Today is the day that I fly away. The day I return back to Iowa… Again. I’ve never written about it before, but that’s because I travel so often that there isn’t always a maJor story to tell. But we’ll start this one back in the morning.
I work up around 11am, I needed to be well rested for the night ahead of me. Everything I did was a “last”. I mean, sure I’d come back and do these things again someday, but I knew I was leaving so it emits this feeling of finishing. This is the last time I’ll brush my teeth in this house, the last time I’ll wash my face, cook a meal, watch a show, all the way until I lock the door. For this Journey, I’m only planning to be away for around 2 months, but you know how I get. I could easily end up in New York, London, or even Just staying in Iowa for longer. Maybe I’ll only return for 2 weeks, nobody really knows. But I guess that’s the beauty of it.
I knew I was going to need a ride to the airport. Have you checked on parking costs there? It’s ridiculous! I decided to ask the one person I actually know in Jacksonville. Well, know more than the rest. Her name is Asia, or Antarctica, or as of recent, Lewis… From what I can tell Asia is her real name, but she has so many names tags who could know for sure. I asked her for a ride and was willing, but her car was in the shop, and from what I can tell, those don’t drive too well. I was brainstorming until Friday (3 days before my flight) until I remembered! Aavery. Aavery, cool spelling, eh? Was a girl I had met in Ft. Lauderdale a few weeks ago. We met on a street corner, and no. Get your head out of the gutter. We were both on our way to the 7/11. Outside of the station, a man asked me for some money, but I don’t ever carry cash, so I couldn’t assist. Aavery, however, did help him out. He didn’t ask her for money, he asked her for a drink, a soda. She agreed and proceeded inside. At this point, we had talked for a little while and I was starting to get to know her. She gave this man a soda, who by the way INSISTED on showing us this card that read he had diabetes. Congrats, man. That’s not fun. Yet, we already gave you the soda, so why do you care if we think you have diabetes? Moot point. We started heading back. On our return trip, we actually had a decent conversation, got to know each other with real questions. Something I hadn’t had in a while. We returned to our destination and I never saw her again.
Back to today. I need a ride and don’t know anyone. I spent so much time building my business and teaching Entrepreneurs, I didn’t really make time for a social life. I was out of options. I didn’t know anyone else. I was at my end and her name came to mind. It’s worth a shot, I told myself. Audible in fact. Keep in mind I’ve been living in this house alone for over a month now, talking to myself is a standard practice. I texted her and within a few minutes, she agreed. I was relieved.
Moment of truth, the minutes count down, the fused shut off and all my stuff is packed. I sit on my doorstep and wait.
Okay, so I didn’t “sit” on my doorstep. I’m wearing a suit and those steps are dirty, they live outside after all!
I see headlights in distance, very, very slow moving headlights. I walk out to the middle of the street and wave my arms about. They speed up and I return to my bags. As I’m loading the bags into the car I notice she brought a friend. Yay! New friends! Also, smart. This is Jacksonville and its 9:20pm. You shouldn’t be alone anyway. I hop in and we’re on our way! We made small talk on the ride up. Her, Sarah (With and “H”, apparently Siri doesn’t understand this) and me. It was a fairly short drive, or so it felt. I walked in and the TSA are closed. No more flights until tomorrow. So here I am. 10:15pm, flight in 7.5 hours, and sitting telling the world of my day. I’ve never had Starbucks before, but it’s the only thing open, and I’m going to keep coffee if I’m planning to stay up until 6:35am. Only black, though. None of that liquid donut crap!
I decided to use the bathroom, I mean, not much else to do at this point. As I am about to leave the Janitor comes in glares at me, leaves his cart directly in the way of the exit, and walks off. So pushed his cart over and shimmied myself, my backpack and my suitcase past the cart. It was wet and some of it got on my suit. Jerk. Yes, I understand you want to clean this right now to stay on your oh-so-precious schedule, but I was Just walking out. You didn’t have to put your crap in my way.
Today is the day. The first time I will ever have a Starbucks coffee. I’ve done it or at least started it. I purchased a medium black coffee, but it’s too hot and I haven’t tried it yet. Hopefully, it’ll cool down soon. I’ve been curious as to what all this hype is about! It’s not too bad. I mean, it doesn’t live to the hype, but I guess I didn’t get one of those “fancy” drinks. That could be why. I feel so business, though. Typing up a document at the airport in a full suit. Sipping on my Starbucks as I check on my investments. Settling an online claim next to my little suitcase as if I own this place. Today I play the role of a “Business Man.” With every stereotype possible! I own a red tie, but I’ve only every worn it once a few years ago at my DJ gig. Today is round two, I totally forgot I even had this thing, but it looks business like. I kept one of my favourite ties nearby, though, in case I want to switch them.
