Part 1
I'm back here in Miami safe and sound...
I got back on Wednesday, and had to work 16 hours on Thursday....
Lucky Me....
It was Very, Very hard getting used to being back at work after having been home. Every time I have to come back here it feels like my heart is pulled from my chest and seared on a charcoal grill, then stuffed back inside me , smoking, and charred....
It's almost indescribable, the ache that comes from inside when I have to return here, leaving those precious, fragile people back there in the home of my youth. Hopefully it won't be long before I'm headed back there to live, and work, and relish whatever time God grants all of us to be together here on the earth..
The Flight home was sheer misery. That truly is the best description of the two American Airlines flights I had to endure from Ft Lauderdale to Ft Worth, and then from Ft worth to San Antonio..
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!! Could they possibly make Economy seats any more narrow, and cramped? Really??!! I swear to God in heaven that I have never seen an airline seat as close to my face as when the man in front of me reclined his "seat" after we were airborne.. The bloody thing was no farther than 10 inches from my face. There was ZERO chance of being able to lower the tray table, use a laptop, or do anything other than just scrunch in and fucking suffer for the entire flight. As I am a conscientious person, I hold my need to pee in check until we get to the destination to prevent all of my "seat mates" from having to practice "aircraft yoga" to let me out to pee..
Don't even get me started about the damned seat width.. I'll throw a clot if I go there. Lets just say that the airlines are rotten, lying, miserable profiteers. And I hope they all go the fuck under as soon as possible so we can get some hungry competitors that will actually make you feel human when flying again..
They can go fuck themselves.. We all suffer small seats, shitty customer service, and being treated like we're a bunch of Felons. And we're the ones paying for the damn flights!
I mean, come on! Look at first class and what the seats look like! Those are STANDARD width and leg room seats in the western world. They aren't anything special at all!! We've just been sold the bullshit by the airlines and accepted it..
Hey, wanna be in a larger seat? Just cough up a 1000% price mark up and it's yours pal! What a scam!
But I digress...
I arrived home and was picked up at the airport by my Mother and Father. My Dad is doing much better and was getting around rather well on a walker after his hip replacement surgery. It was still an emotional event to see the old boy in such a fragile state, but I simply joked about it, and did whatever I could to help. ( inside I was sad to see how much both of them had aged in the last year ) I realized just how much my mother had been doing once I saw the extent of his limitations.
Once we arrived at the house I stowed my luggage in my old room, ( which has been completely redecorated by my mother, go figure.. ) freshened up after spending 5 hours in an airborne cattle car, and we all sat and talked for a couple of hours before my brother and his wife showed up..
It was nice to catch up.. But it also made me realize just how far removed I was from their actual lives back home. I simply sat and nodded, and agreed with whatever they were saying most of the time. ( at least for the first day.. ) But, I have to say that it was nice to sit in the house and just inhale the familiar smells, see old pictures, and remember what it was like to live there among them. It was almost a sensory overload of sorts.. My mind drifted back in time, playing back memories of different things, events, and people. Almost like a stage play of ghosts in my mind..
The next day was the 50th anniversary party at my parents friend's house..
More on that tomorrow....
I got back on Wednesday, and had to work 16 hours on Thursday....
Lucky Me....
It was Very, Very hard getting used to being back at work after having been home. Every time I have to come back here it feels like my heart is pulled from my chest and seared on a charcoal grill, then stuffed back inside me , smoking, and charred....
It's almost indescribable, the ache that comes from inside when I have to return here, leaving those precious, fragile people back there in the home of my youth. Hopefully it won't be long before I'm headed back there to live, and work, and relish whatever time God grants all of us to be together here on the earth..
The Flight home was sheer misery. That truly is the best description of the two American Airlines flights I had to endure from Ft Lauderdale to Ft Worth, and then from Ft worth to San Antonio..
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!! Could they possibly make Economy seats any more narrow, and cramped? Really??!! I swear to God in heaven that I have never seen an airline seat as close to my face as when the man in front of me reclined his "seat" after we were airborne.. The bloody thing was no farther than 10 inches from my face. There was ZERO chance of being able to lower the tray table, use a laptop, or do anything other than just scrunch in and fucking suffer for the entire flight. As I am a conscientious person, I hold my need to pee in check until we get to the destination to prevent all of my "seat mates" from having to practice "aircraft yoga" to let me out to pee..
Don't even get me started about the damned seat width.. I'll throw a clot if I go there. Lets just say that the airlines are rotten, lying, miserable profiteers. And I hope they all go the fuck under as soon as possible so we can get some hungry competitors that will actually make you feel human when flying again..
They can go fuck themselves.. We all suffer small seats, shitty customer service, and being treated like we're a bunch of Felons. And we're the ones paying for the damn flights!
I mean, come on! Look at first class and what the seats look like! Those are STANDARD width and leg room seats in the western world. They aren't anything special at all!! We've just been sold the bullshit by the airlines and accepted it..
Hey, wanna be in a larger seat? Just cough up a 1000% price mark up and it's yours pal! What a scam!
But I digress...
I arrived home and was picked up at the airport by my Mother and Father. My Dad is doing much better and was getting around rather well on a walker after his hip replacement surgery. It was still an emotional event to see the old boy in such a fragile state, but I simply joked about it, and did whatever I could to help. ( inside I was sad to see how much both of them had aged in the last year ) I realized just how much my mother had been doing once I saw the extent of his limitations.
Once we arrived at the house I stowed my luggage in my old room, ( which has been completely redecorated by my mother, go figure.. ) freshened up after spending 5 hours in an airborne cattle car, and we all sat and talked for a couple of hours before my brother and his wife showed up..
It was nice to catch up.. But it also made me realize just how far removed I was from their actual lives back home. I simply sat and nodded, and agreed with whatever they were saying most of the time. ( at least for the first day.. ) But, I have to say that it was nice to sit in the house and just inhale the familiar smells, see old pictures, and remember what it was like to live there among them. It was almost a sensory overload of sorts.. My mind drifted back in time, playing back memories of different things, events, and people. Almost like a stage play of ghosts in my mind..
The next day was the 50th anniversary party at my parents friend's house..
More on that tomorrow....
Comments
Did I NOT say "bulkhead seats?" :) jajaja I am so sorry to hear about the flight. Ugh...what misery. I've got a looong one coming up in a month to South America, so I relate.
Home...yeah, the familiarity is welcoming. You mention an interesting point that I have pondered a lot this year with friends' parents declinations...and I have never felt more selfish in my entire life for thinking this, but at times I am thankful for the fact that my father died when he did so that we are not ever going to go through this with him...although God knows I miss him so...he was really too young.
I look forward to reading the rest of your experience. Rest well this weekend, and enjoy your warmth while we freeze up the coast from you a bit.
I never recline my seat because I do not have it in me to do that to the person sitting behind me. I know the seats are already terrible, but I think it would be an improvement if they couldn't recline. Or if the person in front of you decides to recline, you should get back half the price of your ticket, since half of your seat space was taken away from you. Actually, the recliner should have to pay half your ticket! They're the ones using your space!
Trips home would at least be a little easier if people didn't have to deal with that crap.