I'm in Westchester County, New York. But My Luggage Isn't.
Some trips just don't work. This is one of them. Although the people at Delta were quite kind and helpful and cut me huge amounts of slack. For things that were entirely my fault. See, I missed the plane last night. I can’t even explain why. Well, other than the whole breakdown over my financial situation. And being over it. The worry. And the stress. And not being able to get it together. Which is not really like me. I can normally suck it up. The worst of situations. This time. I didn't. I just didn't. I know that’s not a very good excuse. I had a job to do. A plane to make. Which I paid $25 to be on. And me? Every decimal point makes a difference in my reality. I know this, but my subconscious did not care. My subconscious was incapable of making the flight. My fingers dialed the phone. And called a cab to schlep me to the airport. Which should have technically gotten me there on time… if it was right outside. But it wasn’t. It was supposedly 5 to 10 minutes away. Well, that turned into 20 minutes. And when it arrived, at 10:38, there was no chance in hell I was going to make it on an 11:40pm flight. The last flight of the night. I couldn’t really afford to gamble $37 of my own money on no chance in hell. So I left my suitcases at the door and went to bed.
Then panic set in. I screwed up. And I can't afford to screw up. I woke up at around 5:30 in the morning and called customer service. The customer service lady was actually nice and of service. After telling me that I should have made an attempt to get to the airport. That I would have then been on the first flight out in the morning. That the effort would have worked in my favor. She then said she couldn’t do anything for me on the phone and gave me the number of the Delta desk at the airport. I called the number for twenty minutes straight. But no one picked up. I set my alarm for 7am and went back to bed. At 7am, I spoke to a man named Messai who listened to my story then said he was the wrong person to talk to—but he said this other lady would help me. So I should call her back. I did. She said she couldn’t help me. But put me on the noon flight without reissuing the ticket. She said she couldn’t promise a thing. That it was up to the supervisors and my story telling skills. Me. And my story telling skills.
So what to do? Get it together, drive to the airport and try? It didn't seem likely. And a part of me just wanted to stay home. And wait for my check to arrive. To know if and when it did arrive. But the other part knew that if I didn't get on the plane than my next check will be insignificant. And I need money. I talked to Kelly. Talked to Caren. I couldn't make a decision. I honestly wanted someone else to make the decision. And they both said the same thing. You need the money. Go to the airport. I cannot wait for the day when I don't have to hear that phrase, "You need the money." That's right up there with, "You don't have the money." I know. I know I don't. I wish I didn't know. And sometimes I pretend like I don't. Hence the disasters. Which I oftentimes bring upon myself. I don't want to go and I make it happen. I think I need to make other things happen at home. Or in my career. Instead, I'm missing planes. Although I am trying. Really. And that's part of why I do want to miss planes... subconsciously. So I have time to do them. At home.
By missing my flight, I did manage to get my paycheck. And expense check. I didn't deposit it yet. Kelly's friend Jo Ann is doing it for me. But at least I saw it. That it arrived. And I signed it. Which was a major relief. And I got dropped off at the airport. Which was better than having to pay out of pocket for a cab. Especially when I already paid to change my flight. But I was lucky. They could have told me too bad. Told me to go home. They could have said I had to pay the fare difference. They could have said lots of things. Things other than, "No problem" and then putting me on a flight. But they didn't. I didn't even have to do a whole song and dance. The supervisor just did it. I love Delta right now.
Even if they didn't put my luggage on the flight. And that's where my coat is. And it's 40 degrees outside aka freezing. The flight from LAX to Atlanta was running late. Apparently the Atlanta to White Plains flight didn't know it was late and were paging me. I ran from the plane for the plane, but Atlanta is a big ass airport. There are shuttles and things. I had to go four stops. I got to the plane in time and asked about my luggage. They said it would be there, no problem. Well, there was a problem. Me and three other people didn't have our stuff. The bummer is I packed everything. I mean everything. You can't exactly promote a skincare line looking like a haggard make-up-less mess. Well, not if you actually want to sell anything. The suitcase contains everything I own for winter and (all of my makeup and skincare) and prescriptions and some of my writing and some of other people's writing-- oh and my computer power cord and my phone charger. And bills. I brought those, too. I just want it to arrive. They said it should arrive around 11am. The only problem? I have to do a training at noon. So I'll have to push it until after I get my luggage.
