A Personal Best

[Imani]

Please scroll down and play while reading LOL!

 

My flight from LA to Vancouver was delayed, and as a result I had 25 minutes to get off the plane, get through customs.................

go thru security, find the Air Canada terminal, get my boarding pass, then run from the international to the domestic area of the airport.

A daunting task and I never thought I would make it!

it was the last flight out till morning and I faced a night sleeping in the airport.

I thought I would just have fun with it, give it a try and see if it would be my personal best, for I have had to run to catch flights before.

But never in I such a short time!

The flight attendant understood my plight and she called me to the front of the line to disembark, she said, "I'll give you a running start ahead of the others"

I stood poised to run as we waited for the ok to open the door, I felt like Seabiscuit ready to dash from the starting gate. Finally the door was opened....

I ran like the wind, and when I came to customs I went right to a staff and asked if she could put me to the front of the 100 people waiting, I had a flight in just 21 min.

She did

Then I found Air Canada and it was almost empty, one attendant said I had to go to the "other" air Canada desk way down the hallway, to the left and all the way at the end.

I was out of breath from running, she told me that it was too late to get a boarding pass, however she'd call and see if they would let her make an exception

i said, "good, I wouldn't want this stroke I'm about to have go for nothing"

They gave her permission and told me to "Run!!"

So I did, i had security to go thru next and I kept going ahead in line, undressing of my sweater and shoes, as i went and taking of my earrings and rings while murmuring things like,... "excuse me, do you mind if I go ahead? my flight leaves in 15 min.......

and "thank you so much", not waiting for an answer, i took off anything metal that would make the alarm go off as I sprinted to the front,

The guy X-raying everything opened my handbag and saw my stash of sage, (oops forgot to tuck that away more), he looked at me saying.."and what is this?"

I quicky explained it was my sage for smudge.." no, really, honest!" I told him with my most earnest I'm telling the truth face..." umm my plane leaves in 5 min. could I be going now?". Thinking, aw come on this is Canada! He pointed to the door and said.. go!

I went

On the last leg of the race, two other guys joined me, they were running hard, but I kept up AND pulled a bag along.

One guy veered off, now it was just me and Chin Lu, neck and neck.... he was about 6'1" and I was right behind him.

We came to our gate and no one was there .I swear, you could hear a coyote in the background howling at the moon...Chin Lu said, "what now"

So I said , "let's just open the door to the tunnel and go in,"  He reminded me it would set off an alarm. The pirate in me told me to go for it...... I did,

The alarm went off and Chin Lu looked ready to run again, in the direction away from me lol

An attended came running, saw it was me (she had been told I was sprinting my way there),  let us on board and we made our flight just as they were going to close the door.

My personal best.... had 25 min on the clock, I did it in 24..... whew

I had done it, my personal best

I can't wait to travel again

 

[Debbie]

wow ;}

[Imani]

lol yeah!

[2i3zz31iz74ww]

This is downright inspirational !!!! LOL  The William Tell Overture is PERFECT. What a fun piece of writing. Thanks for posting.  marK