Planes, trains and automobiles

Talk about a travel nightmare. I was scheduled to fly home from Chicago yesterday after lunch. Flight #1 was delayed until mid-afternoon, then after an hour sitting at the gate, the flight was canceled due to mechanical problems. I scrambled on the phone to United and was told the next available flight was Saturday night. Argh! The trick is to respond "this is unacceptable" and within a half hour, United booked me on a flight Friday evening on American. I pick up a second airport book and hang out at a chain restaurant for dinner, then work my way over to the gate for Flight #2.

By now, to paraphrase an old classic, the weather started getting rough and the tiny planes were tossed. Sure enough, Flight #2 is cancelled shortly thereafter, and I trudge over to the American customer service area. My cell phone is dying, but I manage to reserve a room at the local Marriott, expecting the worst.

After more than an hour, I arrive at the front of the line, and a tired customer service rep gets to work. Leave tomorrow through Toronto -- well, I don't have my passport. Leave Sunday straight to Boston -- I have plans between now and then back in Boston. Can't you get me there? Ah ha -- we could fly you to St Louis tonight, just to get out of this mess, then fly you to Boston tomorrow. Hello Marriott -- cancel Chicago and find me a bed in St Louis.

I finally got home 24 hours after I had started!