Miss Luther is the Yalie caught on tape screaming at Dr. Christakis for offenses that did not appear to be worthy of the vitrol that she yelled at him.
She is/was apparently as senior [has probably graduated by now] and comes from a semi-affluent home.
She is a nice looking young lady and at least one defender suggested she was actually a nice person.
I AM WILLING TO BELIEVE THAT.
Best case scenario, she got caught up in the heat of the moment and acted in a manner that was untypical of her. I hope that is true.
She has removed all evidence of her existence from social media sites; sadly it may be a long time before she sees anything positive written about herself.
To Miss Luther; I do hope you will get on with your life in the coming months.
I also hope you personally apologized to the Doctors Christakis. They look like kindly, forgiving type people who would accept an honest apology.
Finally, Please do prove me right; you're actually a decent young lady, hard working, loyal to your friends and a loving daughter.
Now suck it up and get up and go on with your life. It's not over; not by a long shot.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
THE FAMILY IS TOGETHER
Tonight, my little family is all together; me and my wife, our 2 adult kids, one son-in-law and the sole grandbaby. It is a good night in which to rejoice. We haven't been all together in a couple of years. I am blessed.
Wednesday, September 03, 2014
CHINATOWN and the TWO JAKES - what FILM NOIR is all about.
These two movies have immensely poignant endings; Originally it was to be a trilogy but the 3rd movie was never made.
Jack Nicholson starred in both.
"Chinatown" while a specific place, is also indicative of the unknown where motives/behaviors are never clearly understood and the hope is you do no harm by doing "as little as possible."
Jack Gittes ( Nicholson) is a private detective who used to be in the L.A. Police department where his beat was Chinatown. In his attempt to help a Chinese girl, he ends up inadvertently getting her killed because he does not understand "Chinatown" and he forgot the one rule, "Do as little as possible."
He leaves LAPD and becomes a high profile private detective. He's asked to investigate an adultery case which ends up being a murder case and deepens into a swamp of unseen conflicts and family tragedies
At the end of the movie in Jake's attempt to help the woman who's husband was killed by her own father who also raped her and got her pregnant with her daughter, Kathryn, he ends up getting her shot and killed by the LAPD while the wealthy but evil grandfather/father ends up with the daughter, the prize.
In the final scene as Jake is starring at the dead woman while the car horn continues to blare he mutters softly -
"As little as possible."
Lt Escobar yells, "What's that? what's that?
You wanna do your partner a big favor? Take him home, take him home. Just get him the hell out of here. Go home Jake, go home. I'm doing you a favor."
Jake is finally turned away from the scene and his associate utters one of the saddest most poignant lines in movie history.
"Come on Jake," (Jakes turns back for a moment) "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown."
THE TWO JAKES:
The second movie's time frame is a few years later. There is a troubled mystery woman who's infidelity gets her husband's business partner killed with whom she's been having the affair. The young woman turns out to be Kathryn, the young girl who's mother and step-father were killed by her grandfather - who was actually her biological father.
Jake becomes involved in the case, then the husband of Kathryn, dying of cancer, blows himself up to settle some debts and insure Kathryn's safety.
In the final scene; Kathryn is talking to Jake in his office.
“KATHYRN, ( long pause )
Jack Nicholson starred in both.
"Chinatown" while a specific place, is also indicative of the unknown where motives/behaviors are never clearly understood and the hope is you do no harm by doing "as little as possible."
Jack Gittes ( Nicholson) is a private detective who used to be in the L.A. Police department where his beat was Chinatown. In his attempt to help a Chinese girl, he ends up inadvertently getting her killed because he does not understand "Chinatown" and he forgot the one rule, "Do as little as possible."
He leaves LAPD and becomes a high profile private detective. He's asked to investigate an adultery case which ends up being a murder case and deepens into a swamp of unseen conflicts and family tragedies
At the end of the movie in Jake's attempt to help the woman who's husband was killed by her own father who also raped her and got her pregnant with her daughter, Kathryn, he ends up getting her shot and killed by the LAPD while the wealthy but evil grandfather/father ends up with the daughter, the prize.
