Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Notes from the Road #54

Scene: On the phone with H one night. I sit cross-legged on the bed, watching the black beetles crawl into my hotel room from the great outdoors. How many will infiltrate my premises tonight?

V: I had to deal with Border Patrol today. The line was short but it took forever. Then they get to me and I have my ID out. I'm ready to answer any and all questions about live plants or contraband oranges I might carrying across the Texas/New Mexico border. It's not like I'm hiding anything inside the rental car doors or what have you. All the guy asked was this, "Are you a US citizen?" I replied, "Yes." "OK, you can go." He said.

I guess a blond girl in a black mustang, well, you just don't get anymore American than that now do you?

In my frequent travels this week (six states in less than 12 hours!) I began to notice something. Airports have some strange carpet. It's not all industrial blue or grey anymore. El Paso has green and blue lizards. Whereas Phoenix has red and beige airplanes going in swirls. It's quite fascinating. I'm thinking of doing a whole photo collage on it. It will be called, "Being brain dead while in the airport."

As I sit in my seat waiting for my flight to take off I hear the man next to me say in an angry hiss, "Don't be late! Don't make me hate you like I did last time! I will fight you!" It sounds so completely ridiculous I can't help but snort. He glares at me and I smile. Does he even know how cartoonish he sounds? I really do want to see this man fight someone.

Finally, we touched down in DC. It's been a long night but not a bad one. I've driven almost two hours from one state to the next. I've boarded three planes and now at last I am on home soil. I am overjoyed to know that a shower is in my near future.

As I walk towards the baggage claim a man cuts across my path. He is terribly familiar and instantly I yelp. He quickly looks back at me and then keeps walking. "Yes, it is him! I knew it!" I try to get a closer look but he eludes me. I give up and decide to call for my ride. A minute goes by as I am put on hold and "Whoa!" There he is again. I decide to get up the nerve and say, "Excuse me, sir? Are you from Rhode Island?" He looks back, as he is just about to exit the airport and says, "Why yes, I am. Are you?" I think my smile might break my face and I say, "Yes! And I know who you are! You are Patrick Kennedy!" I then become a smiling faced freak who spills forth sentences that include things like, "I had pictures of you on my wall in college to remind me of home!" Gah! What was I thinking?! Am complete blathering idiot.

We briefly discuss what H and I are doing down here now that we have made the DC Metro area our home. What I think of Rhode Island and it's economy and employment rates and he agrees with me and offers some of his thoughts as well. We talk a bit more and I feel bad for holding him there. I'm like a tween meeting a Jonas Brother or something. I wrap it up by telling him it was "nice to meet him!" and he is on his way. I hold off as I realize we are going to the same car service station and I don't need to act anymore fangirrl crazy today.

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous5:01 PM

    My husband's been on a plane with Dolly Parton; I've walked by country music singer, Charlie Pride, and stood elbow to elbow with Naomi Judd. I'm reduced to whispering and nudgine. I'm not proud of myself! However, you were lucky; you got to see a youthful crush! How exciting!

    ReplyDelete

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