Departure
The Ox cart came to a rocky stop and the nice farmer motioned that we had arrived at our destination. What a lovely view of the mountain from here.
That’s funny… that dog sure looks like my dog Popepi… hey... it sounds like Popepi … wait a minute…it IS her…
and that’s my alarm clock over there and its says 5:53AM….
OHHHHHH SH!%...
That was a dream and WE’RE LATE!!!!!!!!!“Illy, get up, the alarm didn't go off and were late!”
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah… you pulled that one in Spain, it won’t work here in China. I'm catching 10 more minutes.”
“NO…Seriously…We’re not in China Yet… the alarm didn't work and we have 5 minutes to get to the airport…now move it!”
I said as I yanked the covers off the still slumbering and now very cranky Dragon Lady.
Thank God the dog woke me up for her 6AM romp that she normally gets when Illy is getting ready for work and we are now scrambling.
“No time for make up…just swish with mouthwash, you can brush when we get to Newark.”
“No Teeth Brushed…. no makeup? Do you want me to scare half the airport?” She whimpers.
“No time for that… give me the bag full of lotions for security check… That’s a good girl.” She is now beginning to function more smoothly.
“Henry, Grab that bag for the car and here… take the camera case… don’t drop that film on top”
“Chucky… where’s my Passport, I can’t find my ID… do you have my phone?”
“Your phone is in the office, the passport in my trip folder and your ID is still in you purse, now get a move on.”
I shut down the laptop… no return mail from Bassman… hmmm… is he meeting us in Newark for coffee between flights? Not sure how he’s gonna navigate security since we'll be at the other end of the concourse.
A quick shove of all the toiletries and stuff into the carryon bag, one last look in the office, grab a bottle of water for Illy and head to the car.
“Henry, get in the Left lane… no all the way over… that’s it.”
“Chuck, I know how to get there… CHILL!!! We’ll get there in time.”
As visions of long lines at check in… [we can’t do it curbside as we have to go inside for passport and visa checks], and even longer lines at security race through my mind, he swerves around a BIG MUTHA truck to exit at Griffin road for the back door entrance to the terminal.
“Here… left here…damn lousy signs.”
I Got it Chuck… CHILL!”
“No… the Up ramp… terminal 1… at the end… Continental… there….behind the truck.”
"I Got it…. Just CHILLLLL Chuck!”
I jump from the car as he rolls to a stop, pull the bags from the trunk, toss the camera case and pillows at Illy, yank the carryon from the back seat, blow kisses to Henry and race off to check in.
“Oh Blessed Day!”…. The lines are short and the nice lady after spotting our harried faces takes us under her wing, right to a kiosk and check in is quick, she even prints boarding passes for China and were off to find Gate C2.
Now to security… I have visions of Spain 2002 where the lines caused us to get separated and she set off all the alarms, got confused and left the camera and passports on the x-ray belt which we didn't notice till we were half way to the gate and I had to do the OJ impression running back to retrieve it, but low and behold…NO LINES!
Sooooo… I duck under the straps only to be sent back by the curt security lady,
”You can’t duck under straps… you must walk around.”
Who is she kidding… there’s no one here… ok…ok…zig…zag….zig….zag….ZIG…and ZAG….Sheeessshh.
“Yes maaam… that’s me on the passport… I was younger then… all this zig-zaging aged me.”
“What?” She scowled.
“Nothing maaam… yes its very early for sarcasm… No the passport has not expired… see… it says April 2008…yes maammm…. Thank you Maam.” [WITCH!]
The Dragon Lady keeps track of her stuff this time and remembers to take off all the bangles before she sets off all the alarms again.
Now they want all the film out of the case before the film check so I hold up the now lengthening line to unpack all the film that I had so neatly numbered and ordered, throw the laptop in the tub with the phone, shoes, money clip, blue tooth, first born and a partridge in a pear tree…[oooops wrong song] and stumble barefoot through the magic arch without incident. Now re-stuff the carryon, jam the film, now out of sequence, back in the case… I’ll sort it in Newark, and were off to the gate.
To our good fortune… Gate C2 was right off security instead of ALLLLLL the WAAAYYYYY at the end like all of our other flights.
“Hurry Chucky… there already boarding!”
“Got it Dear… here take the pillows,,, I’ll get the camera and carryon, lets book!”
Boarding went smoothly except for the Canadian couple with the 4 bratty kids who had to swap seats three times before we could settle in and…on to Newark for the first leg of what will surely be the SAGA of A LIFETIME … ”CHINA 2007” or as the Dragon Lady has taken to calling it… “Chucky Does China”.
Yes Dear hearts…I told ya in the last note there would be chaos, confusion and drama by the time we got on the plane but….The Wacky American Tourist and the ever lovely, if not verklempt Dragon Lady are:
OFF TO CHINA!!!!!
再见朋友
Zài Jiàn Péng-You
Chuck and the now completely awake and excited
Dragon Lady.