In the final scene as Jake is starring at the dead woman while the car horn continues to blare he mutters softly -
"As little as possible."
Lt Escobar yells, "What's that? what's that?
You wanna do your partner a big favor? Take him home, take him home. Just get him the hell out of here. Go home Jake, go home. I'm doing you a favor."
Jake is finally turned away from the scene and his associate utters one of the saddest most poignant lines in movie history.
"Come on Jake," (Jakes turns back for a moment) "Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown."
THE TWO JAKES:
The second movie's time frame is a few years later. There is a troubled mystery woman who's infidelity gets her husband's business partner killed with whom she's been having the affair. The young woman turns out to be Kathryn, the young girl who's mother and step-father were killed by her grandfather - who was actually her biological father.
Jake becomes involved in the case, then the husband of Kathryn, dying of cancer, blows himself up to settle some debts and insure Kathryn's safety.
In the final scene; Kathryn is talking to Jake in his office.
KATHRYN: Does it ever go away?
JAKE: What’s that?
KATHRYN: (The) Past.
JAKE: Well, I think you have to work real hard on that.
KATHRYN: I can’t do it alone.
JAKE: I don’t suppose you’ll have to.
( KATHRYN attempts to kiss Jake who backs away)
JAKE: That’s wrong.
KATHRYN: Don’t be too sure.
JAKE: That’s your problem kid, you don’t know who you’re
kidding.
KATHRYN (getting ready to leave): You take too good a care of
me Mr. Giddes
JAKE: Tough habit to break
KATHRYN: I’ll think of you from time to time.
( KATHRYN leaves the office and heads down the stairs – there's a pause –
then Jake burst out of the office and yells)
(quietly) it never
goes away."
_____________________________
Both movies had brilliant but ultimately sad endings. There was no redemption and no reason to think anybody lived happily ever after. But if you like your movies "straight up," you might give them a shot. [ NOT sure of the ratings; but both should be "R" for violence and some sexuality. The scenery, cars and shots of SoCal were gorgeous. ]
Monday, September 01, 2014
Dr. Maurice Robinson
Rarely does one know the greatest living expert on any one thing. But a good friend of mine for the last 30 years is Maurice Robinson and he IS the acknowledged world authority on the Majority Text. It is thru his efforts that the Majority Text has been updated, published and put into seminaries through-out the land.
He's been a good friend, he has a wonderfully dry sense of humor and he has been an upright guy. He's given hours and hours to the Majority Text and will never be financially rewarded for all his effort. It truly has been a passion for him and he has given it his all.
I'm glad he's my friend.
He's been a good friend, he has a wonderfully dry sense of humor and he has been an upright guy. He's given hours and hours to the Majority Text and will never be financially rewarded for all his effort. It truly has been a passion for him and he has given it his all.
I'm glad he's my friend.
Wednesday, August 06, 2014
A MORAL BONE IN MARK KNOPFLER'S BODY
"PRIVATE DANCER" (1984) was made famous by the sultry songstress Tina Turner.
It is ultimately a sad song about a woman working in the flesh trade with hopes of making a lot of money and achieving a normal life. The song is a woman's lament; it was written by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. What kind of man empathizes with the ultimately sad profession of a sex dancer? Perhaps someone with a sense of morality; not always found in the music business.
Mark also wrote "ON EVERY STREET" - ( 1991)
A three-chord symphony crashes into space
The moon is hanging upside down
I don't know why it is I'm still on the case
It's a ravenous town
KNOPFLER talks about "the sacred and profane." He's tracking a psychopath who has no guilt or feelings if his mistreatment of a woman leads to her death. His attitude would appear to be, "no big deal" as he moves on to his next victim.
Knopfler's lament is that of the detective who, long after the case has been closed, continues a seemingly fruitless search for a man who will escape judicial justice but needs to be caught never-the-less. "She threw herself under my wheels." NO, one way or another, he killed her and Knopfler does not want that great moral injustice go unpunished. He's actually obsessed. He's a moral man pursuing an immoral man.
