Why a day later, you ask? Well, even if you didn’t ask, I’ll tell.
*Music plays*
…without singing, even.
*Music Stops*
The truth is, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and I go way back. Waaaaaaay back.
My first experience with O’Hare was not actually with the airport, but rather its namesake.
The O’Hare I knew was Edward "Butch" O’Hare, a WWII fighter pilot (and Medal of Honor winner).===>
It turns out that I was a bit of a nerd as a kid (not that much has changed, really) and some of my heroes (second only to John Elway) were American WWII fighter pilots like O’Hare, "Jimmy" Thach (of Thach Weave fame), and Pappy Boyington, first of the American Volunteer Squadron in China (Flying Tigers) and later of the Black Sheep squadron in the Pacific.
<==Boyington was probably my favorite, for a number of reasons. First, I was very interested in the Flying Tigers, since they were flying crappy old P-40 Warhawks before the US entered the war, and somewhat keeping up with the vastly superior Japanese fighters. Boyington was also cool because he coped with high-g turns by tensing the muscles in his neck (fighting physics with force of will). 
Next, the Black Sheep!! (Who probably shouldn’t be judged by the TERRIBLE 70’s TV show, "Baa Baa Black Sheep", which, in my limited viewing experience, focused more on tight fitting uniforms and sappy 70’s comedy than, you know, dog fighting and such. Note that Robert Conrad doesn't really look like Pappy...as much, or at all.)
They flew my FAVORITE fighter, the Chance-Vought F4-U Corsair.
Yes, and many delightful hours of Aces of the Pacific on my old IBM 386. Gooooood times.But I digress.
My ACTUAL history with O’Hare is more, you know, airport related. The only travel issues I’ve had have always been in someway related, like the time we sat on the plane for FOUR hours in Denver because thunderstorms were FORECAST around Chicago (skies were clear, as I recall). Also, the only time a flight has been cancelled (like, completely, totally, entirely wiped from the face of reality) was when Delta decided to cancel my flight from Salt Lake to Chicago for unknown reasons (though that might just be because they suck).
But this one was good. I was flying from Charlotte to Denver, no stop in Chicago, nothing. Except…oh yes…the plane was COMING from Chicago. And I’m told that there was a delay…because the roof was leaking. Oh yes. So, at first it wasn’t an issue, since I had a 2 hour layover in Denver. Of course, according to the surly woman behind the counter, it didn’t matter, and she didn’t know if it would work, so she tossed my bag check tag aside and walked away to help someone else, leaving me standing there looking like an ass for about 5 minutes.
That was cool.
Then the guy came over and helped me out, and said I was still okay. Cool, bag checked, things are good. Grabbed a sandwich, and hung around. THEN, the flight gets delayed again, screwing me totally. So, I was faced with the choice of getting to Denver and sleeping at DIA, or going home to my apartment, sleeping in my own bed, and flying out in the morning then getting to GJ at about the same time.
Tough one.
Anyway, I didn’t mind that much. I’m on vacation. The only time it got dodgy was when the line for the counter curved around a bit, meaning it was forming at a right angle behind me. Suddenly, this dip shit turns around and says… "You know, the end of the line is over there." I’ve been standing behind this guy for 10 minutes, which I tell him. Fortunately, one of the people behind me said that I had been there, and it was okay. But the guy gives me a look and doesn’t say anything. Now, usually, no matter what kind of mood I’m in, I won’t lash out at someone or raise my voice and use profanity (with people I don’t know, that is). I like to be civil. Seriously. But I was this close to letting fly at this guy. He had his wrangler jeans and boots and leather briefcase…so he’s one of THOSE assholes, some self-important prick from Greeley. It would have been…bad. Still, things were fine, the lady was nice, and set me up with a flight in the morning.
Of course, my checked bag…that was something else…better finish this later.
2 comments:
Boyington looks like the kind of fellow who might be tensing the muscles in his neck against any sort of adversity anyway. He kinda looks like a human version of a bulldog.
I mean that only in the most positive, admiring, I love that you're so interested in WWII era fighter pilots sort of way, of course
Yeah...I always sort of hoped he had a vein in his forehead that pulsated when he was angry...like me!
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