Delays, Delays
Jun. 25th, 2009 08:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
judifilksignAfter spending all afternoon and part of my evening in the Columbus airport, due to terrible weather in Detroit, my connecting flight destination, I discovered that the last flights out by any means to get to Seattle in time for me to get to Victoria were not attainable from Columbus tonight.
So, the airline re-booked me for the crack of dawn (it ought to be O dark thirty, but at Midsummer, it will just be light), and I will arrive at the Victoria airport at 12:34 P.M. instead. I shall pretend I actually got in tonight, and slept in , so I shan't begrudge time not spent on the ground at Pondfilk with my friends.
Jennifer, the attendant at the kiosk for the airline was very gracious under the pressure of the eight people in line in front of me, who each cussed her out for events outside of her control. I made a point of being polite and gracious to her. She tried hard to book me on alternate routes, standbys and airlines, but none would get me to any airport that flew to Victoria by the last flights out to it.
I told her to get me on the first flight out in the morning, and she was able to do so, and said she was avoiding Detroit, because the weather report there looked unfavorable for tomorrow, too, plus all of the flights that got canceled tonight would be stacking up tomorrow morning there. I thanked her for trying so hard for me, and told her I appreciated the effort, and complimented her on how friendly and gracious she was under pressure. She thanked *me* for being so understanding. Sad commentary of the world when basic politeness is outside the norm.
The next customer behind me, a young man in his early twenties, started in on her with the f-bomb before even telling her where he was headed. I couldn't help it. I turned to him and said in teacher voice, "It's the weather, and not Jennifer's fault. I'm sure she will take care of you just as well as she took care of me. Please. There are young children behind you in line." Much to my surprise, the man looked at his shoes, looked at Jennifer and said he was sorry. Jennifer beamed at me. Now, I feel like I helped the world be a little more gracious.
So, I am back at home, with my delighted daughter, who gets more snuggle time with me than she expected. Now, I just need to find new reading material for tomorrow's flights, because I finished reading what I'd packed already while waiting around in Columbus.
So, the airline re-booked me for the crack of dawn (it ought to be O dark thirty, but at Midsummer, it will just be light), and I will arrive at the Victoria airport at 12:34 P.M. instead. I shall pretend I actually got in tonight, and slept in , so I shan't begrudge time not spent on the ground at Pondfilk with my friends.
Jennifer, the attendant at the kiosk for the airline was very gracious under the pressure of the eight people in line in front of me, who each cussed her out for events outside of her control. I made a point of being polite and gracious to her. She tried hard to book me on alternate routes, standbys and airlines, but none would get me to any airport that flew to Victoria by the last flights out to it.
I told her to get me on the first flight out in the morning, and she was able to do so, and said she was avoiding Detroit, because the weather report there looked unfavorable for tomorrow, too, plus all of the flights that got canceled tonight would be stacking up tomorrow morning there. I thanked her for trying so hard for me, and told her I appreciated the effort, and complimented her on how friendly and gracious she was under pressure. She thanked *me* for being so understanding. Sad commentary of the world when basic politeness is outside the norm.
The next customer behind me, a young man in his early twenties, started in on her with the f-bomb before even telling her where he was headed. I couldn't help it. I turned to him and said in teacher voice, "It's the weather, and not Jennifer's fault. I'm sure she will take care of you just as well as she took care of me. Please. There are young children behind you in line." Much to my surprise, the man looked at his shoes, looked at Jennifer and said he was sorry. Jennifer beamed at me. Now, I feel like I helped the world be a little more gracious.
So, I am back at home, with my delighted daughter, who gets more snuggle time with me than she expected. Now, I just need to find new reading material for tomorrow's flights, because I finished reading what I'd packed already while waiting around in Columbus.
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no subject
Date: 2009-06-26 12:56 am (UTC)Have a nice pondfilk!
no subject
Date: 2009-06-26 01:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-26 01:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-26 02:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-26 05:40 am (UTC)I wish I could be there. Give my love to everyone when you get there. *hugs*
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Date: 2009-06-26 10:59 am (UTC)The weather is clear and dry this morning in Detroit, but it's good that you avoided the backed-up flights.
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Date: 2009-06-26 02:28 pm (UTC)