Knopfler is in his later 60's, started his working life as a journalist and a teacher (lecturer at Loughton College) before he hit it big with Dire Straits in the late 70s.
He's been pretty reticent about his personal life; he is in his third marriage - whatever that says. But somewhere, behind the rock-n-roll persona, is a man with a moral sense of what should and shouldn't be. I hope it continues as he enters the last decade or two of his life.
All the men come in these places
And the men are all the same
You don't look at their faces
And you don't ask their names
And the men are all the same
You don't look at their faces
And you don't ask their names
You don't think of them as human
You don't think of them at all
You keep your mind on the money
Keeping your eyes on the wall
You don't think of them at all
You keep your mind on the money
Keeping your eyes on the wall
I'm your private dancer, a dancer for money
I'll do what you want me to do
I'm your private dancer, a dancer for money
And any old music will do
I'll do what you want me to do
I'm your private dancer, a dancer for money
And any old music will do
I wanna make a million dollars
I wanna live out by the sea
Have a husband and some children
Yeah, I guess I want a family
I wanna live out by the sea
Have a husband and some children
Yeah, I guess I want a family
It is ultimately a sad song about a woman working in the flesh trade with hopes of making a lot of money and achieving a normal life. The song is a woman's lament; it was written by Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits. What kind of man empathizes with the ultimately sad profession of a sex dancer? Perhaps someone with a sense of morality; not always found in the music business.
Mark also wrote "ON EVERY STREET" - ( 1991)
There's gotta be a record of you some place
You gotta be on somebody's books
The lowdown, a picture of your face
Your injured looks
You gotta be on somebody's books
The lowdown, a picture of your face
Your injured looks
The sacred and profane
The pleasure and the pain
Somewhere your fingerprints remain concrete
The pleasure and the pain
Somewhere your fingerprints remain concrete
And it's your face, I'm looking for
On every street
On every street
A lady killer, regulation tattoo
Silver spurs on his heels
Says, what can I tell you as I'm standing next to you
She threw herself under my wheels
Silver spurs on his heels
Says, what can I tell you as I'm standing next to you
She threw herself under my wheels
Oh, it's a dangerous road
And a hazardous load
And the fireworks over liberty explode in the heat
And a hazardous load
And the fireworks over liberty explode in the heat
And it's your face, I'm looking for
On every street
On every street
A three-chord symphony crashes into space
The moon is hanging upside down
I don't know why it is I'm still on the case
It's a ravenous town
And you still refuse to be traced
Seems to me such a waste
And every victory has a taste that's bittersweet
Seems to me such a waste
And every victory has a taste that's bittersweet
And it's your face, I'm looking for
On every street
On every street
And it's your face, I'm looking for
On every street
On every street
KNOPFLER talks about "the sacred and profane." He's tracking a psychopath who has no guilt or feelings if his mistreatment of a woman leads to her death. His attitude would appear to be, "no big deal" as he moves on to his next victim.
Knopfler's lament is that of the detective who, long after the case has been closed, continues a seemingly fruitless search for a man who will escape judicial justice but needs to be caught never-the-less. "She threw herself under my wheels." NO, one way or another, he killed her and Knopfler does not want that great moral injustice go unpunished. He's actually obsessed. He's a moral man pursuing an immoral man.
Knopfler is in his later 60's, started his working life as a journalist and a teacher (lecturer at Loughton College) before he hit it big with Dire Straits in the late 70s.
He's been pretty reticent about his personal life; he is in his third marriage - whatever that says. But somewhere, behind the rock-n-roll persona, is a man with a moral sense of what should and shouldn't be. I hope it continues as he enters the last decade or two of his life.
Sunday, June 08, 2014
Me 'n HAROLD CAMPING
Mr. Harold Camping died in Dec. of 2013 at the ripe old age of 92. He had his 15 minutes of fame and more. He gained incredible notoriety with his prediction that the world would come to an end May 21, 2011 or October 21, 2011. He had previously predicted with "99.9%" certainty that the world would end Sept. 6, 1994 ( and 11 other dates in the following 24 months).
