Many of you out there may just love flying around the country or overseas and for some of you, it doesn't bother you one little bit. I could only wish that this were a description of me. I've tried for years to conquer my fear of flying, but this is just one fear that I can't seem to shake, no matter how many Bible verses I quote while I am waiting for take-off, or while in the air when turbulence decides to play a little joke on me. You would think for as many times I've flown within the U.S. and to countries around the world that this just wouldn't be an issue, but it still is- and a BIG one at that! Yesterday began with my co-worker and I getting up at 4:30 am in Denver, to prepare for our "exciting" flight back to D.C. Now I will say, the only thing better than flying with someone who loves flying is flying with someone who hates flying just as much as you do, it's a great support system as you can only imagine. This was my story yesterday.
As we dropped off our rental car and approached the airport, that sickening feeling began in the pit of our stomachs and if only people could have seen us, I think our day at the airport might have been funny enough to be written as an episode of "Friends". Between two crazy females that hated flying to what would happen when we arrived in DC, it would have made for some funny entertainment on your living room coach.
Let me begin this story by saying that our airplane both going and coming had the strangest noise we had ever heard both right before taking off and right after landing, which is not what a nervous flying duo wants to hear right before take off. (of course we would later find out that several people had freaked out asked about it only to find out it was some sort of hydraulic system on the plane of this particular airline) Our flight yesterday was actually very smooth as far as flights go, and I only think we only had 1-2 moments where we had to squeeze the seats until our knuckles turned white or apply pressure points to relieve fear, which we had actually learned about during our conference.
It was what would happen when we landed that would make for a funny sitcom. We landed at Reagan International in DC, and after waiting forever for our suitcases (patiently of course) we headed off to the parking garage to get our car. Let me insert here that we forgot which level we parked on, but at least remembered the garage letter, so did finally find the car. When we hit the unlock button nothing happened. Within a few minutes we realized that the car battery was dead as we had left a light on- of course neither of us remember having a light on, but of course at this point- we were just tired and wanted to get home. Now we just had to figure out how to find someone to come jump the car.
After asking someone close by if they could jump our car, and realizing this wasn't going anywhere- we saw an "emergency post" with a big red sign that said "Press For Help". However, everything on it looked like it was for a fire or some large scale emergency so we hesitated to push the red button. (not sure about you, but pressing red buttons is usually not a good thing, so we opted not to at this point in the story)
We decided to go back into the airport only to find someone who actually sent us on a wild goose-chase (or rather police-chase actually- as that was who this staff person said we needed to find).
We went where we were told and were both running up and down an area outside (let me insert here that it was pouring rain and very cold outside- and we were both running on about 4-5 hours of sleep- not a pretty combination) where the police were supposed to be found for an emergency. (good thing there wasn't a unabomber around today)
After searching outside and on several floors for about a 1/2 hour, we went down one last time to one of the baggage areas and came across an airport staff lady who was quite hurried and when my co-worker tried to stop her to ask if she could help, we sort of got that " I really don't have time for you" attitude as she kept walking hurriedly away half acknowleding us. It was at this moment we realized why she didn't care about her job at that particular moment, as we hadn't noticed who was standing right beside us. We looked up and realized that Jesse Jackson was standing right beside us and everyone was snapping photos and taking video with their phones. (apparently he had been speaking at the Earth Day 2012 rally in Washington, I later found out) Neither of us had a desire to snap a photo , but you would have thought it was a movie star in the airport the way all of people were trying to get a photo. Don't get me wrong, had it been someone else I probably would have sneaked a quick photo.
At this point, we decided no one seemed to know anything in the airport, so we headed back to the parking garage to come up with "Plan B". By this point I'm sure you have already guessed where this is going-- yep, the RED BUTTON. We had no other choice, so regardless of the consequences, we decided to push the red button and brace ourselves for the outcome. The light on top of the column began flashing, but to our surprise, a lady's voice came through the box and asked what our emergency was. We chuckled, told her, and within 5 minutes a man showed up to jump our car. No firetrucks, ambulances, or alarms- just a sweet little man in an airport truck who had us on our way in about 2 minutes.
Lesson of the Day- when given an option, always push the RED button.
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