The day I didn't go to Boston
Justin, I read your story about your almost trip to CA and I was nearly crying from laughing so hard. It made me remember a somewhat similar experience that I had several years ago. I also think I can make my story longer. Pulling a Justin is just too much of a challenge to resist.
I had to go to Boston for the day to take depositions and I got up feeling lousy - coughing, fever of about 101. It was raining that morning when I went to Harrisburg airport and flights to Philly, where I was to transfer planes, were cancelling left & right. We waited around for about two extra hours. The flight ahead of us cancelled and they put folks on the shuttle bus to wherever they were headed - probably Philly or Pittsburgh. So, when our flight finally cancelled, the shuttle was gone. Harrisburg is a small airport. The compromise was that they loaded us into taxis 3 at a time for the ride to Philly. I get into a cab in the back seat and there is standing water under my feet. I politely suggest that I'll trade places with someone but I won't ride with my feet in water for two hours. Fortunately, I'm with a USAirways person so we all change cabs.
Apparently, changing cabs really honked off our first driver who was now facing losing a $300 fare to Philly. He got into a shouting match with our new cab driver which had to be broken up by an airport supervisor. We're losing valuable time here & while I've managed to push the start time for the deps back some and to catch a later connection in Philly, I'm worried I'll still miss my connection in Philly if we don't get going. Finally, we're off.
Unfortunately, our cabbie has a penchant for vanilla air fresheners and they're hanging from or glued to every conceivable free spot in the cab. I can't take the smell with my fever & stuffy head. I can't roll down the window because it's raining. I'm in hell. I finally damn the weather and roll down the window so I can breathe and I arrive in Philly with a soaked left suit sleeve. There are only minutes remaining before my next flight leaves so I am running full tilt through the airport with my trial bag in tow. I arrive at the gate just as I hear my name be called. I figure it's because I'm the last one to board. Nope. It's my office calling. The deps cancelled. Come home. I could have cried.
BUT, the story doesn't end here. Now, I have to get back to Harrisburg . There is only one flight left that day (did I mention it's a small airport?) & very little time to get in line to get a new ticket. The USAirways person at the gate suggests that I get into the first class ticket line at the counter because it moves faster. Excellent suggestion. The other line was a least a hundred people long because of the crummy weather and all the problems going on. When I finally get to the counter, I am being assailed by a ticket Nazi. He is screaming at me because I'm not a first class ticket person and I'm in the wrong line. I am in no mood for his crap. Trying to explain to him that other USAirways people sent me to this line meant nothing. I've already been gone from home for over 8 hours and I haven't set foot on a plane. As I am about to disembwel the guy, the flight to Harrisburg cancels. It's just raining too hard.
Now, I have to find a car to rent to drive home. I get on the bus to the Hertz counter because there is a special relationship with the ABA. Because I don't have a reservation, however, the driver made me get off the bus. AAAAGH!
Next, I try the Alamo shuttle. Couldn't have been nicer. Gave me a upgrade on the car for no extra fee. Finally, someone who is nice and competent. I thought I was home free & I almost was.
The final weirdness of the day was as I left the airport lot. There is a place where 3 roads come together and there was a traffic cop directing traffic in the rain. He blew his whistle and stopped traffic in all directions. You would think he did so so he could let one lane of travel pass. But no. He looked at his watch, and walked out of the street. I guess his shift was over. It actually made me laugh. At this point, I really didn't care if I died or caused an accident, so I gunned it, got out of the lot and drove back to the airport in Harrisburg where my car was waiting.
I was gone for over 12 hours, never got on a plane and had one of the weirdest experiences of my life. Now, top that!
I had to go to Boston for the day to take depositions and I got up feeling lousy - coughing, fever of about 101. It was raining that morning when I went to Harrisburg airport and flights to Philly, where I was to transfer planes, were cancelling left & right. We waited around for about two extra hours. The flight ahead of us cancelled and they put folks on the shuttle bus to wherever they were headed - probably Philly or Pittsburgh. So, when our flight finally cancelled, the shuttle was gone. Harrisburg is a small airport. The compromise was that they loaded us into taxis 3 at a time for the ride to Philly. I get into a cab in the back seat and there is standing water under my feet. I politely suggest that I'll trade places with someone but I won't ride with my feet in water for two hours. Fortunately, I'm with a USAirways person so we all change cabs.
Apparently, changing cabs really honked off our first driver who was now facing losing a $300 fare to Philly. He got into a shouting match with our new cab driver which had to be broken up by an airport supervisor. We're losing valuable time here & while I've managed to push the start time for the deps back some and to catch a later connection in Philly, I'm worried I'll still miss my connection in Philly if we don't get going. Finally, we're off.
Unfortunately, our cabbie has a penchant for vanilla air fresheners and they're hanging from or glued to every conceivable free spot in the cab. I can't take the smell with my fever & stuffy head. I can't roll down the window because it's raining. I'm in hell. I finally damn the weather and roll down the window so I can breathe and I arrive in Philly with a soaked left suit sleeve. There are only minutes remaining before my next flight leaves so I am running full tilt through the airport with my trial bag in tow. I arrive at the gate just as I hear my name be called. I figure it's because I'm the last one to board. Nope. It's my office calling. The deps cancelled. Come home. I could have cried.
BUT, the story doesn't end here. Now, I have to get back to Harrisburg . There is only one flight left that day (did I mention it's a small airport?) & very little time to get in line to get a new ticket. The USAirways person at the gate suggests that I get into the first class ticket line at the counter because it moves faster. Excellent suggestion. The other line was a least a hundred people long because of the crummy weather and all the problems going on. When I finally get to the counter, I am being assailed by a ticket Nazi. He is screaming at me because I'm not a first class ticket person and I'm in the wrong line. I am in no mood for his crap. Trying to explain to him that other USAirways people sent me to this line meant nothing. I've already been gone from home for over 8 hours and I haven't set foot on a plane. As I am about to disembwel the guy, the flight to Harrisburg cancels. It's just raining too hard.
Now, I have to find a car to rent to drive home. I get on the bus to the Hertz counter because there is a special relationship with the ABA. Because I don't have a reservation, however, the driver made me get off the bus. AAAAGH!
Next, I try the Alamo shuttle. Couldn't have been nicer. Gave me a upgrade on the car for no extra fee. Finally, someone who is nice and competent. I thought I was home free & I almost was.
The final weirdness of the day was as I left the airport lot. There is a place where 3 roads come together and there was a traffic cop directing traffic in the rain. He blew his whistle and stopped traffic in all directions. You would think he did so so he could let one lane of travel pass. But no. He looked at his watch, and walked out of the street. I guess his shift was over. It actually made me laugh. At this point, I really didn't care if I died or caused an accident, so I gunned it, got out of the lot and drove back to the airport in Harrisburg where my car was waiting.
I was gone for over 12 hours, never got on a plane and had one of the weirdest experiences of my life. Now, top that!
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