Generosity - Thursday, June 26th

My flight on Wednesday was suppossed to take off at 6:30 PM. So on Tuesday, I ask my boss if I can work from home on Wednesday so I can put in my hours and avoid the back and forth - home, work, home, airport. And I give him this whole story about how I can't get my suitcases on the bus because they're so big - and it was legitimate. Not that I couldn't possibly have worked it out, but it seemed like so much unnecessary work. So after some eye-rolling and questions, he approves. And I was so productive in my day at home. I really don't know what I would have done without that day.

So I spend my day running between my computer, my suitcases and the bathroom in preperation for SuperShuttle's 3 PM arrival. I check my bags and am waiting for the plane by 4:30 PM. Such good timing. A wonderful start to my trip home.

At 5 PM, they announce that the flight may be cancelled - technical difficulties - please hold until 8 PM. 8 PM arrives and the flight will be taking off at 9:30 PM - cheers of joy. We board the plane at 9 PM and sit there for over an hour! None of the airline staff feel the need to tell us what the hell is going on. So the Vice President of the Dominican Republic (yes, he was on the plane), gets off. Followed by a dozen or so passengers. And finally, when they see this, the captain says the problem on the plane isn't fixed. We'd all have to exit the plane while they fixed it - it would take 2 hours. Pa que fue eso? The entire plane was in chaos - cursing, sucking of teeth and crying children.

So we do as we're told becuase what's a plane that doesn't work? And no one at the agent counter wants to speak to us. They are waving people off and rolling their eyes - as if it's our fault that at 10 o'clock (2 hours after we should have landed in DR), we were still in the same spot.

New announcement - the flight will be taking off at 11:40 pm from the other side of the airport. More uproar! And screams for food vouchers. Food vouchers can be found at the opposite gate. So we all trudge over to the other side of the airport - like sheep. Arriving at the other gate, more cries for food vouchers. Some requests for luggage to be removed from the plane and some people stomping off to take their cabs home. And another ticket agent who doesn't have the decency to treat exhausted people who have now been delayed almost six hours with some respect and answer their questions. (Yes, the arline has heard all about him.)

We are then told that food vouchers will not be given because it's too late - does that make any sense? I haven't had anything to eat since 2 PM when I left my house and because of you, I'm still in the airport, so the logicial thing is that I'm there too late to get food. As if I've watched all my possible flights fly away and chosen to remain at MIA - the coolest place on earth.

I mustered up $15 and bought a sandwich and a beer in the hopes that it would soothe my anger and make me sleepy. But there were so many mothers traveling alone with children. They'd had mutliple connections all day and NEEDED the food vouchers - it easily costs $10 to feed someonne at the airport - and if you've already bought 4 plane tickets and spent the day traveling, it's very possible that you just don't have $40 to spend on food.

Well a very generous passenger took it upon himself to buy out the cuban stand that was still open. He bought 50 sadwiches (yes, $500 in sandwiches) and had the (very rude and useless) airline clerk announce that food was available for any hungry children or families. I was amazed that after such a horrible day and such mistreatment, he was able to find the energy and generosity to fix it for so many of us.

It definitely gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling. And helped me refocus my mind from how angry and furstrated I was to the blessings:

- my boss did agree to let me work from home
- I was on my way to the Dominican Republic - despite my brokeness - to enjoy time with my family
- I had $15 to buy some food
- And when I finally did get to the airport at 3:45 am - my Dad was there bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to pick me up (other passengers were not so lucky)