Trying to get Home for Christmas

Week of December 17

I was looking forward to spending Christmas with my family. I had a break in my residency in clinical pastoral education at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington D.C.,which meant I could spend two weeks in suynny Phoenix. But getting home was going to be difficult with inclement weather interupting air travel.

When I arrived at the airport, I found my flight had been canceled. Likehundreds of others,I waited in line for help getting out of Washington. My hope faded when the agent behind the counted looked like a high school student filling in as a part-time clerk during his holiday break.

When I explained my situation, he quickly suggested an alternate route. He told me there was a flight ready to go to Pittburgh. From there I could take a flight going to Los Angeles. He explained the LA flight would have to refuel in Phoenix due to headwinds and I could get off the plane there. My instructions were to tell the crew when boarding in Pittsburgh I wasa the one to be let off in Phoenix. Anything that would get me out of Washington was worth a try, so Pittsburgh it was.

I explained my sistuation to the flight attendant in Pittsburgh. She said she would let the crew know but told me this was a direct flight to LA. I took my seat. When we were almost ready for takeoff, the captain announced over the PA, "Would the guy who thinkshe is going to Phoenix please come forward."

All eyes were on me as I walked to the front of the plane. Everyone has a good laugh at my expense. The crew was adamant: They were not stopping in Phoenix but I could go to LA and then board another flight to Phoenix. I agreed to do that and again took my seat.

Everyone settled down for a quiet late evening flight. Well into the night, the captain came on the PA with an apology for disturbing everyone's sleep. He announced he had good news for one passenger and bad news for everybody else. He said fuel was low because of headwinds, so we were stopping in Phoenix to refuel. I wanted to gloat but held it to a grin. We parked out on the tarmac and the rear stair was lowered and I was taken to the terminal by a service truck.

I've never found a logical explanation for how the young counter peron in Washington knew the plane would have to refuel when the flight crew was certain it would not. That leaves the illogical, the mysterious. It was Christmas. Was he an angel. I'll never know.

Herald Knighton
Slidell La.