July 21, 2013
I woke up in the Dallas airport on a cot. The news was playing on a nearby TV, to my left a window framed clear blue sky, my thin scarf was failing as a blanket, and I wondered what was poking me in my chest. Oh right – my iPhone, my passport, drivers license, plane ticket home, Visa, and a $50.00 USD bill. Such an unpredictable morning, but God was keeping an eye on me:) Yesterday afternoon, my squad-mate Liz and I had admired flash lightning from crying windows in the Atlanta airport – which resulted in an approximate five hour flight delay. I would miss my connecting flight home from training camp.
Dallas airport is equipped with two hotels, which is where I directed my next steps after arriving in the large, dark, and almost empty airport, even though a discount was not an option due to airline policy. The first was at full occupancy. I noticed a bigger problem when I realized that my well intentioned steps had led me out of the inner workings of the airport, which left me on the outside of security. A stewardess stayed late trying to direct me, which wasn't productive, but was comforting. I had exactly 2 phone calls worth of American change for the pay phone as my iPhone does not have international minutes, was at 48% charge and needed to last me till the next afternoon as I didn't bring my charger. (Mental note taken.) My first phone call failed, the second was successful in finding that hotel option #2 was also full.
So I looked around. There were scant chairs separated by those fixed armrests, and a few couches where an older couple slept, but I felt discomforted within eyesight of some not-so-friendly-looking men. I was tired, and a little unnerved being all alone and having nowhere to go, but I had to exhaust all options. So I sent multiple 60 cent texts to my boyfriend, where he told me to try getting back to the inside of the airport. Security was within eye sight, the lights were off, but I could spot two staff members in the shadows. I kept thinking that if my sister were in my shoes, she'd be smiling in the face of an adventure, and here I was presenting my old wrinkled ticket that I had almost thrown out, and a lump was growing in my throat.
Security was just about to close, but they granted me re-entry! I entered the other side with tears of stress in my eyes, and it immediately felt like an oasis of safety. I found many people on cots and leather chairs doing exactly what I was about to do. And that's when I knew this night would promise to be okay.
Thus I woke up in the Dallas airport on a cot. It's a very beautiful airport as daylight revealed. I found myself a lovely McDonald's coffee, sent a safe-keeping text message, and actually found myself enjoying my morning prior to my late-morning flight home.
This is excellent training for the World Race eh? I've never experienced a missed flight connection before. Never found myself alone in a city not knowing where to go or what to do. I never knew that I could re-enter security at midnight. I have an hour until my flight home. I just smiled when I saw 'Calgary' on a departure screen. Thank-you God for directing my footsteps and keeping me safe and sound.