From a Christian perspective, one tends to think the "anti-christ" will be a charismatic, likeable, glib salesman - smooth, suave and persuasive. Bill Clinton comes to mind. Harold was the antithesis of Bill Clinton.
He lived very frugally, drove a 10 year old pick-up truck. Hadn't accepted a salary from Family Radio in years and there was never a hint of sexual scandal about him. He was, by all accounts, a faithful and loving husband. He was short, he had bad teeth, big ears - he was a homely man. He never acquired any theological degrees; just had an engineering degree from Cal. Berkeley. He was never "Doctor" Camping.
Why was he an "anti-Christ?" Because he made it his goal in the last decade to drive Christians away from their churches; good, bad or indifferent. He wished to destroy "the Bride of Christ."
Early on he told people that the "Church Age" was over (in 1988) and if you were a "true believer" you would leave your church. To make sure there were no "fence sitters," he told people that if they didn't leave their church, even if they believed in his Rapture calendar, they would not be saved. He announced that instead of church, all one needed was Family Radio and like minded ministries. In actuality, there were no other "like minded ministries." It was just Family Radio and some scattered individuals who parroted Harold's doctrine of heresy. He once suggested that people who believed similarly could simply, instead of going to church, get together at somebody's house and gather around the radio to get all the spiritual nourishment they would need via the gospel according to Family Radio. IRONICALLY, by 2010 groups of people were meeting every Sunday morning at a hall in Alameda where there would be prayers, collections of offerings, gospel singing and Harold teaching his version of Scripture. They staunchly denied this was in any way comparable to a church meeting.
Soon after Harold announced the Rapture would be May 21, 2011 a new website appeared in the blogosphere. It was DEPARTOUT.COM. The format was simple. It allowed members to make new posts or respond to old ones. The creator of the website never gave details of his beliefs though clues were left that, in all probabilty, he believed Harold calendar was right and the Rapture would appear in May of 2011. In it's hey-day leading up to the first Rapture day it saw a plethora of posts, comments and counter-comments by a few who advocated for Harold's calendar and by the majority who believed Harold was wrong. The "nay sayers" included a number of individuals who had, at first, believed the calendar was correct but then came to reject it. Other naysayers, like myself, having seen the failure of Harold's date setting in 1994 knew Harold was simply repeating his earlier mistakes and that he could not be the End Time Prophet.
I believe Harold Camping spent way too many years worry about his legacy. I think he desired to be the End-Time prophet and deserved it because of his years of Bible study and teaching. He did indeed end up with an amazing legacy; epic failure. His followers have been scattered, many of them have been significantly impoverished and ultimately embarrassed. FAMILY RADIO carries on but appears to be a drifting derelict, replaying Harold teachings including the heresy of "Depart-Out." They have always depended upon their listeners gifts but that has surely dried up. They have sold their 3 biggest stations as they have attempted to financially survive. They won't.
I still listen, they have a small station in my town. I find it so ironic when Harold attacks the "false teachers" of the churches when, during his time, there has been no one who was a greater false prophet than himself.
God will not be mocked; His Word is quite plain. In the New Testament 13 times He said, "No One Knows." That included Harold, he just didn't believe that but he knows now.
*
Harold's legacy: False prophet, heretic.
From a Christian perspective, one tends to think the "anti-christ" will be a charismatic, likeable, glib salesman - smooth, suave and persuasive. Bill Clinton comes to mind. Harold was the antithesis of Bill Clinton.
He lived very frugally, drove a 10 year old pick-up truck. Hadn't accepted a salary from Family Radio in years and there was never a hint of sexual scandal about him. He was, by all accounts, a faithful and loving husband. He was short, he had bad teeth, big ears - he was a homely man. He never acquired any theological degrees; just had an engineering degree from Cal. Berkeley. He was never "Doctor" Camping.
Why was he an "anti-Christ?" Because he made it his goal in the last decade to drive Christians away from their churches; good, bad or indifferent. He wished to destroy "the Bride of Christ."
