winkers
<font color=blue>I was stuck in that position and
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2006
- Messages
- 9,078
I believe I managed to sit and wait for about 3.2 minutes,. Before I had to check out the terminal gift shops. I love a gift shop! I spent about 30 minutes walking around before heading to the burger king counter for a Dr. Pepper. Have I mentioned that I love dr. pepper ?
As Im standing in the short line I notice the guy at the register is having fun with the customers. Hes telling jokes and manages to get the guy in front of me to laugh ..and this dude looks like he hasnt cracked a smile since the 70s.
When its my turn to order he pointed to his name tag which read George and said Actually my name is really Amy. I just smiled and said you do look more like an Amy. I think I surprised him and was rewarded with at first a surprised look on his face which faded to a gigantic smile and belly laugh. Its so refreshing to see someone making the most out of their job and going out of their way to brighten someones day.
Back in my seat with the dr. pepper and its 1 hour till boarding. Im feeling jittery and Im not sure if its from nerves, excitement or the ridiculous amount of Dr. Pepper Ive had in the past 24 hours. Speaking of my drink of choice .do they even have it across the pond? Crap maybe I should have brought a suitcase full. Determined to savor every ounce of the sweet nectar, I relax and start to people watch.
I enjoy small town life in fact its all Ive ever known, but the one drawback is it lacks in diversity. So, I enjoy being in an area where theres a broader range. A group of Muslim women walk past and they are all wearing vibrant head scarves. They are very pretty and I think to myself, I could handle wearing one if it was that pretty. Plus never having a bad hair day?!....they may be on to something.
2 men in black suits , hats and with prayer shawls walk past. They look very sophisticated with the way their suits are cut and they carry themselves with a great amount of confidence . Ive always felt a little bit of kinship with these 2 religions. They wear outward signs of their spiritual commitments. I also wear religious garments to remind me of my spiritual covenants the main difference being that mine are worn under my clothes and not visible.
An Indian woman in a beautiful sari sits down near me and I cant keep from looking at her. She is beautiful ! Between the colors of her sari and her gold bangles on each arm she really is quite breathtaking. Again .I look down at my grey track suit and feel a little under dressed. If you took all of the people in the terminal and lined us up from lightest to darkest , we would cover the entire spectrum of skin color .mine being about 2 shades above albino, thanks to my freckles. From some of the news stories around the globe you would think that its impossible for this much diversity to exist in one space without their being violence .and yet, here we all sit ..Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu .and there is a kind of perfect peace. I love my country!
Snapping out of my its a small world music video playing in my head I realize that next to me sits a slightly nervous D.Jay. Ive forgotten that I have had a lot more experience flying than he has. So, to take his mind of the flight, I send him to make one last phone call to the kids before we leave . Once we leave well be communicating with a few text messages and skype. And how amazing is it that we can fly part way around the world and still see our kids?!?
Ok to be honest I sent him to make the call because if I do it, it will end with me bawling.
About 30 minutes to boarding and a guy sits down across from us. I have my travel bible a.k.a. Rick Steeves travel guides, on my lap. It has been by my side for about 6 months now and its well worn. Bright orange and green post it flags are sticking out like crazy. Im refreshing myself on how to get from Heathrow to the tube. They guy asks if were going to London and if its our first time. We spent the last part of our time chatting with him about London. He really seemed to enjoy sharing about the city he loves and I enjoyed his Scottish accent.
Its time to board and as we get in line a couple of ladies wedge themselves in front of D.Jay. Not really that big of a deal, until one of them lets out a stream of gas that could fuel a hummer for a week. I think he nearly passed out from the smell. The 2 little old ladies seem oblivious to the 100 or so people trying to get on the plane and slowly lead the pack to the plane. Lucky us, we get to follow the little gas factory onto and to the very back of the plane. D.Jay was ready for an oxygen mask by the time it was over. Just our luck we are in the last row and they are in the row in front of us. LOL! They stand in the aisle for what seems like an eternity before realizing that we needed by and moved so we could pass. If only shed let us pass earlier and not her gas.
This episode reminds me of a horse ride we took years ago. We took the kids to the coast and decided to ride horses on the beach. What could be more perfect? Well .D.Jays horse spent the hour with its nose up the tail of a pregnant horse who farted up and down the beach. I guess D.Jay has a special gift for picking the stinkers ..ok, I promise no more fart jokes for now.
.up next whats on my seat?!?
