Friday Evening

Well I want to continue my story of the trek home. When we arrived at Washington DC Dulles Airport it was 1am and we went through customs, picked up our checked bags and proceeded to area to drop back off the checked baggage. Well it was closed. No one there. Asked a lady sitting nearby and she answered something but unsure what she said or what language she used. We followed the path of those before us and ended up in the lower level. there was an information desk, no one there. In fact there was no employees anywhere. We walked up and down the area hoping to find some sign noting what we should do next. Eventually a janitor stopped us and asked in a thick Jamaican accent if we were looking for the elevator and he told us how to get there. Sounded good to us. We took the elevator up to ticketing area and sure enough all counters except Taca were closed. No one to ask, no signs as to what to do. We did find a couple and asked them what process we needed to follow. They told us that we would need to wait until 4am when ticket counters open and then check in at United to recheck our baggage. So back downstairs we went to find a seat to wait and hopefully some food to eat. I had little to eat that day as I didn't want to eat much before flying and then on the plane they served pasta, bread and cookies and a corn relish. I was able to eat corn relish. oh and I did have that stale 3 musketeers bar in San Salvador. So back downstairs in Washington DC. there was one shop open. The only thing that I could eat at this shop was a rice crispie treat for 4.50. Truth be known, I shouldn't eat it, as the rice crispies do have some gluten in them. I at maybe a dollar's worth of it and drank a cup of orange juice. My stomach was not feeling better. I tried to sleep and still keep track of my luggage to no avail. Finally, 4 am came and we trudged back upstairs and there was a line waiting for United to open. After standing in line we went to ticket counter to find out that the people standing there could or would only tell you to use the kiosks for self check in. so we tried...Well they needed confirmation number....we had boarding passes and did not see any confirmation number. At this point we were prompted to pick up a phone and through several questions, were given confirmation number. Entered this and it printed another boarding pass. Handed the boarding pass to lady behind counter and asked her to take the baggage. She stated that she needed the bags tagged and that we needed to check in kiosk again. Well there was no option at kiosk to get the bags tagged and they already were tagged. United just needed to take them again! After several questions the lady finally called for a supervisor and after explaining again that we came to airport after baggage pickup following customs was closed. He told us to proceed to end of United counter to the B3 luggage screener. Well we went to where this machine was, no one around. We went around it and passed three gentlemen sitting on a window ledge. We went back and found another custodian at the B3 luggage screener. He assured us that we needed to walk back around the machine to leave bags. Well it seemed to me that we walked back and forth a few times before we finally followed a couple and when they approached where the three men were sitting, one of the men jumped up and took their luggage. So we followed suit and he took ours. I would never have guessed that he was an employee of United. So now we were free of extra baggage and went through security screening. That went okay after waiting in line for a while. Oh I forgot to mention that the neither boarding pass had the gate that our flight would take off at. Asked at the United counter and they didn't know. After making it through screening was able to check a screen that finally listed the gate. So we go through the door marked for gate A6 and then the "room" which is really a large bus like transportation took us to the correct terminal. There we sat and watched the first tv since we left home. Evidently not much had happened as OJ was still the topic of conversation. Tried to sleep some more but to no avail. Then they called for flight to Columbus and also flight to Charlottesville and somehwere else at same gate. So we were in line to board with other people going other places. After we exited the terminal there were four planes, two on each side. and this was after walking out on concrete and we had to ask which plane was going to Columbus and climbed the steps to the plane. I asked the stewardess where plane was headed just to make sure. It was very foggy and we waited for a long time on runway, in fact the next thing I knew was when a voice over loudspeaker announced that we were beginning our descent to Columbus. I actually slept through takeoff and most of flight... Hard to imagine but I was dead tired. As we taxied to the back of Columbus airport I called my daughter Lisa to see if she was nearby to pick us up. Once again we were let out onto the tarmac or concrete and had to walk to the terminal. By the time we actually walked to baggage our bags were already there...As soon as we drug them off the merry go round. Lisa was there with chocolates wrapped in purple ribbon. Is she a sweetie or what? So we then drove two more hours and we were home. Dead tired but home.
Went back to work the next day and now after my second day back at work I get a weekend to rest up. And guess what? My true baby, my youngest, Brian comes home from college for one week Thanksgiving Break. I can't wait to see him.. And I haven't forgot the children. Tonight as I arrived home, I got a call from Karen and on the phone was Antonio saying" Grandma Nita, poo poo in el bano. Well I was excited because he had used the bathroom and was proud to tell me. I directed Karen to give him a "bon bon" (sucker) for his success and he kept asking Donde esta my bon bon? He wanted to know where this sucker was and how he would get it from me. So this small journey is over, but who know what the next one will be? Every day is a journey, make sure you are headed the right direction. and remember, you must be the change that you want to see in life......