Southwest screwed the pooch

Now at the gate... At the gate, the flight status still is shown as "delayed"... Even as the web site, and the electronic flight status boards display 1:20… Our status remains “delayed”... No time promised, at least at the gate... On line we are leaving at 1:20... But at the gate we are simply "delayed"

Now, 1:04, on board... Fellow passengers are grumpy... The boarding was rushed... Gate staff and the cabin crew are defensive, agitated... "Please board as quickly as possible.... (We are late (maybe their problem?)) We don't what to lose out takeoff slot".... The employee's stress is transferring to the passengers... "we are already late... Take a seat as quickly as Possible" People continue to stream on... There is nothing glamorous or exciting about this big jet air plane... "Please grab a seat quickly folks"

1:17 they are closing the door. They are closing the overhead bins... We are getting ready to depart. Time to turn the IPad off... At least we are finally on the way...

1:48... Now above 10,000 feet, Ipad back on... Stanford and the linear accelerator below... Leaving SFO all traffic was limited to the two north south runways... So maybe Southwest wasn't lying about the reason for the delay... Still they didn't handle it well, or communicate well... We were into the fog, before we cleared the end of the runway... We had broken through into sun light while still over the airport...

I am reading "Lost in My Own Backyard" by Tom Cahill... About "A walk in Yellowstone National Park"... I recommend it... I am listening to Houston Jones on the IPad... All is good... Now below... I-5 and traffic southbound of LA and beyond... A different way to move about... I see a road trip coming on... Yellowstone or Utah's canyon lands... Somewhere remote, where I can camp... Fire blazing, away from where ever "here" is.

Now 2:04... Strangely, while traveling, time is linear once again... I am settled in, a sprite on my tray table... Houston Jones singing "Three Crow Town and a good book... Below the San Joaquin Valley is fading into the Sierra foothills... We are headed east...

There is still lots of snow in the Sierras... Rivers are running high, easily seen from 25,000 feet or so... This will be a good year to fish the Kern River...

We plan to scatter Mom's & Dad's (and Cleo's (the dog)) ashes along the Kern River. Merle Haggard has a song about the Kern River... Dad, and his dad, George homesteaded land and built a cabin near Lake Isabella, on the Kern River... We spent a lot of time there as kids...

Now 2:15...Below, a glimpse of the Owens Valley, the Alabama Hills... Before they disappear under clouds...

2:22... peanuts arrive... I like peanuts... Now desert below... Death Valley... Hot & dry.

We land about 3:00 in Las Vegas...

I have an our plus layover... I find a bar, and order a beer... Having consumed said beer, I find a restroom... I find the gate and after a short wait board... I am B-2... Not a bad boarding number... I get a window behind the wing... I like to look outside when flying... It is now 4:03... People continue to board... To look for seats and precious overhead bin space... I establish my camp... The IPad, a book, and my snacks... Time to shut the I pad down...

Now 5:43... More likely 6:43... By now we have likely crossed the border and are over west Texas, and Mountain Time... we have come less than half way... Half way from Nevada to Florida...

6:27... This flight is more subdued... We are flying towards darkness... Into night below us darkness is falling... Below it is 7:30, possibly 8:30... Below is world of green fields... Streams meandering.. Occasional lights... Likely east Texas... Here at 35,000 feet it is still light, the plane's wing glowing pink in the alpenglow.

By 7:05 (locally likely 9:05, maybe 10:05) all is dark save for the lights of the cities and towns below. We have an hour and a half or so to go...

At 7:49, hear the engines throttle back a bit and feel the plane pitch downward... We are nearing Tampa... We should be on the ground in 40 minutes or so... They should be making the "turn off all electronic devices" announcement soon.

Now Sunday morning… sometime after 9:00 am… The plane landed… I recovered my luggage which was so hard to check… I found the truck, drove home to Brooksville and went to bed…

This AM, Dad is doing well, stuck in bed, sick, but in good spirits… talking to people, looking forward to visitors…


One final thought... While I am not happy with Southwest and their communication, no employee was ever rude or lashed out... they were stressed... they had lost their sense of humor... but they were never rude...