I’ve returned to a cushioned seat that can overview this whole area. It got me thinking. This is a magical place. This is the place where people meet again after a week, months or even years apart! Where the survivors of military tours return to their families. Where random strangers meet for the first time and end up getting married in a few years. So many things happen in this very area, and I literally have a front row seat. They hug with such power, the kiss with such passion. This area is the birthplace of Love once again. They say “Distance makes the heart grow fonder”, I have my own opinions on this, but this area is a place that displays that perfectly! “Marriage is falling in Love with the same person over and over again.” Seeing each other after all that time away. The business meeting, the family emergency, or even the pilots on their off days. They all return in this very area, meeting back with their friends, family and Lovers. The airport has always been my favourite place to “people watch”, but now I know even more to that detail. It’s this area that is best for watching. Every square inch of this open-concept room has a story, in fact, they have so many stories! Oh if walls could talk, this room would make the best to listen too. So many people travel through this room every day. So many people come to meet these people in this room. It’s all here, it’s all now. I can feel the passion and power that has been here. It’s one of my new favourite places.
Though this is a weird one. There are 18 neon green rocking chairs in the center facing the hall where the arrivals come out. It makes waiting like a little game. Eases the nerves before another life-long memory. All right here. I Love it.
You know, the world quit writing personal letters. Why is this? I Just finished a 3-page letter and it was so much! I understand that some people don’t like writing, and that’s fine. But nearly all the natural born writers have switched over Facebook or e-mail. I understand that they are faster to write, send and receive. But they will never have the same effect as a handwritten letter. If you want to win me over, an e-mail won’t do much. You can write the best e-mail in the world, but a simple hand written letter will have so much more of an effect on me. Pro-tip works for most women as well. Don’t go writing Love letters to girls you Just met, but if you can spot the signs of a writer, a letter will sweep her off her feet. They have an impact that nothing else can. It shows a personal touch and proves that you do care as you spent the time to not only write you, but to actually write it out by hand, address it, pay for postage, and give them a physical proof of it all. Letters are also similar to magic. Play your cards right and you’ll with the Jackpot, Jpot? Can that be a thing? With a simple letter. Even a single page can do more than 1,000 in Word. Trust me, it’s been tested and proven by me several times.
It’s 4:26am and I am now sitting at my gate, the flight is on time and life is good! TSA was actually a fun experience this time! “What?! That’s possible?!” Yes, apparently it is. I arrived to be the 7th person in line for security today. For the lack of people, it was a lot faster than usual. Or it would have been had I not been bad-searched. “Isn’t that a bad thing?” Usually, yes. But not today! This lady was hilarious! She started off her pitch this way. She grabbed my flagged back off the special rack and walked over to be. Looked me dead in the eye and apologized for the inconvenience. I’ve only ever been apologized to by TSA one other time. It was the time I tried to bring peanut butter on the plane. It wasn’t opened yet, but I brought a spoon so I would have a happy plane ride. Sadly, it’s considered a paste so he had to throw it away. He Joked around with it, though. “Are you sure you don’t want to skip your flight and go eat this peanut butter? It does look really good!” We had a good laugh that day. But this was the second time TSA was good. She found my wedding rings, my Zumba belts, and my apple. These three items can and have been turned to create a laughing atmosphere. It wasn’t Just us laughing either. We had a few people laughing in on it too. TSA needs more of her working in airports. Maybe they’re always like this, I Just always fly later in the evening after their hard day and work and they’re tired. Regardless, this was a good time. I’m really liking this trip so far!
I decided to watch the movie 21. The reason? It’s the only good movie I have downloaded on my PC. It’s a good movie and I got about half way through when an announcement came onto the speakers. As I paused the movie and looked up I noticed I was no longer alone. There are people everywhere. When I started the movie I could count everyone in eyesight on 1 hand. Now I can’t count the people at all. Are this many people honestly here for these early flights? Seriously, morning people… Plus side, a cute girl sat down across the way, but she is with a guy, fairly certain it’s her brother as they came with 2 adults, but I could be wrong. Regardless it’s moot point. If I talk to her and the guy is her boyfriend, I strike out. If he is her brother that means the older folks are the parents, which also tends to cause a strike out. I’ve pulled it off before, but it’s a lot harder. Anyway, I’m going to go use the loo.
