Work and kids and work and kids and my husband and my kids and work. When I had a chance to fly away on business I was almost salivating. I had been thinking for days I have to get away. Yes, they are my life, what I live for. But, I had to get away.
And there starts my journey. I had a two hour lunch meeting in San Francisco. With round trip it should have taken me four hours, total. Oh what I would have accomplished in four hours. A flight, a business lunch and a deal! But that four hours turned into 24 hours, and by the time I was on the plane home, the sound of my kids fighting with my husband and themselves before school was like a sweet symphony. My little angels. I couldn’t wait to see the source of so much joy and terror.
Has anyone heard of a ground stop? Well, apparently, the ground at the San Francisco Airport Stopped on my way up. By the time I got to my lunch appointment at the hotel, two hours late, my mascara was smudged all over my face and the restaurant had just closed. I pleaded with the waitress to feed me and shoved food in my mouth as I tried to impress a founding partner in a rather large important to my business firm. Was that charming or disturbing? Only time will tell.
Just as I was about to take him up on offer to drive me to the airport I received a call from the airline that my flight had been delayed until 9:00 p.m. But, I just wanted to come for lunch. I guess the ground stopped in Los Angeles too. So as we said out goodbyes, without shaking hands of course, you know the swine flu way, I contemplated my options. I was curiously desirous of getting home to my family.
“How about a spa treatment” my husband suggested. Nope, no spa, it was an airport property and I guess that people who stay at airport hotels and have gone through their own various travel nightmares don’t need massages. After I go through security I need a massage. Oh well.
Five hours to kill, hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm. After speaking with a lovely young woman who used my triple A discount to lure me, I stayed over- night—without pajamas, or anything else, including a plug for my laptop or cell phone. Now, all I wanted was my annoying children, demanding, yet handsome husband who doubles as a masseuse and my bed.
The next morning after I boarded my on time flight home, I called home. My 9 year old and 6 year old in the background shouting names at each other, my husband shhhhsing them, the dog peeing somewhere in the house, I took a deep breath, sipped my carry on Starbucks, and smiled. Whether I struck a deal with my intended target or not, which is what I want, I had what I needed and no ground stop would keep me from that.