Flying again… (or not)

Saturday, June 11^th, 11:30 am… I am sitting at SFO in a bar… having a beer and a sandwich… I am supposed to be in the air… to Las Vegas, then on to Tampa…

I got to SFO at 9:50 for a 11:05 flight… I got in line to check my bags at about 9:55… (This is the “Express Baggage Check”) I finally checked reached the counter at 10:53… and finished about 10:55… In theory I was too late to check a bag… as was almost everyone else in line (one girl was crying)… While in line I had called Southwest Airlines customer service desk… the good news was my flight was delayed! Customer service asked if anyone had come down the line to expedite those who’s flights were drawing near…. (they hadn’t, they didn’t.) They suggested I just wait in the line and they would get me to my destination (apparently they will)… They said that there were no reported delays at SFO (evidence suggest there were)… the call was a waste of time… but others in line wanted to know what number to call… I gave them the number… I took photos… A line mate made a joke about posting one on Twitter… instead I posted one to Facebook… Instead of the “you check in on the computer, then we put the luggage tag on” system that they usually use, they were taking your boarding pass and entering the information for you. There were 3, then 4, then 3 agents… They didn’t have the staff to do things manually… yet they were doing it manually… They were rewriting many tickets (in the “Express Baggage Check” line)… taking more time… Once to the counter, my check-in process was mercifully quick… Staff was polite, not particularly concerned, and didn’t seem to share their passenger’s sense of urgency. (Someone walking down the line saying “we are running behind, but everything is under control” would have been nice… but it didn’t happen) Now, free of my bag, I ran for the gate, I bluffed my way through the First Class and Employee security line, and made the gate before the 11:05 flight time… for a flight that is now leaving about 1:20… 2 hours and 15 minutes late.

Luckily, I had a long layover in Las Vegas for the Tampa flight… now a short layover… eventually I will get to Tampa…

Of course, Southwest sent me an email at 9:51 telling me my flight was delayed… Kind of useless if you are supposed to be at the airport an hour or two before the flight…

SFO provides 45 minutes of free internet access… of course, I am trapped here for the next 2 ½ hours… I have eaten… I have burned my 45 minutes of free internet… I have another hour plus to burn… At least I got the email saying my flight was delayed…

I suspect much of my time here may be consumed complaining about Southwest Airlines… they are providing me with ample ammunition… This is a surprise… Southwest is generally a pretty good airline… Not exciting, not always cheapest… but generally pretty good… which makes today all the more surprising… I expect this (insert your favorite word for manure here) from United… (I will pay more not to fly United… I really dislike United) I wouldn’t be surprised on Northwest… There are jokes about how bad US Air is… but not on Southwest, they are usually competent.

I don’t like Southwest’s seating and boarding system… In the last year I have seen to incidents as fellow passengers fought over seats (including one where Grandma got taken off by the police.) On the other hand, I like their bag’s fly free policy… Generally their staff is pretty good, frequently humorous… I happen to like peanuts… They hand out peanuts… I like overnight flights… generally they don’t do red-eyes. I find myself flying Southwest about 1/3 of the time… I always check Southwest before buying a ticket.

It appears that the flight delay, and maybe the check in issues may be a result of weather, and resulting limits on landings and take-offs… If so, it may not be Southwest’s fault… but they didn’t handle it well today…

Now 12:37… still no big jet airplane… for Vegas or other destinations… the folks around me are getting frustrated… some think that Southwest is lying… they are hearing different stories from different employees…

I love to travel… Until next time… bye…

Dad, part 3

Friday, June 10^th… I am home for the second of two days… home to take care of work issues… check mail and the garden, to once again walk the dogs… It has been a long journey to get here…

Back… to Thursday, June 2nd... 30,000' or so over Iowa, maybe Nebraska... At light cloud layer obscures details... Then clears a bit for a moment before thickening again. I am Chicago bound on the way back to Tampa... Back to the hospice in Brooksville where dad lays dying...

Tina, the kids, my brother and his wife Penni are all there waiting by his bedside... Waiting for him to die... I will soon join them again, and like them, sit, and wait...

Last week we were there to take care of him... But now we know the truth... The best care can only bring peace and relief from pain as death nears. In the mean time we wait.

I think that Dad is tired of waiting... But I am miles away and not sure…

Now forward, Sunday... June 5th... Tina has flown home with Brandi the dog... Last report has them on board their flight from Atlanta for SFO... I miss them.

The dying is increasingly complicated by outside issues... Under stress people don't always behave well... Much of the stuff (aka crap, personal issues) is only peripherally related to Dad dying... But folks are stressed and shit comes out. I feel like I am stuck in the middle of someone else's drama... Dad is dying... I don't need the side show.

Dad wants to come home... We are making arraignments... Making plans we need a hospital bed... Oxygen... Bed tables... Stuff

I am not sure if he believes he is dying, getting better, or may live a while... I am pretty sure that those of us around him aren't sure either...

