Flying does become much easier when you have decent people helping you through it. I’ve had flights in the past that have been completely ruined by terrible customer service – but, so far this trip, I’ve had the opposite.
Alaska airlines not only allowed me to keep Strange in the cabin (they usually prefer planeside check for larger items as it’s a really small plane from YYJ to SEA), but actually helped me get her into the overhead bin (it’s not the weight, it’s the height! I’m really quite tiny heightwise and the overhead bins sometimes feel like they’re miles above my head). Security at both YYJ and SEA was a comparative breeze, with even the woman who had to double check Strange being super friendly and actually commenting on just how cool a guitar I had.
Also they all fell in love with my carry on. Of course, that could be because my carry on is a Racheal Hale design with a fuzzy white kitten sitting in a martini glass on the front…it tends to draw eyes, and “awwwww”s…and has been threatened with suitcase-nappings on several occasions.
So now, here I sit at the Seattle airport, having security a place with a counter and a plug in (my phone battery just doesn’t last long these days), as ready as I’ll ever been to board the long haul to Miami. It’s a red eye, but at least I was able to secure priority boarding, which means I’ll have a good chance at getting Strange into an overhead bin where she belongs, and once she’s there, they can’t make me check her.
Airports are such strange places, everyone here has a story, but at this particular point in their lives, every story is in transition. Everyone is either going somewhere or coming from somewhere. I can’t help but wonder where those stories are leading…
I’m really not good at this part. Not the flying part – it’s true that I may physch myself out for flying – but the leaving part. I’m not good at it on the other end either. It should get easier after all this time, but it never quite seems to…
But hey…ready or not…Cuba here I come