fountain of great ideas, Kennedy, although we have no
intention of booking the cheapest trip available like you always do.”
“I’m really
pleased to see how well the two of you fit together,” I replied sincerely. “You’re
both glowing right now.”
“You and Linda
might find that it’s the same with you,” Lynne interjected. “I know that she
likes you and the potential is certainly there. I just hope that little weasel
Jeremy doesn’t spoil everything for you. He’s a complete waste of space.”
“I am looking
forward to seeing Linda again once her currently chaotic life is under control.
It must be difficult having a child who constantly disappoints.”
We changed the
topic and they showed me the two European river cruises that were the finalists
for their own proposed trip.
Both trips lasted
for seven days with short stays either before or after the cruise portion of
the tours.
“When would you
go?” I inquired.
“Lynne has a break
in her course coming up later this week, so we might even be able to get away
as early as Thursday,” Jim replied. “If we do decide to go while you’re in Las
Vegas, I’ll slip a note under your door telling you when we’ll be back.”
Since I had to get
up early the next morning, I left Jim’s condo just after nine-thirty.
Again I was a bit
jealous of the totally positive direction Corbett’s life had taken.
My own life looked
to be even lonelier than before since Jim was now fully occupied with his new
love interest.
CHAPTER
12 (Travel Glitch)
I woke with the
alarm at six o’clock, showered quickly, ate some cereal and toast, and climbed
into Little Chevy just after six-thirty.
It would take me
just over two hours to make it to the Syracuse airport, and my first flight was
scheduled to depart for Washington, D.C. at eleven o’clock.
The border
crossing into the USA at the Ivy Lea Bridge went smoothly and I parked the car
in the covered parking garage at the airport exactly at nine o’clock.
As I took a seat
in the departure gate area, it dawned on me that I was excited with the
prospect of seeing Las Vegas again. The severe disappointment arising from
Linda’s cancellation of our date had already subsided, and I no longer felt
envious about Corbett’s good luck. Instead I was entirely pleased about his
good fortune in hitting it off so famously with Lynne.
Being a seasoned
traveler, I had no luggage to check, my only bag being a smallish carry-on
sports bag.
The seats in the
waiting area gradually filled up as the time moved along.
Eventually the
lady at the airline desk announced that passengers could now board the flight.
There was a rush
as people scrambled up to secure a better spot in the line.
I remained sitting
until the line had dwindled to just half a dozen people and then took my place
at the end of the queue.
A moment later a
well-dressed man with a dark complexion made a bee-line down the corridor and breathlessly
took his place behind me.
I smiled and said,
“You cut that a bit short. Was traffic bad?”
“No, it was that distressing
security check. They’ve been grilling me for the past hour and a half. That’s
the disadvantage of being from Saudi Arabia in today’s security-frightened
America. It would have been more efficient if I had just rented a vehicle and
driven to Washington. You Americans have taken this terrorist obsession beyond
the realm of sanity.”
“I’m from Canada.
It’s cheaper and an easier drive for me to fly out of Syracuse rather than
depart from Ottawa or Toronto.”
“Did you have any
difficulty entering America or making your way through airport security?”
“No, it’s been
smooth sailing all the way so far.”
“That’s likely
because you’re the correct color. They claim not to profile the passengers but
it’s a rare day at any airport in this country when I’m not subjected to the
most intense of searches and interrogations.”
My turn in line
had arrived so I handed my
intention of booking the cheapest trip available like you always do.”
“I’m really
pleased to see how well the two of you fit together,” I replied sincerely. “You’re
both glowing right now.”
“You and Linda
might find that it’s the same with you,” Lynne interjected. “I know that she
likes you and the potential is certainly there. I just hope that little weasel
Jeremy doesn’t spoil everything for you. He’s a complete waste of space.”
“I am looking
forward to seeing Linda again once her currently chaotic life is under control.
It must be difficult having a child who constantly disappoints.”
We changed the
topic and they showed me the two European river cruises that were the finalists
for their own proposed trip.
Both trips lasted
for seven days with short stays either before or after the cruise portion of
the tours.
“When would you
go?” I inquired.
“Lynne has a break
in her course coming up later this week, so we might even be able to get away
as early as Thursday,” Jim replied. “If we do decide to go while you’re in Las
Vegas, I’ll slip a note under your door telling you when we’ll be back.”
Since I had to get
up early the next morning, I left Jim’s condo just after nine-thirty.
Again I was a bit
jealous of the totally positive direction Corbett’s life had taken.
My own life looked
to be even lonelier than before since Jim was now fully occupied with his new
love interest.
CHAPTER
12 (Travel Glitch)
I woke with the
alarm at six o’clock, showered quickly, ate some cereal and toast, and climbed
into Little Chevy just after six-thirty.
It would take me
just over two hours to make it to the Syracuse airport, and my first flight was
scheduled to depart for Washington, D.C. at eleven o’clock.
The border
crossing into the USA at the Ivy Lea Bridge went smoothly and I parked the car
in the covered parking garage at the airport exactly at nine o’clock.
As I took a seat
in the departure gate area, it dawned on me that I was excited with the
prospect of seeing Las Vegas again. The severe disappointment arising from
Linda’s cancellation of our date had already subsided, and I no longer felt
envious about Corbett’s good luck. Instead I was entirely pleased about his
good fortune in hitting it off so famously with Lynne.
Being a seasoned
traveler, I had no luggage to check, my only bag being a smallish carry-on
sports bag.
The seats in the
waiting area gradually filled up as the time moved along.
Eventually the
lady at the airline desk announced that passengers could now board the flight.
There was a rush
as people scrambled up to secure a better spot in the line.
I remained sitting
until the line had dwindled to just half a dozen people and then took my place
at the end of the queue.
A moment later a
well-dressed man with a dark complexion made a bee-line down the corridor and breathlessly
took his place behind me.
I smiled and said,
“You cut that a bit short. Was traffic bad?”
“No, it was that distressing
security check. They’ve been grilling me for the past hour and a half. That’s
the disadvantage of being from Saudi Arabia in today’s security-frightened
America. It would have been more efficient if I had just rented a vehicle and
driven to Washington. You Americans have taken this terrorist obsession beyond
the realm of sanity.”
“I’m from Canada.
It’s cheaper and an easier drive for me to fly out of Syracuse rather than
depart from Ottawa or Toronto.”
“Did you have any
difficulty entering America or making your way through airport security?”
“No, it’s been
smooth sailing all the way so far.”
“That’s likely
because you’re the correct color. They claim not to profile the passengers but
it’s a rare day at any airport in this country when I’m not subjected to the
most intense of searches and interrogations.”
My turn in line
had arrived so I handed my
Similar Books