Early on he told people that the "Church Age" was over (in 1988) and if you were a "true believer" you would leave your church. To make sure there were no "fence sitters," he told people that if they didn't leave their church, even if they believed in his Rapture calendar, they would not be saved. He announced that instead of church, all one needed was Family Radio and like minded ministries. In actuality, there were no other "like minded ministries." It was just Family Radio and some scattered individuals who parroted Harold's doctrine of heresy. He once suggested that people who believed similarly could simply, instead of going to church, get together at somebody's house and gather around the radio to get all the spiritual nourishment they would need via the gospel according to Family Radio. IRONICALLY, by 2010 groups of people were meeting every Sunday morning at a hall in Alameda where there would be prayers, collections of offerings, gospel singing and Harold teaching his version of Scripture. They staunchly denied this was in any way comparable to a church meeting.
Soon after Harold announced the Rapture would be May 21, 2011 a new website appeared in the blogosphere. It was DEPARTOUT.COM. The format was simple. It allowed members to make new posts or respond to old ones. The creator of the website never gave details of his beliefs though clues were left that, in all probabilty, he believed Harold calendar was right and the Rapture would appear in May of 2011. In it's hey-day leading up to the first Rapture day it saw a plethora of posts, comments and counter-comments by a few who advocated for Harold's calendar and by the majority who believed Harold was wrong. The "nay sayers" included a number of individuals who had, at first, believed the calendar was correct but then came to reject it. Other naysayers, like myself, having seen the failure of Harold's date setting in 1994 knew Harold was simply repeating his earlier mistakes and that he could not be the End Time Prophet.
I believe Harold Camping spent way too many years worry about his legacy. I think he desired to be the End-Time prophet and deserved it because of his years of Bible study and teaching. He did indeed end up with an amazing legacy; epic failure. His followers have been scattered, many of them have been significantly impoverished and ultimately embarrassed. FAMILY RADIO carries on but appears to be a drifting derelict, replaying Harold teachings including the heresy of "Depart-Out." They have always depended upon their listeners gifts but that has surely dried up. They have sold their 3 biggest stations as they have attempted to financially survive. They won't.
I still listen, they have a small station in my town. I find it so ironic when Harold attacks the "false teachers" of the churches when, during his time, there has been no one who was a greater false prophet than himself.
God will not be mocked; His Word is quite plain. In the New Testament 13 times He said, "No One Knows." That included Harold, he just didn't believe that but he knows now.
*
Harold's legacy: False prophet, heretic.
LEWIS HOHENSTEIN - spiritual father
I want to pay tribute to Lewis Hohenstein, my pastor at the Whittier Grace Brethren Church during my teen years. My Dad had been asked to lead the music there when I was 10, so the the family left a Baptist church and joined the Brethren Church. It was a small church but they had a great pastor in Lewis C. Hohenstein. Three years later, when I was 13, my Mom and Dad felt led to go to another church and couldn't decide if they would make me go with them or let me stay at the Brethren Church with my two older sisters, 15 and 17. They decided to let me remain. I was thrilled. A) my best friend, Don Downs [ later known as Dr. Donald Downs DDS] , was there and B) I would be out from under my Mom and Dad's eagle eyes. I stayed until I was 19 and "Bud" Hohenstein was forced out, due to accusations of a moral failing.
But in those crucial teen years, he regularly taught the teenagers on Wednesday notes at one of the member's homes. He was a man familiar with C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer and was ahead of his time in having a "Biblical Worldview." He prepared me mentally and philosophically for the world of secular academia. He was a bright and thoughtful man and he, in a sense, adopted me. My father was a fine Christian man but we were never on the same wave-length. Bud was on my wave length and could put in words my questions and concerns and provide logical answers. He was always my pastor, not my best friend, but he became my mentor ultimately and helped prepare me for adulthood.
He pastored two other churches and my Mom and Dad actually rejoined him for a few years when I was in my 20s. But I was no longer in the area, and had gotten married and began attending churches in the area in which my wife and I lived.
