To Denver on a Jet Plane

I went to my friend Paul's wedding in Colorado this past weekend...

Thursday @ 4:30PM: I leave work at Glendale in order to hurry home, finish packing, and make it to the airport for my flight at 7:00PM.

Thursday @ 5:30PM: I arrive at the airport. There is a long line at ticketing counter. I wait in line; time ticks by.

Thursday @ 6:30PM: I finally make it to the front of the line. I'm flying standby, so I give the lady the buddy pass. She types several books-worth into her computer and says something about the employee (my father) needing to check-in to get the tickets. She says this ambiguously, so I'm not sure if she's telling me “tough luck”, or just an FYI for future reference. Nowhere on the buddy pass does it say that, so I think she just didn't know what she was talking about. She continues typing loads into her computer... and tells me I have to wear a collared shirt (which I'm not). Luckily I had one in my carry-on, so I changed real quick. Finally got my “ticket” and...

Thursday @ 6:40PM: Rush down the concourse to get to the gate and hope that the flight isn't booked or that not everyone made it to check-in (so I can actually get on the plane).

Thursday @ 6:50PM: My name is called, which means I was actually going to get on the plane. That's always a relief when flying standby. They pulled some of us at random for security checks and looked through our luggage. No biggie, I was happy I got on the flight. (This was a small 30 seater plane, so making it on standby is a feat usually)

Thursday @ 7:00PM: I'm seated on the plan, relaxing. I hear something in the back about double booked seats... 4 people in 2 seats. Hmm. Then the stewardess starts going around asking if there are any employees on board. While not an employee, the buddy pass essentially makes me one, as far as how my status on the flight is treated.. so I told them I had a buddy pass. I got this sinking feeling that I was going to get bumped off the flight. But alas! Apparently the check-in counter had mistakenly checked 2 people onto the 7PM flight instead of the 8PM flight (same destination). So those people happily got off the plane. *phew* I was actually going to make it to Chicago. From there, the connection flight to Denver would be easy, it had 60-some empty seats last I heard.

Thursday @ 10:30PM: In Chicago, I got onto my connecting flight to Denver with no problems. I slept most of the way to Denver since I was exhausted (I saw the midnight showing of Episode II the night prior; that's a topic for another post though)

Thursday @ 11:59PM: My plane lands in Denver, which has one of the world's coolest airports in my opinion. It's huge, and very nice looking inside. I ride the cool train thing to the terminal area, and as I am walking out I spot this guy...

“hmm, that kinda looks like Paul... but... is it? I haven't seen him in several years, but it doesn't quite look like him... hmm, he didn't recognize me as I walked by... I don't think it's him.”

Friday @ 12:30AM: I called Paul's number and his sister tells me he just left to pick me up. Woo hoo, he lives about an hour and a half away, so it looked like I had some time at the airport. I slept mostly.

Friday @ 1:45AM: I am pretty starving by now, so I start wandering around the airport. Then I see it, there is a Burger King open.. and glory of glories, they take Visa! (which is good since I didn't have cash on me). I wait in line, get up there, order what I want, he tells me the total, I hand him my card...

bk: “Sorry, cash only.”

my stomach: “But your sign says you take Visa.”

bk: “Sorry, wrong time of night.”

Everywhere you want to be, my butt! Blast you, Visa. I guess in Denver Visa goes to bed?? So that sucked big time.

Friday @ 1:55AM: As I leave BK rather upset and still hungry, I spotted Paul. And thankfully I definitely recognized him, unlike my not being sure about the imposter Paul earlier.

Friday @ some-unholy-hour AM: We arrive at Paul's house and he fixes me up a burrito. And there was much rejoicing (especially in my stomach). Since Paul had his fiance's family and friends staying at his house, we went over to his parent's house to spend the night. We finally got to bed and fell asleep at something around 3AM I'd guess.

more later... this is too long for one post.