the journey home

Tuesday, June 17th, 2014

Like many good things, my vacation Would end with a flight home.
It began with the usual confusion. "Where's your ticket?"

"I don't know."

"Did you print it?"

"No, I told you to print it."

After departure from the Stoffel house would be delay as Scotland
run down to the basement to print the ticket. This happens every
time I visit. It's like our own special goodbye dance.

I was missing Scott even as we drove to the airport. At the same
time, I was glad to be going home. I missed the comfort of my
own house, being able to get around without help and my bed. But
most of all, I really miss my cat. Poor Bast had been alone for
10 days.

Everything went pretty well at the airport. They had a
wheelchair waiting for me. We all made it through security.
But, oh boy, it was a close call.

The city of Philadelphia was on the brink of disaster. What
almost happened would have caused panic and masse terror. It
seems that Scott was wearing a pair of shorts that were slightly
too big. He had to take off his belt to walk through security.
As he did so, the shorts began to slip... Lower and lower.
Thank goodness he caught them before he mooned the airport.

I didn't have to wait long before it was time to get on the
plane. Scott was sick, so he couldn't kiss me goodbye. I tried
to do the "I love you" sign in his hand, but he stumbled or
something. I don't think he got my message. It was the typical
comedy that forms our romance.

I was on the plane and ready to go. This would be the weirdest
flight of my life. I was reading my James Patterson book while
they prepared for takeoff. We taxied to the runway. And then I
waited And waited... The plane never took off.

The weather conditions were perfect and clear. I didn't
understand why we were still on the ground. But I wasn't worried
enough to try to talk to a flight attendant.

The plane should have landed in Akron at 9:15 PM. That's when
three things happened: I checked my watch, I became anxious and
the airplane hit the ground. Somehow we had taken off and flown
the entire trip without me having felt it. That is so bizarre.

The short drive home from the airport took forever. All I wanted
was to see my beautiful cat. Unfortunately, happiness did not
await me at home.

Angela C. Orlando
"The Journey Home"
via Dragon NaturallySpeaking