The Arrival

Waiting at the airport for someone to arrive is always a very anxious time, you continue to check the screen to make sure the plane is still on time and then you panic when the flight from the layover to the final destination is suddenly cancelled. This happened when Tim, Elisa, and Benjamin were coming to see us last week.

They had a short layover in Phoenix and an hour later were supposed to be landing here in California, when suddenly their flight was cancelled. Tim said they were actually in line to board the plane when the cell phones of everyone in line suddenly rang in unison, he said that was an eerie feeling.

The calls were informing everyone of the cancellation, in spite of the fact that the screen at the airport was still showing the flight boarding, the agent who was directing everyone to board still didn't have the word that they were cancelled, and would have lead everyone right onto the plane had the doors not still been shut.

To make a long story short evidently the Vice President of the United States was flying out from there and everything had to come to a screeching halt until his plane was in the air and gone. Now wouldn't you think that simply putting everything into a holding pattern, and then loading everyone onto the plane they were originally ticketed to fly out on would be the thing to do? But no no no this is not how we do things, now they had to find new flights for everyone.

Tim looking onto the airlines computer (picture provided by Tim's wife)

Tim stepped in to help the ticketing agent find a flight for them, walked right up to the screen and gave her all kinds of advice, takes after his mom I want you to know. He didn't get kicked out or put onto the no fly list, but it did take the airlines another two hours to get the kids on a flight. Notice Tim is the only passenger looking at the attendants computer, while everyone else stays in line.

Mimi (Cindy) was in full panic mode by the time they finally arrived, I thought she was going to completely burst when we finally saw them coming down the stairs.

Elisa, Tim, and Benjamin on the stairs just before Benjamin spotted Cindy and I

Benjamin looked up and saw us and broke into a run down the stairs, Cindy knelt down and he jumped into her arms, I didn't think we were ever going to get them apart, his little arms around her neck and hers around his back for what seemed like an hour, yes I was jealous, Papa wanted a hug too.

Benjamin jumped up into my arms and out of the corner of my eye I saw Cindy place her hands on the floor, heck she was already on her knees, and I know that I can't just stand right up from that position anymore, it's not like we are getting any younger you know, so I didn't think anything of it, I was finally getting to hug the grandbaby.

Thanks, Thanks alot! Cindy says to me as I placed Benjamin down onto the ground. What are you talking about, you got to hug him first I reply. Cindy shouts, I'm not talking about that, I actually fell down on the floor, I think that I passed out! What do you mean you passed out? I hit the floor, I tried to catch myself, but I blacked out for a second when I turned B loose!

Jimmy: I thought you were just getting up, maybe he hugged you too hard.

Elisa: I saw you crawling on the floor, I thought you lost something.

Tim laughs and says, Only thing she lost was her dignity.

Oh fine! Cindy says, I hit the ground at the airport and everybody notices but my family, didn't any of you see that woman ask if I was OK?

Jimmy: I was busy hugging the grandbaby.

Elisa: I thought you were looking for something.

And Tim pleads the fifth...he ain't saying nothing.

Papa, Benjamin, and Mimi posing for pictures at the airport.

Why don't we take some pictures Mimi! I suggested. Yeah Mimi let's take a picture, Benjamin said.

Whew, saved by the Grandson, for now...

Mimi is OK, and for the rest of the day I heard the story of how she passed out at the airport and nobody in her family even noticed. I feel bad but I don't think that I'm living this one down...