At the Airport: The day before the flight was a near disaster

Our adventure begins with a near disaster. Not one that would concern FEMA but it sure put us into a minor panic. We took the bus to the airport the day before our flight because we like to stay in a hotel near the airport. That way we’re not madly rushing around getting ready the day of the flight. Also I wanted to see about getting some Euros so we’d have some when we got to Frankfurt (not really a good idea since they charge the highest exchange rate plus a $5.00 fee at those exchange offices at the airport. ATM machines are plentiful in the Frankfurt airport for a much better exchange rate – I should have listened to Rick Steves on that one). At the top of the escalator in the terminal I asked Linn to watch our stuff so I could use the restroom. Our stuff? Seemed a bit light for a two-and-a-half month trip. Our bags!! Where are our bags!? There’s supposed to be two suitcases here. Well at that instant I knew exactly where they were. Still on the bus (Note: I’m not using complete sentences here because at the time I was not thinking in complete sentences and I’m trying to capture the moment).

Now those of you who know me and think I’m slow, had you seen me at that moment your whole concept of me would have been totally shattered. Bounding down the escalator (not caring whether it was the up or down escalator) I made for the door where the bus used to be. Not there! “Quick,” I said to Linn only half conscious of where she actually was, “to the other side!” We had exited the bus on the west side of the terminal and I knew (in a rare moment of rapid-fire thinking) that the bus circled around to the east side to let off passengers. I covered the distance across the terminal to the east side in less than half a minute (I’d lost all awareness of Linn at this point).

A bus had just pulled out of the space in front of the door. It made its way down the pavement and pulled into the Southwest Airlines terminal. With another bit of God-infused thinking I remembered that someone on the bus wanted to get off at Southwest Airlines. I usually don’t run and pray at the same time but this was an occasion for multi-tasking. Even in my panic I was able not to bump into people in wheelchairs or trample mothers with babies in strollers. I actually don’t remember my exact route but it was partly in the street, partly on the sidewalk and a little bit in places where people don’t ordinarily walk. In the end a little indignation paid off (I thought of Zacchaeus climbing a tree or the father of the prodigal running to meet him). Just as I reached this particular bus the driver, whom I recognized, was taking our bags out from the under-compartment. He actually apologized to me for not reminding me to collect our bags. Can you imagine that? An RTD driver apologizing for our stupidity! He even asked me if I was O.K. because I was gulping in large quantities of frigid air.

And so with triumphal music playing in my head I set out to find my wife whom I’d left behind somewhere. She’d actually stopped another bus and the driver was about to look to see if our bags were on his bus. I felt like something of a hero (a compensation-reaction, no doubt) as I approached Linn while dragging our two bags behind me. She seemed very relieved. And so we caught the shuttle to our hotel hoping that this experience was not an omen portending how the rest of this trip would turn out. And, oh yes, we did get a small amount of Euros at the greatly inflated exchange rate. One pays to learn.