Very interesting. They do not have sinks in there. That is not to say that you can’t wash your hands, there is simply nothing to catch the water. It is all connected. 5 sinks, on a slanted piece of marble. Splash the water and it goes everywhere, but buy its normal course it’s going through a crack in the back, never to be seen again. Interesting design, I’ve never seen one quite like it. It would even be efficient if they have a higher sensitivity on their motion-detection faucets. I Just walked back and forth through the 5 sinks until one of them came on. Started washing and the soaps are the same way. I got the weirdest look as I trotted around the from sink to sink, but I got my hands washed! Which FYI, not a common practice for most people traveling. I guess it’s too much work to rub your hands together. You’re disgusting. This is why I don’t shake hands in airports.
That was awesome! I was planning to listen to an audiobook I had downloaded for that flight, but I sat next to the most interesting person. Her name was Erin, a 34-year-old, recently divorced single mother to 8-year-old twin boys! The boys were also on the flight, but they were across the row, so I didn’t talk to them much. I did, however, talk with Erin. It started simple, I was sitting on part of her seatbelt. I “pardoned” and she said it was okay. But then we started talking about our destinations. Where we were going and why. I told her about what I do. She told me about her kids and how they’re going to Michigan like they do once every year to visit family. Suddenly conversation was intense. Her recent ex-husband is a drunk with anger management issues. She lives in Florida and he moved to Arizona. She started going to Al Anon, and really started getting her life back in order. Started respecting herself again. Being happier every day. She had a really interesting story, and since we were never going to see each other again, she opened up like we grew up together. She does this gratitude thing. Well, this “Gratuity” thing. She couldn’t think of the right word and we laughed about that for a while. Anyway, every day she and her kids write down 10 things they are grateful for. This way they don’t focus on the bad. It’s actually a really good idea, and I challenge you to do the same. Get a physical notebook and every night write stuff down. It’s actually easier than you think. It really trains you to be happier in life too. Airports are a fun place. I will never see her again, yet I Just had the most in depth, secret sharing best-friend conversation. Now she’s gone forever. My flight was cutting it close, but it got delayed for over an hour! <– That right there is a happy “!”. Most people would be mad because it wasn’t on their schedule. But being mad won’t make the time go any faster. In fact, it’ll actually make it feel slower. So quit whining and enJoy it! I made it to my gate with plenty of time. I found a nice wall to sit up against with cool tile under me. Now with plenty of time to write about my adventures.
PS: Very attractive girls around here. I think Chicago O’Hare will be my new pickup spot. This place is great!
Do you ever do that thing where you fall asleep sitting up and have that Jolt that throws your head back up? That Just happened like 14 times. But then the drinks came and I got my Ginger Ale! So did the rude lady in my row. Along with this fancy cookie thing that I will be checking into when I return home. They are called “Stroopwafel” and they are amazing! You’re supposed to have it with coffee or a hot drink. It’s a circle and you cover your drink with it and it warms the cookie. Smart play and absolutely delicious! The seatmate hasn’t spoken a word, but that’s alright. I had plenty of good conversation on my last plane ride. This one was reserved for awake-scares, Ginger Ale, and new cookie things. Still a good trip, regardless!
Ginger Ale seems to be a running thing today. As I arrive in Des Moines my sister is waiting with the car. She then proceeds to alerts met that she and Mother purchased me seven 2-liters of Ginger Ale. I’m not much for soda, but Ginger Ale is my weakness. I get back to my Mother’s home to find the lawn is over a 1’ tall! Apparently, they were waiting for me to cut that. Those dishes better be done inside… I walk in to be greeted by 2 VERY excited mutt— I mean dogs. One I co-own, the other is my mothers. They both had a massive fit and wouldn’t stop Jumping on me. I think they remember who I am? Maybe, Just maybe? The rest of the day was basically food nonstop. Played some Zumba and Just Dance while eating cheese sticks, bread sticks, brownies, cinnamon roll, and now baked spaghetti with more bread sticks and marinara sauce. I guess today will be my cheat day for the… Year? Anyway, it’s time to be lazy and watch a movie. Not likely that I’ll make it through, though. I’ve been awake for over 34 hours straight and I need to nap. Until Thursday.
Have a Lovely evening or morning, or whatever time it is. I’ve lost count.
-SirJBolton