Luckily, when there was a problem with the rental car, Mike was helpful. This a picture of Mike. He works for National and Alamo. He's trying to save me money on the rental car. He's been working on it for over an hour. He says it's no big deal. That he has nothing better to do than to help a good looking woman from California. And he did! He did! I'm taking him out for a drink. After all, I don't have any luggage. I can't get ready for bed. And I'd rather spend money on a cocktail for someone who helped me than on a rental car. Although, I'm also going to have to spend money on a travel size shampoo and conditioner and a toothbrush and toothpaste and contact lens solution. But that's not bad. This is America, after all. I can get it all in the middle of the night. After a drink and with a random kind stranger. And I guess that's lucky. And so is the fact I just got paid.
Then panic set in. I screwed up. And I can't afford to screw up. I woke up at around 5:30 in the morning and called customer service. The customer service lady was actually nice and of service. After telling me that I should have made an attempt to get to the airport. That I would have then been on the first flight out in the morning. That the effort would have worked in my favor. She then said she couldn’t do anything for me on the phone and gave me the number of the Delta desk at the airport. I called the number for twenty minutes straight. But no one picked up. I set my alarm for 7am and went back to bed. At 7am, I spoke to a man named Messai who listened to my story then said he was the wrong person to talk to—but he said this other lady would help me. So I should call her back. I did. She said she couldn’t help me. But put me on the noon flight without reissuing the ticket. She said she couldn’t promise a thing. That it was up to the supervisors and my story telling skills. Me. And my story telling skills.
So what to do? Get it together, drive to the airport and try? It didn't seem likely. And a part of me just wanted to stay home. And wait for my check to arrive. To know if and when it did arrive. But the other part knew that if I didn't get on the plane than my next check will be insignificant. And I need money. I talked to Kelly. Talked to Caren. I couldn't make a decision. I honestly wanted someone else to make the decision. And they both said the same thing. You need the money. Go to the airport. I cannot wait for the day when I don't have to hear that phrase, "You need the money." That's right up there with, "You don't have the money." I know. I know I don't. I wish I didn't know. And sometimes I pretend like I don't. Hence the disasters. Which I oftentimes bring upon myself. I don't want to go and I make it happen. I think I need to make other things happen at home. Or in my career. Instead, I'm missing planes. Although I am trying. Really. And that's part of why I do want to miss planes... subconsciously. So I have time to do them. At home.
By missing my flight, I did manage to get my paycheck. And expense check. I didn't deposit it yet. Kelly's friend Jo Ann is doing it for me. But at least I saw it. That it arrived. And I signed it. Which was a major relief. And I got dropped off at the airport. Which was better than having to pay out of pocket for a cab. Especially when I already paid to change my flight. But I was lucky. They could have told me too bad. Told me to go home. They could have said I had to pay the fare difference. They could have said lots of things. Things other than, "No problem" and then putting me on a flight. But they didn't. I didn't even have to do a whole song and dance. The supervisor just did it. I love Delta right now.
Even if they didn't put my luggage on the flight. And that's where my coat is. And it's 40 degrees outside aka freezing. The flight from LAX to Atlanta was running late. Apparently the Atlanta to White Plains flight didn't know it was late and were paging me. I ran from the plane for the plane, but Atlanta is a big ass airport. There are shuttles and things. I had to go four stops. I got to the plane in time and asked about my luggage. They said it would be there, no problem. Well, there was a problem. Me and three other people didn't have our stuff. The bummer is I packed everything. I mean everything. You can't exactly promote a skincare line looking like a haggard make-up-less mess. Well, not if you actually want to sell anything. The suitcase contains everything I own for winter and (all of my makeup and skincare) and prescriptions and some of my writing and some of other people's writing-- oh and my computer power cord and my phone charger. And bills. I brought those, too. I just want it to arrive. They said it should arrive around 11am. The only problem? I have to do a training at noon. So I'll have to push it until after I get my luggage.
Luckily, when there was a problem with the rental car, Mike was helpful. This a picture of Mike. He works for National and Alamo. He's trying to save me money on the rental car. He's been working on it for over an hour. He says it's no big deal. That he has nothing better to do than to help a good looking woman from California. And he did! He did! I'm taking him out for a drink. After all, I don't have any luggage. I can't get ready for bed. And I'd rather spend money on a cocktail for someone who helped me than on a rental car. Although, I'm also going to have to spend money on a travel size shampoo and conditioner and a toothbrush and toothpaste and contact lens solution. But that's not bad. This is America, after all. I can get it all in the middle of the night. After a drink and with a random kind stranger. And I guess that's lucky. And so is the fact I just got paid.
posted by jodypwrites | 9:00 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home