Dobrindts Dot Com

I have a kind of tough travel schedule this week. I am in Boston on Monday, fly to DC Monday night for a day in Gaithersburg, MD on Tuesday, fly back to Boston Tuesday night, fly to NY early early Wednesday morning, back to Boston Wed night, to Toronto early early Thursday morning, head to Markham Canada, just outside Toronto Thursday night, then back to Boston Friday night. It could be worse so I am not complaining. I could be a prisoner.

The little hitch this week is that today, May 2, is my daughter's birthday. It's also my birthday but that's of little importance. I was originally suppose to get home tonight, Tuesday, around 10PM but tried to change that. Here is sequence of events.

Tuesday, May 2, 2006.

6:00 AM - I wake up from a dream that I quickly forget. I was in a good mood so it must have been a good dream. I quickly get oriented to the fact that I am in a hotel, in the DC area, on my daughter's birthday. Plus I am sore from doing some work around the house on Sunday. Plus I haven't run in a couple of weeks so I feel lethargic. Good mood rapidly turns sour.

6:15 AM - While taking a shower I wish I could be home in time to hang out with Emily before she falls asleep. My flight is at 7 with bad weather due in Boston so chances are not good.

8:45 AM - Sitting in a meeting with a room full of people, the person presenting just went over the day's agenda. From 3:30 until the end of the day is full of stuff that I could, conceivably, miss. It's not that it's unimportant, it's just stuff that I could do on my own at another time.

8:46 AM - I log on to Delta.com and see a flight that is two hours earlier than mine, getting me in and home around 7:30 or 8. My mood suddenly perks up.

8:47 AM - I make the decision that I am leaving at 3 and getting on that damn 5PM flight. My boss is sitting next to me but he knows I am leaving after the first day of this two day event because of another commitment on day two in another state, a commitment that is much more important. He has no idea when I was leaving so no explaining or creative excuses needed.

2:30 PM - I realize that because of the day's schedule being thrown off, a natural break in the agenda will not happen at 3. I make the decision to get up and leave as quietly as possible anyway, I must get home.

3:00 PM - I am talking. To the entire room. I am engaged in the topic that is being discussed and I am an idiot for speaking up and suddenly I cannot get up and leave because it will look funny that I start a discussion during a presentation then pack up and leave. What was I thinking?? I could have been a flower in the garden with a room full of people who love to talk and snuck out but NO, I have to open my big fat mouth. I, David of planet Earth, am an idiot.

3:25 PM - I internalize and rationalize and say to myself that if I leave in 5 minutes I can be at the airport, 30 miles away with a long haul from the rental car garage to the ticket counter, in 30 minutes. The things I tell myself when I want to justify doing something. I have not changed my ticket so I could sit there and just take the 7PM.

3:30 PM - A butterfly lands in China and the current topic ends with a break in the session. I leave like a stripper at a lacrosse game.

3:33 PM - Walking to my car. "Why did I park so freakin far away. I'm like in another zip code."

3:35 PM - On the road. I am going to drive like I have a bleeding nun in the backseat and the good Lord himself is waiting at the hospital to apply the sutures.

3:36 PM - I see a perfectly clear I-270 south. Accelerator pedal, meet the floor. Giddy-up.

3:37 PM - Drivers, start your engines. The race begins.

3:42 PM - I call Delta and change my flight. I am THERE. Traffic is moving and I am flying.

3:43 PM - What the...? These signs are confusing. 495 south to the left, 495 south to the right, H2, GW Parkway? I was told to take 495 until I crossed over the river and then on the GW. I'll go this way.

3:44 PM - Looks good so far. Hmm. Sign says GW Parkway to the right but I have not crossed a river. Better stay to the left...NO!...I am too far along to cross back and we DID cross a river and that WAS the GW. DAMN IT!!! CRAP!!! Now what?

3:47 PM - Oh for the love of.... I am at a stand still on some two lane highway, Route 66, as I see my chances of making my flight fall fast. I am still going to not tell Patti I am coming home early, a break might open up and I might make it. I am still a long way away from the airport though.

