Christmas Headwinds

I had a break in my residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC and I was looking forward to spending Christmas with my family in Phoenix.

When I arrived at the airport, I discovered that my flight had been canceled because of weather. Like hundreds of other disappointed travelers I stood in line to get help getting out of Washington.

My hope faded when the airline attendant behind the counter looked like a teen ager filling in during his holiday break. When I explained my situation, he quickly suggested an alternate route. He told me a flight was leaving for Pittsburgh and from there I could take a flight to LA.

I said something about my destination being Phoenix. He explained that the LA flight would have to refuel in Phoenix due to headwinds and I could get off there.

In Pittsburgh I told the flight attendant my situation and she said she would inform the crew. While we were waiting to take off the pilot came on the PA, "would the guy who thinks he is going to Phoenix please come forward."All eyes were on me as I walked forward. Everybody had a good laugh at my expense.

The crew was adamant. They were not stopping in Phoenix but I could go to LA and then catch  a flight back to Phoenix. I agreed to do this and returned to my seat in the main cabin.

Everyone settled down for a quiet flight. Well into the night, the captain came on the PA with an apology for disturbing us. He announced he had good news for one passenger and bad news for everybody else. He explained fuel was low because of headwinds so we were stopping in Phoenix.

I wanted to gloat but held it to a smug grin.

We landed in Phoenix and parked on the tarmac. The rear staircase was lowered and I was taken to the terminal in a service truck.

I never found a logical explanation for how the young counter worker in Washington knew the plane would have to refuel in Phoenix when the flight crew was so certain it would not.

That leaves the illogical, the mysterious, after all it was Christmas.

Was he an angel? I guess I'll never know.

Gerald Knighton

Phoenix, AZ