up the tracks.
So we are sitting at this bus stop realizing that if we didn’t get a cab or a miracle I would actually miss my flight. We began frantically calling. The airport to see if my flight was delayed, cab companies to see how long it would take. Then three cabs pull up and both of us race towards them waving like crazy people. As we passed each cab we realized that all three were packed with people. Then we looked back and saw that the bus was about to pull away! All those people were loaded on and the doors were closing so we started running back that way. We both started banging on the side of the bus until it stopped and let us in. The bus driver wasn’t pleased with us.
Then 5 minutes later we ask him what stop we should get off at. He tells us to get off at the next stop which was about 15 minutes away from where we were actually suppose to get off (past Montrose, so we could get back on the El and get to the airport!) So the stupid bus driver let us off and we quickly realized he didn’t understand our question as we watched the bus pull away. For some reason I mockingly started singing the ‘Hail to the bus driver’ song in my head.
Then I saw a cab just hanging out. Again, we ran. We got in the cab, thankful and hopeful. He started to drive and I stupidly said, ‘Do you take debit?’ He stopped the car and said no. We promptly exited the cab, knowing now I would definitely not make my flight, because it was lifting off in half an hour.
So, we got on another bus. Drove to the El. Took the El to the airport, and arrived 5 minutes after my plane had taken off.
So we walked into the empty airport with smiles on our faces. At this point we were tired of racing and we were just happy that we would have another night together.
Janice K. at the United counter was shockingly accommodating and waved the rescheduling fee, and even gave me my ticket for the next day so I wouldn’t have to wait in line.
So we went back and had pizza and watched the office again. Good times.
Then on Friday I arrived complication free to my flight. But the adventure was not quite over.
It started in the plane. I asked the first stewardess if there was a charge for alcoholic beverages (knowing full well they had just told us it was 6 bucks). She impatiently told me there was, and so I took a Coke. Then the second steward passed and he seemed friendly (as opposed to the impatient chick) so I shot him a smile and thought nothing of it. Ten minutes later he comes to my seat and says, ‘Hey, do you drink?’ I said, ‘Yeah. Jack.’ He said, ‘Hold on.’ Then he came back with three travel bottles of Jack and said, ‘Because you smiled at me,’ and walked away. I was elated. All I wanted was a free drink of jack on this, the day before my birthday, and I got it.
He came back later while I was trying to watch the office and he sat down. I am pretty sure he was gay because he was way too nice. Then I started talking about how tough a long distance relationship with my girlfriend was, and he straightened up a bit. But we still had a great talk about our lives, and anytime he had a break he would come hang out with me. And when I told him it was almost my birthday he went and got me a bottle of wine wrapped in a towel! Thank you Fred!
Then I started slurring my words, because I hadn’t eaten much that day and had downed all three bottles. Fred felt bad and got me a can of chips. But the damage was done.
I’ll tell you what. Landing in a plane while slightly inebriated is an exhilarating experience. I felt so relaxed. Not to mention, seeing L.A. from a plane at night is so beautiful. It is like the whole city is a big front yard in December with a Christmas light display.
Then I got off the plane and called Kelly to tell her my story and to tell her I loved her (I drink to bring out my honesty : ) She worried about me getting more gifts from gay guys (the Chuck Palahnuik necklace) and driving home tipsy, but was happy nonetheless to hear from me. By the time I got to Dan’s car I was sobered up (I brought my roommates car home because he had just left for Baltimore the day before). I had to get a shuttle to take me to his car. I got in and started blasting my tunes. I got on the highway and the gas pedal ceased giving the car power! I had no gas. So I put on the flashers and held out my middle finger while people angrily sped by me inching up the right lane. A couple cars had to skid to avoid me, which scared me quite a bit. But luckily there was an exit in sight. Somehow the car made it to the exit and then rolled down the hill. I didn’t stop at the light. I just made the right turn and luck of all luck, there sat a gas station. It was now officially my birthday and this was God’s gift to me. The car literally stopped rolling half way in the street and half way in the gas station. I took a picture on my phone and will try to get that up.
So I arrived home to two gifts on my bed from mom and an impeccably clean house thanks to zack. On my bday night he and I went bowling. It was great fun. We put 5 bucks on each game. He won the first I won the second with a 137 (probably my best score ever) and he won the third by 2 effing pins. Then when we got home he made another bet about Austin powers and I won, so we were even. Then we watched coldplay on snl, which was a bit disappointing, and called it a night. And now, I am 24…
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