Home at last. Delta has balls, Delta airlines was the only airline flying into my local airport Tuesday night. We left Atlanta at about 9 or 10 p.m. and the flight was seamless. We flew in low over the Newport Bridge and travelled the rest of the way, as low as if we were about to land, it was spectacular. The air was cystal clear with water shooting under the wings over a winter wonderland that looked right out of a sears catalogue. The scene below looked entirely unreal, like a holiday village display with styrofoam snow and toothpick trees, the little lit up houses looked like you could pick them up and rearrange them at will. We touched down and had a brief skiddy moment and then the passengers erupted in applause. That view was worth being stranded.
We deplaned into a deserted airport and many of us made a mad dash to the cab stand. Two taxi’s, about 15 tired people, not the best equation. It cracks me up the chaos people will bear without anyone taking charge and I wanted to get home so I asked everyone where they were going, grabbed a driver and said I have a route for you, he’s going to A which is near B, I’m C and then she is D. “Sounds good” and off we went, and everyone was relieved when I suggested we each give the driver $25 and he’d wind up with a good tip, people don't self organize, what's the deal with that? Everyone was happy, except the poor dude who wanted to go to Newport, he’s probably still at the airport. I have never seen anyone as tired as the Pawtucket woman returning from a visit to Nigeria.
My sidewalk had been plowed thanks to the benevolent dentist with a fondness for power tools and community service to who my gratitude is unquantifiable. That left the stairs up to my house, the driver and I both looked at them, looked at each other, and it was clear I was on my own with the worlds heaviest suitcase (containing not a single pair of clean underwear). My suitcase was so heavy it won an award, that’s right, the airline ziptied a badge on it declaring it “HEAVY”, I’m just grateful they didn’t ziptie one of those to me, dessert buffets are dangerous, as are the aforementioned, unlimited coco locos, the last of which I had at 11a.m. on the drive to the airport in Punta Cana. The other award I could have won was the dope-who-can’t-ever-figure-out-the-passport-machine. It takes people about 45 seconds, I just stare at it shoving my passport anyplace I can think of until someone comes up and helps me, I’m 3 for 3 with this routine.
I must have been a sight crawling up my front steps through the snow, dragging a suitcase at 1 a.m. and heaving myself in the front door. The cats were happy to see me, until they realized I’d not brought food with me. The catfood container was empty, great to be home. I will not mention who was feeding my cats, or should I say, my children’s cats... that was a hint.
I have never needed a vacation so much in my life, and it worked, I feel so much better. Reenergized, revitalized and looking forward to my next trip, and the time in between.
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