Kimo's world #93~Special Thursday edition~
Flying sure ain't what it used to be
A rainbow in the background of the plane that flew me home. Thank you for the Rainbow, Lord! |
Phobias from claustrophobia to social anxiety and just paranoia happen every time I fly the friendly skies.
Air travel for me the last 35 years has either been for funerals or near death experiences.
My parents and elder sister sister are both deceased, the flights to those funerals were not fun experiences--or the flight for a trip to Israel that never happened while on a layover in New Jersey. I developed a spinal abscess and was hospitalized for 2 months and then 3 months rehab in a nursing home.
My life has been an adventure to say the least, however at this point many of the people who once meant something to me are now in their late 60's and older.I have many cousins I have not seen in over 30 years.
I wanted to rent headphones for the long flight. They charge $3.50.(this was once complimentary too) All they would accept was a credit card. I do no have a credit, only a debit card.
They would not accept my debit card, so I offered $5.00 cash. They said they couldn't take cash. Then one flight attendant said,"Sir, it's OK we understand," in a nurse Rachet type of way, however with a forced smile she said, "you can have these free of charge." I gave her my mad man smile and said thank you!
Last time I flew meals and 2 checked-in bags were still complimentary. I guess it goes with the times, customer service is at an all time low. There are fewer services yet everything has sky-rocketed in price. Even with fuel prices being the cheapest in years airline ticket prices are at all time high. This made me feel like a Grandpa telling all the 'stewardess,'I mean flight attendants, “I remember when!” Better yet,"I remember when I was your age..."
I smelled someone's B.O.and thought to myself, 'Oy,' just my luck, this always happens to me. Why Lord? Then realized I was walking the dog in the heat and running around sweating like a mad man before going to the airport. The sad and ironic part was, I was smelling myself! So I let that one go and didn't complain. I found out later it really wasn't B.O.-- but the cheap-silk t-shirt I was wearing. I usually always wear cotton, silk has a smell that just doesn't jive with me. I was still embarrassed since people probably thought I had B.O. and didn't realize it was the material of the cheap t-shirt?
Feeling like a grand dad of flying and telling everyone how flying was once fun and elite. |
I felt like the Grand dad of the flight, telling stories on how people used to have leg room, meals and checked baggage was free and your friends and family could me you at the gate.
I usually despise flying, everything usually bothers me from people chewing gum to the sound of papers shuffling, crying kids kicking the back of my seat and loud drunken people. The non stop chatterers and 400 lb. people always seem to sit next to me, and the smell of others B.O. is usually within smelling distance. At least this time the B.O. was on me! LOL!
This flight, although not my idea of fun was not so bad. The reason was my doctor knows my anxieties and distinguishes what I need and prescribed Valium for the trip. I usually hate being medicated, however if your going to fly the friendly skies and want to be stable and not a stressed wreck, take the blue pill before entering the plane, (not that blue pill,(Viagra) but rather the blue pill that says Valium. Mistaking Viagra for Valium might make the flight exciting, who knows?
My sister Linda and myself visiting the Buffalo zoo. Yes, that's a lion in the background! ;-) |
Flying sure ain't what it used to be, but this being my so called 'last hurrah,' I put up with it one last time. Maybe just maybe this past sojourn could change it's name to my first hurrah per my doctors recommendation? Who knows? ;-)
See no evil, fear no evil, speak no evil... |
Some photos from last hurrah,first hurrah!
Visiting nephew Jason in Rochester N.Y. along with my sister Linda and brother-in-law Marvin. |
Cousin Sue takes me to Niagara Falls! That's the cheap silk t-shirt I was wearing on the flight that smelled. |
Cousin Ron teaches me the finer points of casino buffets! ;-) |
Brother-in-law Marvin cooking from a higher power with those Hebrew national Dogs! |
OK, just talked to United, breaking News! Another 'Oy' moment. OK, I've heard it all, I flew almost 10,000 miles RT and was excited that I would have some good miles for s trip, come to find out I only received 1,500 miles for the whole trip. The mileage you get is based on the amount of money you pay for the flight minus taxes, all this as of March 1,2015. What other ways will the airlines stick to us? Thanks Obama (I mean United)
This photo was photographed and designed by yours truly! |