I thought I'd attempt to "photo journal" after I've seen some of my good friends give it a try. It's when you blog with minimal words & mainly use pictures. After typing "scariest black man alive" and "perverted Mexican that could also be a pimp" into google image, I decided words were best for this occasion...and it would take lots of them!
Where to begin....
It all started on a slightly rainy Monday morning (last Monday to be exact) when I was scheduled to fly out of the Chattanooga airport at 12pm, get on a 2pm flight in Atlanta to arrive in Oklahoma City by 3pm for work. I normally travel alone, but since I was training our new hire I actually had someone to meet me at the airport. Nadia was arriving about an hour earlier than me, but she didn't mind waiting so we could get the rental car together and be on our merry way.
I was first told that our plan was delayed in CHA due to maintenance. Every hour we got another "update" only to say that it was still delayed. I had missed my connection at this point & was trying to find another flight from ATL to OKC. Then all planes coming into ATL were grounded due to the flooding in the area. Since they couldn't get their planes out-of course they couldn't take anymore in. The airline then agreed to put me in a cab & drive me to ATL. I figured if I could get to ATL all would be good...big mistake.
My 7pm flight kept getting pushed back so I waited in the airport until 10pm when our plane finally arrived. People came off and all looked well....until they announced that it was canceled. Seriously!? I could have gone home at noon if I would have known this! Ok...great....So, I reschedule for the first available flight the next day & call Marbi & Andrew since they are only about 25mi from the airport. We decided it would be best for me to take a cab to a Waffle House that is near their house & they would get me from there so the cab driver wouldn't get lost in their neighborhood.
I've waited in line all day as you can imagine. There are hundreds of people that had their flight canceled...in fact I counted 39 flashing canceled on the screen around 3pm while I was waiting in a line. I get to the cab line and every one of those people are in it. wonderful....my life consists of "hurry up & wait" today. When it's my turn for a cab this huge 8 passenger van with only one sliding door on the side pulls up. Tinted windows & I didn't see "cab" anywhere on it. In it is a cab driver from West Africa that doesn't speak English & doesn't know where I'm telling him to go. I see he has a GPS, but since he doesn't know how to use it...I do. We finally get to our exit and there is dead.stop.traffic. I mean...people can't move one inch! We didn't move for about an hour. I had been patient all day...good attitude, nice to the Delta workers, ok that I wasn't allowed to get my bag...until now. I was stuck in the cab with no air conditioning, with a guy that didn't wear deodorant and I'm exhausted. Come to find out....I-20 was under water. They were making everyone exit (at the exit we happened to need) & then get back on a mile or so down the road.
We finally get moving & we're not allowed to turn right, which is the only way we know how to go....so my cabbie does a U-turn & gets us going in the right direction. I was pleased! :) As we're driving we see why we shouldn't have been allowed to turn right...cops are passing us with their lights on only to block off the upcoming intersection. If we passed one before he got there it was only a matter of time before another one got in front of us. It's now around 1am & the cops are telling us "you're holding up traffic" and refuse to help us find an alternative route. I'm only 5 miles from M&A's house...I could walk there if they would let me!
I get dropped off at a 24 hour Kroger since my cab ride is racking up in price. When we pull up there are 5 guys outside that I'm pretty convinced were in a gang standing in the doorway. Great. The cab driver gives me his card in case I need to call him back after he saw where he was leaving me. I really think he felt bad, but neither one of us knew what to do.
There is only one way in and one way out at this store, which is right by the cashier so they can cut back on theft. I decided to get a toothbrush, contact solution & wait for M&A to get me. They know exactly where I'm at...again just 5mi away. I went to the magazine aisle to look busy & distract my mind. That is when this Mexican man decided I looked like something he might enjoy...."oh...you look nice...oh you look so nice...you so pretty..." I ignored him, he persisted, I told him to "leave me alone" & act like it didn't bother me as I read my magazine, but when he returned with his friend I got nervous. That was about the time that I get a call from Marbi saying "there is no way Andrew can get you, he's tried 12 different ways & they are all closed to flooding." My heart dropped....I was so close, but so far. I couldn't speak b/c if I did I was going to cry so I took my phone to the cashier and asked him to call me a cab. I couldn't imagine there being a hotel that wasn't scarier than this Kroger around me so I contemplated asking my new gay/cashier friend if I could go home with him. The only thing that stopped me was I wasn't sure he lived alone...and no telling who he lived with.
Marbi called back and said "Andrew will walk on water if he has to....he will get you...it may just take awhile." During all of this my Mexican friend comes over to see if I'm ok...I start crying...he proceeds to tell me that I can go home with him if I'm in trouble and he is even kind enough to pay me....wow...what a sweetie. I'll speed up the story since this is taking forever, but I was continued to be hit on throughout the next two hours by some of the scariest people you've ever seen. Two construction workers thought I may want to leave & go party with them...hum...not so much. Lucky for me two of the workers there would run anyone off if they noticed things getting out of hand. I was literally shaking as I waited for Andrew trying not to cry & pretend to read my book so I could ignore everyone.
3:30am Andrew gets me and all is well with the world again! I missed my flight the next morning due to roads being closed and all of ATL traffic going on back roads with one way streets. I ended up getting out at 7:30pm Tues. night. Nadia picked me up from the airport & we find out the full hotel canceled my reservation. I called to tell them my situation & change one of the rooms I booked to Nadia's name, but somehow it still got canceled so I ended up staying with her until they could get me another room the next day.
Luckily the rest of the work week went smooth & so did my flights getting home. Next time you think traveling for work is fun remember this story & you might sing a different tune. ;)
I had the privilege of helping take some pictures for a friend's wedding. The Garmon's have been family friends since I was born...literally. I've known Whitney since they moved back to Oak Ridge when Marissa and I were in middle school (I think). Anyway, they had a beautiful wedding & reception. I took over 1,000 pictures, but I put a "favorites" album together with around 200 starting with the bridal tea and ending with the reception. You don't have to look at them all, but they are here if you want to! Congratulations Whitney & Nathan!!!!
before...
after again.
