My friend Alejandro arrived for a two week visit last night. His trip started uneventfully with his flight leaving from Mexico City and arriving in Houston on time. But then in Houston he had to wait in line for 45 minutes to pass through immigration. Then, when he went to the baggage claim, his suitcase was missing. He waited about an hour, until his suitcase was finally discovered... it was in rather bad shape, and it seems that someone had tried to tamper with the TSA lock. He then waited in line to pass through customs. At this point, he e-mailed that in spite of the long layover in Houston, he had twenty minutes to get to his gate for his flight to Cleveland. I had been checking the status of his flights online, and I wrote back "Don't worry. Your flight to Cleveland is delayed."
The flight which was supposed to arrive in Cleveland at 8:05 P.M. did not arrive until 9:35. At was at the airport to meet him. We always meet by the escalator where the passengers descend to the baggage claim area. I waited and waited, searching for Alejandro's face among the passengers. After more than a half hour I was starting to get worried. Where was he?!! I finally headed over toward the luggage carrousels, when I heard his voice calling me. Apparently there is now an additional escalator at the other end of the baggage claim area... and he had come that way. He had been waiting and waiting, and wondering where I was. He called the house a couple times, and when he got no answer he figured that I was on the way to the airport.
I know that some of you are going to say that this whole incident could have been
avoided if I would stop being such a dinosaur and get a cell phone. (Well, I do have a cell phone, but it's for emergency. It's never turned on, and no one knows the number.) I have lived my life very happily without being constantly "connected", and I will continue to do so. This is one of the very rare moments in my life where a cell phone would have come in handy, but after a few anxious moments, everything turned out OK.
I'm with you on the cell phone bit. I resisted getting one for years. But I hate using it. I feel like if people just plan things in advance and then stick with the plan, you don't need a cell phone. I will admit that it's nice for emergencies, though.
ReplyDeleteNice to hear someone, especially someone younger than I, who doesn't like cell phones either. I try to remember to take my cheapo phone with me whenever I drive somewhere that's farther than I would care to walk. :-)
DeleteBy the way, did your sister tell you that we ran into each other at a local restaurant a couple weeks ago? It was good to see her.
DeleteNo, but then, I haven't talked to her lately, or else I'm sure she would have mentioned it. I'll have to give her a call....
ReplyDelete