nebo will be back to continue the report on the dec. trip. but, in the meanwhile, back at Ohare airport in April......
we make it through the security check unscathed. I always expect to be "scathed" (is that a word? if you can be overwhelmed and underwhelmed, what is it like to be "whelmed"?)
the reason i expect trouble is 3 fold. 1) nebo is still, um, tipsy. 2) the lighting in there is horrible for those with low vision. 3) and this is the WORST, all the people behind you and all the TSA agents totally expect you to know exactly what to do, exactly when to do it, and if you look and act a mite confused (or dare ask a question), you get the eye roll at best, but most likely the suspicious eye.. the "what the heck is this guy trying to sneak in" eye. oh, or you can get the angry glare. but you had better know what you are doing, at all costs.
now, I need to help nebo out, cause he can't see anything very well. like, he can't see those foot prints on the floor in the scanner, or the marks on the side showing you how to stand. (yes, we could have gone over this ahead of time, but we both forgot all about this, and don't fly often. we were used to just walking through, not stopping and getting a view body exploratory invasion. at least we weren't carrying Verizon phones

) as you can tell, the 60's gal in me does NOT like Big Brother!
when you are helping someone with low vision out that does not carry a white cane it looks to everyone else like you are helping along an intoxcicated person. (which I kinda was, but that's not why I was helping him out. he couldn't see well. but no need to call attention to yourself, cause then they might think he is intoxicated. which he kinda was. but that wasn't why......... am I repeating myself?
but I do say "I need to help him, he doesn't see so well" to alleviate suspicion, and we get through without any major incidents, just a few eye rolls and maybe one glare from TSA and one from someone behind us.
now nebo wants to put his shoes on right then and there, while standing, and everyone is trying to push by. and drag him over to a bench, and as he is expressibng his displeasure at my dragging him out of the way, we hear "HEY GUYS!"
you ever look at someone and know that you know them, but not in this context, so you're not sure who they are, but they sure as heck know you? (did you know I am the master of run on sentances? Nebo does ellipses. I don't leave any room for an ellipse to get a word in edgewise!)
anyhoo, it's Alan, the nephew of Jeff and SHerry, who we haven't seen in a long time, but was Nebo's horse racing buddy. (no, Jeff and Nebo didn't race each other on horses. I don't want to even think about the carnage.. whoo boy

)
oh! speaking of dangling particlples and all that. I was babysitting Kaylee and Mason sunday. kaylee is 4 and we were choosing games from the closet (where they are kept). one at a time. we played one and she said, "I want to play the game in the closet" to which I replied "but I don't want to sit in the closet! it's too small and too dark!" the look on her little face!
but I digress. so we would see Alan at Jeff's christmas party every year. but he moved to colorado a few years ago. he is in town to see his parents and about to head home to colorado. haven't seen the guy in 4 years or so, moved out of state, and we run into him at Ohare. how odd. reminds me of my dad. worked with a guy for years, Ed. Ed changed jobs. they didn't see each other for about 8 years. still live about 15 miles apart only. where do they run into each other. one is going up and escalator, one down.. in TOKYO! both there on business.
so we do the obligatory "how is.." trying to think of everyon'es names. say our goodbyes. s e you later (um, probably not) and go on our way.
I ask nebo if he wants McDonalds, or coffee or anything. nope. you sure" yup. you sure? DON"T ASK AGAIN!
we find the gate that corresponds to the gate # on our boarding passes (printed out at home. ) now I did this. the whole booking fo the flight, everything.. and I was very nervous that I didn't do it right. Nebo is just much better at that stuff than I. example: I was SO close to booking our flight (once you hit that button, there is no turning back, no changing anything, etc etc) . one more quick doublecheck...

it says 7:30 PM, not AM!!!!!! ooh, close call
so we're sitting there andnotice that there are no kids in the area. can't be an Orlando flight., not Orlando...
so we find a gate that says Orlando. sit there. notice that the gate number is wrong. we go back to the gate number that matches. wonder what would have happend had we sat there at the wrong gate long enough to miss our flight. whew! then I see this plane will be going to Cleveland. I finally do what I should have done at the beginning.. go up and ask a CM (oops, I mean an airline employee) turns out we were just where we needed to be, they had changed the gate # of our flight since I printed out the boarding passes.
they cant' do that! don't they know we are easily confused? so back we go. whew dodge THAT bullet!

again... me: "see steve? it wasn't my fault after all .. anyone would make the same mistake!"
so we are sitting. we have plenty tim and I am reading my paper. and he is fidgeting. want some mcdonalds? NO!!!!! coffee? NO! ok,
more time passes. want coffe? anything? NO!
well, I'm going to find it and get some tea.
I come back in about 5 minutes. there is a place with tea,etc. right down the aisle.
"you didn't go to McDonalds?": "no there was a place with tea right here. I think the McDonalds is way down there. they had coffee.. want some?" NO! more time passes.
ok, they start boarding a half hour early. you want to get in line, cause there isn't always room for everyone's carryons. (carrions). there should be, but ther are always a few jerks with huge "carry ons", or those that put their coat, boarding bag, etc in the overhead, so there won't be enough room for everyone.
so it's about 10minutes till they start boarding. Nebo: "maybe I WILL go get an egg Mcmuffin or something. where is the McDonalds?"
me: AAAARRRGGGHHHH! " i think way down there. you'll have trouble finding it.. want me to go, I'll go."
him: "NO, I'll go." and off he goes. and in about 5 minutes, they start calling the boarding groups. and he isn't there. asmore and more people are getting on the plane, he is not here yet.
maybe he got lost? took a wrong turn, is wandering around the airport. will he get back in time? I ask some people who were eating Mickey D's a while ago "how far is that McDonalds? "WAY down there, about a block and a half, maybe 2. " OH NO! what do I do? maybe I could ask these people to watch the 2 carrions and the boarding bag while I go look for him.
now I am near tears. what if he doesn't come back in time? could we catch the next flight? when would that be? how much would it cost? I should just get on without him that would teach him. no. don't be silly, you know you're never going to do that. don't even think it. I'll bet he's lost. I'm not sure where the mcdonalds was. if you had to make a turn, maybe on the way back he went the wrong way and is walking further and further away as we speak!
go look for him.. I wander down a bit.. come back. venture down a bit further this time. go back to check the bags. wander again.. tears are now rolling down my cheeks. maybe he ducked in that bathroom there when I wasn't looking. but if I go ever there and start yelling his name, I might miss him if he walks past. plus there's a good chance of getting arrested!

can you have someone paged? how would you do that? ... ok calm down
he'll be here. count to 10 and turn that way and look and he'll be there. ok: LOOK! nope didn't work. he's not there. I didn't count long enough.. turn your head, count to 30 then turn and look hell be there. nope! Jesus, please help. you know he can't see good. give him a little push. maybe he lost track of time and is stiing there eating. god, push him out of the seat..now.
ok I could go on and on, but repaet the above paragraph about 10 times, heighten my anxiety level the same amount, and finally I see him walking towrds me. I don't know whether to hug him or knock his block off. his explanation?
well, that I DO have to leave to him to tell.