Tom

living out life
2008-06-21 06:37:11 (UTC)

Orlando International Airport

My wife and I traveled to Orlando International Airport
yesterday to pick up part of the mission team that was
returning from Ecuador. We took the 12 passenger church
bus and here are some of the highlights of the trip:

On the way to Orlando we get a call from the team in
Miami. Their connecting flight might be delayed just a
little.

Next call: they are loading the plane.

Next call: the plane is not taking off due to lightning.

Next call: they are ready to take off, but do not have a
pilot because he is held up on another flight.

Next call: everyone is being removed from the plane.

Next call: they are boarding the plane again.

Needless to say, we arrived in Orlando long before the
team ever arrived. The bus was too big to park at the
airport, so we decided to find a restaurant. We pulled off
on an exit just before the airport. I'll try to make my
entries just as brief as the ones above:

The first direction off of the expressway proved to be an
industrial park.

Traveled almost a mile in the other direction, but only
found a Taco Bell and some hotels.

Back on the expressway... past the airport.

Nothing stood out.

Exited the expressway, but ended up on a different toll
road.

Almost got into an accident when traffic stopped dead in
front of me while traveling in the rain at about 60 mph.
Was only able to stop by the grace of God. Two cars behind
me went off the road into the median. No car crashes.

Turned around... somehow made it back to the exit with the
Taco Bell. Traveled over a hill and found a Denny's.

Stopped immediately (big sigh of relief).

Inside Denny's, ordered apple pie and coffee (my wife,
cheesecake and sweet tea).

The waitress, Barbara, was a woman close to sixty who
obviously liked to talk because we heard all about how she
raised her two kids as a single mom, her husband passing
away when they were two and four. "I felt like Sybil," she
said. "In one breath I would say, 'No you can't do that'
in a mean tone of voice and the next breath would come out
all sweet and syrupy and I would be asking if they wanted
some dessert."

The woman went on to tell us how her relationship with her
daughter changed when she began dating. She told us, "One
night she brought her boyfriend home and I was cleaning my
shotgun in the living room. I usually cleaned it in the
bedroom, but this time I had it laid out right in the
open."

I responded with, "Usually you hear about the dad cleaning
the shotgun. I would have been scared to death if I walked
in on a mom doing that." (I tried to imagine the scene in
my head. I couldn't help but wonder why she had a shotgun
in the first place).

She said, "Oh, he was surprised." Then she went on, "I had
to be both mom and dad to my kids. My son still gives me a
Father's Day card every year." She hesitated for just a
moment and I think there might have been some regret in
her eyes. Then she said, "You know, he's thirty seven
years old and I have never met any of his friends. He
tells me that he was scared to bring them home." With
that, her conversation with us was over and she walked
away from the table. It was kind of sad actually.

We finally got the call that our passengers were were at
the airport. The plane was only three hours late, but it
was OK. My wife and I definitely had an interesting time
waiting for them.




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