My Apology... with Texts From Last Night

Dear Maureen,

(FYI: 609 is my flight attendant bff J, and incorporated in this letter of apology explaining my/our so called life/ves is/are our texts from yesterday. aa = airport alert)

I lied to you. I know how you feel about knowing where I am for piece of mind and I told you yesterday that I would let you know where they send me. I usually make my antics known on Facebook but this particular day of scheduling shenanigans, there just wasn't time.

I came in from Shannon, as you know and failed to take a nap. I vegged out a bit, watched a movie, had dinner, talked to you before I went to bed.

(609): Gosh darn aa at 630 am

(856): I fear the scheduling wake up call...

I tried to sleep but couldn't in my crazy hot as Hades bedroom; I moved it to the couch downstairs. Scheduling called at 12:20 or so with a one day trip checking in at 5:45. I tried to sleep til 2:50, but I was up every half hour. I finally got up, dressed, packed a lunch and in my car at 3:25 and hit the road.

(856): And my check in is at 5:45...

(609): See you there sugar pie. I'm sorry

I made it out of my town and once I got on the highway, I noticed my check engine light was illuminated. Awesome. Called the house, woke up my father and turned around to pick him up and drop off my car. I started driving to the airport in the Taur-nasty while he caught a few zzz's. Its pretty sweet to get dropped off curb side to start your day.

I went downstairs and checked in for my trip: deadhead to Boston, work to Houston and deadhead back to Newark. My first thought was get released from the second dead head and catch the 12:38 to PHL. Seats available! Score.

(609): Did you make it? I'm waiting for the bus

(856): I'm in the crew room. I'm gate 128

(609): Ok. Deadhead to bos? Jerk stores

(856): Oh yes

I went got some coffee and headed to my gate. So I sit there, enjoying my cup of joe and cinnamon roll from some bakery in J's home town - gotta love the shoebies who bring my mom treats! We chatted briefly about how lovely it was for me to have gotten my personal drop and J's early release to days off so we could lounge and bake ourselves on the beach. We briefly discussed how after this we were headed to the outlets in AC on Friday, and then a weekend of partying and sun in the OC. J was pretty excited because this is her last weekend home before she moves to the city.

Got to BOS no problem, but my phone wouldn't let me check in or list myself for the PHL flight. Thankfully the gate agent took care of me. The crew I worked with had all been assigned this off of the couch yesterday; one of the girls had been sitting for 5 hours by the time she got assigned this trip. They had come into BOS late the night before and weren't legal to work the scheduled time of departure at 5:30 so it was delayed over 3 hours which was enough time to get me there. Then we were all scheduled to deadhead back to EWR on the noon. The flight was uneventful. I had forgotten how absurd American passengers are, not having flown domestic in I can't tell you how long. (I know I did I MEX turn a while back, but there weren't that many Americans on it to notice a difference). Landed in IAH at 11:20, which was just enough time to get released from deadhead and make to the other side of the terminal to my gate.

(609): Shannon 4 day. Crew rest now then rolling me 3 days. F*** me

(856): Nnnnnoooooooo!!!!

(609): Oh but yes. They released me early from aa... Damnit

(856): Not worth being sick? I'm sch a bad influence

(609): Too late. The aa phone rang and that's what they told me. Crew rest now 4 day tonight it would be sick after assignment

(609): Rolling 3 days?! WTF

Got to my gate, checked in for my flight. Called J to see how she was. Sometimes its just hard when scheduling owns you. I ended up on the jumpseat to Philly, which was fine with me - it meant I was going home. My dad picked me up and I said to him, "so how many more airports do you think we can make it to today?"

The reason it was so important to make that Philly flight is because everyone was at the house: parents, sister, aunt and uncle, and my grandfather. Had I landed in EWR, I would have had to take the train home and that would have easily taken 3 hours. And today, July 23, was her birthday. It was important to me to be home with everyone.

So I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I was in BOS or IAH. I'm also sorry that J got rolled and missed her weekend home. But I'm safe, and she has 5 days off when she gets back.

Moreover, you're in Florida and should have spent Thursday worrying about Florida things. I cannot WAIT to hear about your trip.

BRING ME BACK SOMETHING FRENCH!

Love always,

Alyssa