As Im standing in the short line I notice the guy at the register is having fun with the customers. Hes telling jokes and manages to get the guy in front of me to laugh ..and this dude looks like he hasnt cracked a smile since the 70s.
When its my turn to order he pointed to his name tag which read George and said Actually my name is really Amy. I just smiled and said you do look more like an Amy. I think I surprised him and was rewarded with at first a surprised look on his face which faded to a gigantic smile and belly laugh. Its so refreshing to see someone making the most out of their job and going out of their way to brighten someones day.
Back in my seat with the dr. pepper and its 1 hour till boarding. Im feeling jittery and Im not sure if its from nerves, excitement or the ridiculous amount of Dr. Pepper Ive had in the past 24 hours. Speaking of my drink of choice .do they even have it across the pond? Crap maybe I should have brought a suitcase full. Determined to savor every ounce of the sweet nectar, I relax and start to people watch.
I enjoy small town life in fact its all Ive ever known, but the one drawback is it lacks in diversity. So, I enjoy being in an area where theres a broader range. A group of Muslim women walk past and they are all wearing vibrant head scarves. They are very pretty and I think to myself, I could handle wearing one if it was that pretty. Plus never having a bad hair day?!....they may be on to something.
2 men in black suits , hats and with prayer shawls walk past. They look very sophisticated with the way their suits are cut and they carry themselves with a great amount of confidence . Ive always felt a little bit of kinship with these 2 religions. They wear outward signs of their spiritual commitments. I also wear religious garments to remind me of my spiritual covenants the main difference being that mine are worn under my clothes and not visible.
An Indian woman in a beautiful sari sits down near me and I cant keep from looking at her. She is beautiful ! Between the colors of her sari and her gold bangles on each arm she really is quite breathtaking. Again .I look down at my grey track suit and feel a little under dressed. If you took all of the people in the terminal and lined us up from lightest to darkest , we would cover the entire spectrum of skin color .mine being about 2 shades above albino, thanks to my freckles. From some of the news stories around the globe you would think that its impossible for this much diversity to exist in one space without their being violence .and yet, here we all sit ..Christian, Jew, Muslim, Hindu .and there is a kind of perfect peace. I love my country!
Snapping out of my its a small world music video playing in my head I realize that next to me sits a slightly nervous D.Jay. Ive forgotten that I have had a lot more experience flying than he has. So, to take his mind of the flight, I send him to make one last phone call to the kids before we leave . Once we leave well be communicating with a few text messages and skype. And how amazing is it that we can fly part way around the world and still see our kids?!?
Ok to be honest I sent him to make the call because if I do it, it will end with me bawling.
About 30 minutes to boarding and a guy sits down across from us. I have my travel bible a.k.a. Rick Steeves travel guides, on my lap. It has been by my side for about 6 months now and its well worn. Bright orange and green post it flags are sticking out like crazy. Im refreshing myself on how to get from Heathrow to the tube. They guy asks if were going to London and if its our first time. We spent the last part of our time chatting with him about London. He really seemed to enjoy sharing about the city he loves and I enjoyed his Scottish accent.
Its time to board and as we get in line a couple of ladies wedge themselves in front of D.Jay. Not really that big of a deal, until one of them lets out a stream of gas that could fuel a hummer for a week. I think he nearly passed out from the smell. The 2 little old ladies seem oblivious to the 100 or so people trying to get on the plane and slowly lead the pack to the plane. Lucky us, we get to follow the little gas factory onto and to the very back of the plane. D.Jay was ready for an oxygen mask by the time it was over. Just our luck we are in the last row and they are in the row in front of us. LOL! They stand in the aisle for what seems like an eternity before realizing that we needed by and moved so we could pass. If only shed let us pass earlier and not her gas.
This episode reminds me of a horse ride we took years ago. We took the kids to the coast and decided to ride horses on the beach. What could be more perfect? Well .D.Jays horse spent the hour with its nose up the tail of a pregnant horse who farted up and down the beach. I guess D.Jay has a special gift for picking the stinkers ..ok, I promise no more fart jokes for now.
.up next whats on my seat?!?
but. I digress..
Your thoughts about how lucky we are to have the diversity made me think. I think sometimes we take it all for granted. I always travel in a track suit, too. I think about what I've been taught by my image consultant friend, and then I think, "Naw - goin with the comfort!" 
Nice to see you've finally made it on the plane. 
