Travel Expectations

As I posted last Thursday, I knew that my outbound from Syracuse to Cleveland was delayed due to air traffic holds in Cleveland. Typically, when an airport has ATC holds, all flights are affected both coming and going, so despite the delay, I *should* have been able to catch my Cleveland to Austin leg if it was delayed as well. Just in case it wasn't affected, I asked the Syracuse people to also book me on a later Cleveland-Houston leg in addition.

Good thing I did that. Cleveland - Austin was one of maybe 4 flights that evening that got out of there on time. Without me. I got the text message that it had pushed back just as my plane was taxiing to its gate. As consolation for the connection leaving on time, my alternative to Houston was delayed by an extra 40 minutes; those 40 minutes should have been on the Austin flight so I could have caught it, dammit. And as totally expected, my checked bag was booked to Austin, and I was on my way to Houston. A sister from Continental tagged my record with the 'pax deviation', but chances of someone actually going down to the baggage room and grabbing the bag to put it on the Houston flight were slim. The Houston flight was uneventful, my bag was overnighting in Cleveland, and my one-way rental car was ready for me at 1:20am when I finally arrived at the rental car center.

Cue the 'Claire Fisher' driving scene somewhere between Brenham and Giddings; all that existed was me and the headlights lighting up the road, stripes flashing out of the blackness one after the other after the other after the other. Am I doing something worthwhile? Where do I want to live? Who are these people that I deal with? Curve. Where do I want to go next? Will my luggage make it to Austin tomorrow? What if I miss having a yard? Smells like skunk. Will people remember me? Will anyone come visit? Can I go to Germany for the weekend from Dallas? How powerful does that satellite have to be to send so much down for everyone? What the hell is the Lost-zilla?

The trance came and went as I went through the lolling hills in Washington, Bastrop, and finally Travis counties. It was a cool car - a Jeep Liberty - but a long drive of moderating the cruise control and keeping focus between the questions that don't really need answers, and the groovy dance music. At 4:15am Friday morning I was home, sans luggage, but the hottub and the bed were ready for me. The bag was waiting for me in Austin at noon on Friday, and some of the answers continue to wait.