Back again, On June 4^th the plans changed... Dad is coming home... To die... At home.

Sitting, waiting for someone to die is hard... Harder than expected... More complicated than expected... There are expectations... Mine, yours, and all the folks sitting with you, waiting for Dad to die...

Nerves are raw... People act out... Each dealing with their own feelings, trying to avoid other's issues... Other's raw nerves and feelings... Are we acting correctly... Is there a correct way to act... who is in charge... no one... Who is in control... many, or him, or me, or Dad, or, no one...

Things get said.. feelings are hurt... Stupid actions and statements go un challenged out of respect for the dead or soon to be dead... Issues fester... There may be Hell to pay later, after he is gone, ok not... Nerves are raw today... Maybe they will heal... Or not..

Most just hide their feelings and go on, wishing for a different outcome.

Dad seems to be getting better... Of course... he will die... Soon. But he feels better, and looks better, and is more aware and alert... But, he still has Lymphoma... and is still dying... But he feels better... And he, and we find our hopes rising... of course... none of this changes the basic truth... Dad is dying.

Back (again) June 4th... 9:00 or so... Pm... Dark... I am walking the dog... Brandy, the cute little dog who is moving to California to be our dog... It's a hot June Florida night... Up the road, to just beyond where the pavement ends... The song of the crickets over powers all but the sound of country music playing loudly from nearby houses... There is Spanish moss in the oak trees... A black snake crosses the road in the darkness behind... A ghost rather than an animal... Safely across the road... This is Florida... Not Miami Beach or Daytona... This is Florida.

Back, further to June 3rd... It's my birthday... I am back... Back with Dad... He is more lucid... More awake... More aware... he hasn't eaten in three weeks... He is dying, he wants to die... Now... he thinks he has already died... It bothers him that the Dr. told him he was still alive... he talks about having already died...

His grasp of time, of the time line of his illness is particularly fragile... He has been here a week, or 4 weeks... Maybe 3 weeks... He had died... At least he believes he has... He believes the Dr. Stood at the end of bed and told him he was dead... He believes a Dr. later told him he wasn't dead... I believe this came as a shock…

He needs medicine... maybe soon... maybe he has already had it... maybe he is not yet due... Time is an abstract concept or maybe a flexible reality...

Forward to June 4th... It's late... It's dark. I am tired and thinking of bed. Instead, I blog... I continue to try to consume Mom's scotch... But there is a good supply on hand... Possibly more than I am prepared to drink...

Fast forward, now Wednesday, June 8th... I am flying... Flying home... Two days of work two days at home then east bound again. Back to Florida and Dad.. I am getting good at this...

Back to Florida… Dad is rallying.. We spent Monday getting ready... Tuesday he came home... That was only 31 hours ago, but it seems like a week... Dad has changed.. He is awake... He is talking... He wants to talk to friends... He wants to eat... Barbecued chicken, roasted potatoes and tomato salad... He had seconds...

The next morning, (June 9^th?) this morning, He has breakfast... He eats.. He is awake early... He wants to rearrange the room... He reads the paper... he is making plans... For the day, for tomorrow, for next week and for the one following. He feels good... He sounds good... He looks good... Too good... We I think we all start to think about survival... It is not rational... He is sick, very sick, terminally sick... But he is doing so well.

Is there hope?

Back, to Saturday, June 4th when Dan announced Dad wanted to come home... I thought he was delusional... Maybe both were delusional... Dad is dying... Dan is in denial... most of the nurses seemed to agree with me, but he was telling the truth... Dad wanted to come home...

In retrospect Dan was right...

So, Saturday and Sunday were spent planning, clearing out the furniture, the bed, the side tables and such out of Dad's bedroom, rearranging the rest of the furniture... Cleaning... Fussing... Back at the hospice Dad was doing better...

Back, Sunday June 4^th, afternoon, I took Tina and Brandi (the dog) to the airport for their flight home... I return to the house... I miss walking the dog... It was an occasional respite from the waiting and sitting, to go outside... Not to escape, but to do a chore.

Forward, Monday the 5th they bring the hospital bed, the oxygen, the wheelchair and rocker... Tuesday they bring Dad...

We, everyone, believes he is coming home to die... He brought mom home... Just about 3 months ago, and she died... Apparently he has other plans... he is coming home to live, at least for a little while...

Tuesday was a good day.... Wednesday was a good day... We are expecting more good days... And so, once again I am headed home... For a couple days... Then back on Saturday for another week...