Bud's wife was Kay Hohenstein, a nurse and fine lady; plus 3 children, Judy, David and Leslie.
God knew I needed Bud Hohenstein if I was to survive the 60s in some kind of rational state and I believe, to this day, my parents were led to his church as much for my sake as anything else.
Bud Hohenstein has been dead a number of years now, died in his late 80s. He wasn't a perfect man but he was a Godly man and understood grace. He passed that legacy on to me.
But in those crucial teen years, he regularly taught the teenagers on Wednesday notes at one of the member's homes. He was a man familiar with C.S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer and was ahead of his time in having a "Biblical Worldview." He prepared me mentally and philosophically for the world of secular academia. He was a bright and thoughtful man and he, in a sense, adopted me. My father was a fine Christian man but we were never on the same wave-length. Bud was on my wave length and could put in words my questions and concerns and provide logical answers. He was always my pastor, not my best friend, but he became my mentor ultimately and helped prepare me for adulthood.
He pastored two other churches and my Mom and Dad actually rejoined him for a few years when I was in my 20s. But I was no longer in the area, and had gotten married and began attending churches in the area in which my wife and I lived.
Bud's wife was Kay Hohenstein, a nurse and fine lady; plus 3 children, Judy, David and Leslie.
God knew I needed Bud Hohenstein if I was to survive the 60s in some kind of rational state and I believe, to this day, my parents were led to his church as much for my sake as anything else.
Bud Hohenstein has been dead a number of years now, died in his late 80s. He wasn't a perfect man but he was a Godly man and understood grace. He passed that legacy on to me.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
FINDING WAYS AROUND THE STRUCTURE
ON THE ONE HAND, I'm not the kind of guy to run a police road block. But on the other side, if there IS a way to work around a roadblock, of any kind, I'd like to explore it.
I've been flying for 45 years, it used to be easier to change flights, there wasn't a whole lot of problems in changing not only flights but carriers.. My most interesting experience happened on a flight scheduled to leave the East Coast and fly into Eureka on the NoCal coast for my Dad's college graduation.
I flew United down to Orlando to catch a Non-Stop to San Francisco and then on to Eureka. The flight is on time, I have only a carry-on, I never take luggage if I can help it. After landing I walk over to the gate holding the plane headed for San Francisco. It's a very big plane and they start loading early. I get in one of the cheap seats towards the back; they are using both front and rear doors to load. We all get seated, the doors are closed and we sit there for a bit. The Captain comes on to announce we're free to wander around the cabin and at the same time, the flight attendants re-open the doors. That's generally a sign that all is not well. Being restless I walk to the back door ask the attendant if I can step out. She says, "Sure." I walk up the jetway and as I near the desk hearing another flight attendant say to the desk attendant, "I guess we're not going anywhere soon."
I'm immediately thinking, "Oh No. We could be here for hours." Across the hallway is another big United Jet headed for Los Angeles. It appears everyone is boarded and they're getting ready to close the door. I ask my gate attendant, "Can you get me to San Francisco by the jet going to L.A.?" She says, "Did you check any luggage?" I told her no, she said, "If you've got a carry-on got get it now. Hurry. I'll see if there are any seats." I rush back down the jetway, grab my bag (with at least 50 people watching me intently) and head back up the jetway running. As I enter the hall the L.A. flight attendant is yelling at me to "come on." I rush across the hallway and as I am about to enter the plane the gate attendant at the San Francisco desk yells, "What is your name." All of this had taken place within a couple of minutes and they got me a seat on the plane to L.A. before they even knew what my name was. I looked over my shoulder, yelled my name, ran down the jetway, was pointed towards a seat, buckled up and we were off on the 5 hour flight into L.A., Later on somebody tells me to go to the United desk when I land.
