Mark & Diana

Hello Friends,

     This was my writing assignment for May in the Writer's Club I have been attending with my Mom.  It was supposed to be about two things that don't seem to be related, but are...

                                             Two Vacations?

     The last week of May in the year 2009, a large, assorted group of people happily boarded a cruise ship for the Caribbean. They were going to have three days and four nights of pure pleasure, enjoying the sea, the sunshine, the ship and the social life that only a cruise can provide. They enjoyed themselves beyond expectation! Their tummies were full, their skin was tanned (perhaps a bit sunburned), and they felt so relaxed and refreshed and ready to go back to their jobs and/or their "normal" lives with happy faces and a positive outlook!

     They disembarked from their palace-like ship and boarded a bus taking them to the Tampa airport for their diverse and sundry flights home. Once at the airport, at least one hundred of the passengers had flights on Southwest Airlines ~ and the line was five "wrap-around" rows deep inside at the counter, and a line about a city block long outside at that counter. But never mind ~ they are in such a happy mood, this just gives them more time to laugh and talk together about the joys of their luxurious vacation - some of them had four hours to wait before their flights!

     The last Thursday of May, in the year 2009, a very excited lady was preparing to fly from Tampa to St. Louis, to meet up with two very dear friends, who had planned this weekend for several months, and were anxiously looking forward to four days of scrapbooking together ~ their favorite hobby. The lady in question's husband was driving her to the airport to catch her 10:15 a.m. flight on Southwest Airlines. However, he had an 8:30 a.m. meeting that he must attend. She, nevertheless, determined to keep a bright, sunny smile on her face and told her husband she was sure the schedule would work if he would make it work. He assured her he would make it work. He was back in the car @ 8:50 a.m. and they were on their way to the airport; but there was one thing he hadn't taken into consideration ~ rush hour traffic. They exited off the interstate and took several side streets to try to get this now very frustrated lady to the airport by 9:45 a.m., which was cutting it rather close, since she had to check two bags and get through security ~ and they usually begin boarding flights 30 minutes before departure time.

     Disaster seemed to be her fate, as she entered the terminal and saw a humongous line of passengers at the Southwest check-in desk. She asked a Southwest agent who was walking past the outside row of people, if he thought she would be able to make her 10:15 a.m. flight. This knowledgeable young man looked at the clock on the wall, which read 9:55 a.m., and said, "Hmmm ~ it's gonna be close! However, I cannot let you cut in front ~ the only way you can get further up in the line is ask people if they mind letting you in." Her heart sank. She just knew she was going to miss her flight and have to wait for the next one, messing up her friends' schedules as well. The passenger who was ahead of her took it upon herself to get the attention of another passenger up in the first line of the wrap-around crowd, and asked if they would mind letting this lady in so she could make her 10:15 a.m. flight.   They parted the "sea" and let her walk through the multitude of people to the front of the line.

     The agent at the counter said she could not guarantee that her luggage would arrive on the same flight with her, as she was checking in late, but it would definitely be on the next flight into St. Louis. Another thing to worry about, as she dashed from the counter, up the stairs, onto the tram, through the security check, and finally to her gate and onto the plane ~ with just about two minutes to spare! In St. Louis, her bags DID arrive with her, and her friends were there to greet her!

     The moral of this story is: Do not plan air travel on the same day a cruise departs or returns.

     Until next blog....  Mark 'n Di