A Decade of Adventures at O'Hare (Part 1)

New Year's Day, 2007:

I arrive in Chicago at 12:30 for my connection to LaGuardia, which is to depart at the close hour of 1pm.

I discover that my flight, which was checked through in Austin, has been CANCELLED while i was helpless in the air.

I call "rescheduling" to find out what to do. All the flights for today are booked. The nice voice on the other end of the line informs me i've been rebooked on a flight tomorrow morning at 9:30am.

"Can i fly standby?" I ask.

She says i'll have to talk to the people at the airport. I hang up.

I call my mom. I realize that i forgot there are 2 other airports in the Greater NYC area that i forgot to ask about. I hang up with mom. I call back to "rescheduling." Another nice voice answers.

He assures me that all the other flights to Newark and JFK are full.

I notice there are at least 4 other flights to LGA posted that are not cancelled and are leaving in the next four hours. I ask someone at the next flight's gate if i can get on the standby list for the last flight i saw (thinking i can be earlier on that list somehow). She types things on her little keyboard. She says, Flight XYZ? (this is the next flight) "There's already a long standby list, and it's over-sold. Sorry.

I call my mom. She asks me to please not sleep on one of the cots provided at the airport. I don't want to do this either, as i think i would have a hard time sleeping under fluorescent lights in a large public place. Then i think it might be a good experience for solidarity's sake with all those who have had no choice but to do so...

I decide i'll just suck up and pay for a hotel.

I go get a bagel and coffee. I decide to go to the next gate just to give it one more try. This counter is staffed by a grandma-looking woman wearing a happy cardigan with embroidered Christmas designs. I tell her my situation and ask if i can get on the standby list. She types things on her keyboard, then prints out a pseudo boarding pass, and says, "Wait here, if you don't make it on this flight, the list will just roll over to the next one."

HA!

I sit. I wait. I read me some 1 Peter.

A long line forms at the counter. Finally someone comes on the loudspeaker and says, "This flight is full, and we now have 75 people on the standby list. We are now closing the standby list."

I am number 38.

I sketch a new arrangement for my bedroom.

They board. I do not get on the plane.

We move to the next flight. I buy a cup of Starbux coffee (but i reuse my other cup!)

I wait. I pull out information on resumes that my mom printed out for me the morning i left Huntington. I highlight. I realize my resume has probably been thrown in the trash at every place i've applied in the last month.

They board. I don't get on.

I move to the next gate. I eat a cup of yogurt.

I wait. I pull out my computer and revamp my resume.

They board. I don't know what number i am. I watch an adorable 4-ish year old girl take photos of her mom with her dad's cell phone.

They board. I don't get on.

I move to the next gate.

I buy chicken strips from McDonalds and apple juice.

I wait. I write a first draft of my next blog entry: "Ten years of adventures in O'Hare."

I wait. I try to stop watching the CNN replay of Hussein's execution.

I pull out a project proposal i've needed to look at for a month. I read through it. I take notes.

I call my sister. "Still at O'Hare," I say. She says she'll pray that i get on the next flight. i think that's sweet.

I move closer to the counter.

I'm now number 15.

There are 3 flights left for the night (it's now 7:00). Then nothing until 6 am. but i figure i'll probably make it up the list in the next three.

I watch. They call one, two, three party of two (four), five, six, seven, eight... no one comes forward. another party of two. a mother and her son i've been watching for several hours make it on the flight. another name.

Then, "Wahcher." Walter? Waters? I go to the counter. "Did you say 'Walker'?"
"What's your first name?"
"Cecilia"
"Yes. Here."

It's 7:20 the flight leaves at 7:25. She prints me a boarding pass and wishes me a happy new year. I board the plane.

I look for my seat: 3F

I notice there's an empty seat in the first row of first class. but there's no label above the row. i walk through first class. The first row of coach is 7.

I ride to New York in first class.

Lessons learned:

1) don't worry when you come up against an obstacle, brie. the next step with show itself (in this case, a big banner: "for rescheduling, call:")

2) don't immediately believe it if someone tells you you can't do something but you think you can. persist. ask someone else. or three someone elses. and grandma looking people in christmas sweaters might actually have exactly what you need.

3) sometimes you will get blessings you neither earned nor paid for (but maybe someone far away prayed for) and that is a gift to receive and enjoy.

May this be the outcome of my job search, and whatever you are hoping for this year.
And may we have a 2007 that is truly Better than 2006.

to be continued...