3:48 PM - Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to me. Happy birthday to this handsome fellow. Happy birthday to me.

3:52 PM - Starting to move again. I am weaving in and out of traffic like a rookie Nascar driver. An off duty cop heading home could not drive faster than me right now.

4:01 PM - Crap. Another wrong turn. Where was that stupid sign for Reagan National? Why am I on a road with stop lights? Why is this happening to me?

4:18 PM - Finally drop my Hertz rental car off, guy sees I am in a rush so mercifully attends to me first, and off I am running like OJ Simpson.

4:20 PM - Where is that stupid courtesy bus to take me to the terminal. Which terminal? I have no idea. WHERE IS THAT BUS?

4:23 PM - Get on the bus and realize we still have to stop at all of the other garages, the bus is packed, and then I need to go through terminal A before I get to my terminal, which of course if B.

4:28 PM - Got my ticket. On my way to security. Things are looking good.

4:29 PM - Why are there firemen here? What's with the paramedics? Why is there a huge gathering around the security line? OMG. The security line is huge.

4:30 PM - I walk up to a security guard and say "My flight is in 30 minutes." He looks at me like I have drool hanging from my mouth and says it will take 12 minutes to get through. I look at all the people and think "He couldn't care less about me."

4:31 PM - I get in line. I take my watch off and put it in my briefcase because looking at it will just get me more anxious. Nothing to do at this point but wait.

4:46 PM - The TSA person was off but not by much. I am through the security line and booking it to the gate.

4:49 PM - As I walk up to the gate I don't see a single person. Not any passengers in line. Not a gate agent. Nothing at 22B. Hmm, something is off. I don't know what, but it's like looking at an overturned car or a man with one arm. Something in my mind registers before my brain takes it in.

4:50 PM - With my shoes still untied and holding my laptop, I realize that there is a ground hold in Boston and our flight is delayed until at least 6. UGHHHHH. My Olympic feet to drive 30 miles and get to the gate in 90 minutes was all for naught. Risking a speeding ticket and driving like a typical Bostonian meant nothing. NOTHING.

6:25 PM - They finally call us to board the plane. I guess it's raining pretty heavy in Boston. My chances of seeing Emily before bed are slipping faster than Bush's popularity.

6:38 PM - In the air and speeding to Logan at 500 miles an hour. This might work.

7:30 PM - We are put in a holding pattern over Providence. What did I do to deserve this? I'm a good father. Nice person. Help out with the neighbors. Don't do drugs or drink too much. Why?

7:58 PM - We land. I am near the back with a window seat so no quick exit. I wait patiently. Again, nothing to do about it.

8:11 PM - Get into my car. There are two exit points on my ride home. The first is out of the parking garage. I have been using a swipe card for a few weeks so I am past that speed bump. The second is the toll for the Ted Williams. I just got a Fast Lane path and haven't used it yet. I am all about small things. Details. So any time I can steel a few seconds or minutes, I am all over it. By using an easier way to pay, I gain efficiency. It's all about speed. And me. It's all about me. Never forget it.

8:15 PM - Approaching the Ted Williams. A little anxious about the Fast Lane. Things like this have a way of not working for me. But it works perfectly and I snicker at the fools getting out their cash and waiting in line.

8:19 PM - I am on 93 South and there is sand all over the road. Strange. Plus it's pouring rain. No speed racer for me tonight.

8:31 PM - I pull into my driveway and rush into the house. Emily sees me and runs toward me yelling "Daddy" like she always does. It suddenly dawns on me that I should have gotten her a small gift at the airport so I would have something in my hand. Damn. She looks at me, pats my travel bag and says "Do you have a present in here for me?"

No little Emily, my darling, I don't. But you can look at my new signature pad, a gift from my company so I can show a demo on fast path policy opening. Or you can have my boarding pass.

I played with her for about 20 minutes and off to bed she went. Kind of late but what the heck, it was her birthday. Now it's a couple of hours of sleep and then back to the airport. Tomorrow brings more opportunity for me to rush through life so I can spend an increasingly smaller amount of time engaging in enjoyment activities.