I deplane at L.A.X., run to the United desk, a couple of people in front of me. It's my turn, I tell them my name and how I come to be in L.A. instead of San Francisco. The desk attendant says, "Yep, you are on the next plane to Frisco, you have 10 minutes to get to your gate." " Run!" I run to the gate, they're waiting for me. I walk on, they close they door and we head for San Fran. I still had another plane to catch, this one a small regional prop. A plane is getting ready to leave, they tell me it's full and because of the graduation this weekend, I can't catch another plane until very late. They small plane takes off, the desk attendant calls me over and says, "Oops, you WERE booked on that flight. We're sorry. What would you like to do? Why don't you spend the night on our dime and then be on the first flight tomorrow morning? I was pretty tired by now, I said, "that sounds good." So I spent the night in Frisco on United's dime and flew into Eureka the next morning alert and rested (well at least rested.)
With the changes in security precautions these days, the last scenario is highly unlikely to happen again. At the very least, it's gonna cost you. But it was kinda of fun; finding a way around a roadblock required some fairly quick thinking on my part. Kudos to United however, they did the rest - never even hesitated in trying to make it happen and in fact did make it happen.
I've been flying for 45 years, it used to be easier to change flights, there wasn't a whole lot of problems in changing not only flights but carriers.. My most interesting experience happened on a flight scheduled to leave the East Coast and fly into Eureka on the NoCal coast for my Dad's college graduation.
I flew United down to Orlando to catch a Non-Stop to San Francisco and then on to Eureka. The flight is on time, I have only a carry-on, I never take luggage if I can help it. After landing I walk over to the gate holding the plane headed for San Francisco. It's a very big plane and they start loading early. I get in one of the cheap seats towards the back; they are using both front and rear doors to load. We all get seated, the doors are closed and we sit there for a bit. The Captain comes on to announce we're free to wander around the cabin and at the same time, the flight attendants re-open the doors. That's generally a sign that all is not well. Being restless I walk to the back door ask the attendant if I can step out. She says, "Sure." I walk up the jetway and as I near the desk hearing another flight attendant say to the desk attendant, "I guess we're not going anywhere soon."
I'm immediately thinking, "Oh No. We could be here for hours." Across the hallway is another big United Jet headed for Los Angeles. It appears everyone is boarded and they're getting ready to close the door. I ask my gate attendant, "Can you get me to San Francisco by the jet going to L.A.?" She says, "Did you check any luggage?" I told her no, she said, "If you've got a carry-on got get it now. Hurry. I'll see if there are any seats." I rush back down the jetway, grab my bag (with at least 50 people watching me intently) and head back up the jetway running. As I enter the hall the L.A. flight attendant is yelling at me to "come on." I rush across the hallway and as I am about to enter the plane the gate attendant at the San Francisco desk yells, "What is your name." All of this had taken place within a couple of minutes and they got me a seat on the plane to L.A. before they even knew what my name was. I looked over my shoulder, yelled my name, ran down the jetway, was pointed towards a seat, buckled up and we were off on the 5 hour flight into L.A., Later on somebody tells me to go to the United desk when I land.
I deplane at L.A.X., run to the United desk, a couple of people in front of me. It's my turn, I tell them my name and how I come to be in L.A. instead of San Francisco. The desk attendant says, "Yep, you are on the next plane to Frisco, you have 10 minutes to get to your gate." " Run!" I run to the gate, they're waiting for me. I walk on, they close they door and we head for San Fran. I still had another plane to catch, this one a small regional prop. A plane is getting ready to leave, they tell me it's full and because of the graduation this weekend, I can't catch another plane until very late. They small plane takes off, the desk attendant calls me over and says, "Oops, you WERE booked on that flight. We're sorry. What would you like to do? Why don't you spend the night on our dime and then be on the first flight tomorrow morning? I was pretty tired by now, I said, "that sounds good." So I spent the night in Frisco on United's dime and flew into Eureka the next morning alert and rested (well at least rested.)
With the changes in security precautions these days, the last scenario is highly unlikely to happen again. At the very least, it's gonna cost you. But it was kinda of fun; finding a way around a roadblock required some fairly quick thinking on my part. Kudos to United however, they did the rest - never even hesitated in trying to make it happen and in fact did make it happen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
