October 15, 2010

Flew home to Long Island last night with Beth. We sat on the tarmac an extra 45 minutes --- and --- the toilet was broken for the whole trip. "At this time," they said, "we regret to announce..." I just like the way on a plane everything you say starts with At this time. It's also the only time you really call things "items." The flight attendants fit the profile of all male flight attendants and we puzzled over why that was. One of them was funny, sarcastic with us. He also seemed to be storing personal garbage in the bin over our seat. He visited it several times, once retrieving four or five empty Target bags and twice the same Burger King bag stuffed tight with I don't know what.

Ethan couldn't find our terminal so he parked 20 minutes away. In his defense, La Guardia is kind of a maze. He told me he consulted a map of the aiport before he left, remembering that to be the case. But apparently American doesn't have the same kind of visible signage as Delta or the others. When I can't find the right terminal I keep driving around the loop until the person I'm picking up calls to give me a landmark. He chose to just park and he came and found us on foot.

It was pissing down rain as we walked and walked back to his car, walking well past the parts where traveler walkways are provided. Into and beyond the employee areas. Dark, wharehouse-y looking buildings with grimed over windows and razor wire. Rain, rain, rain. I told Ethan he'd pulled an Eric because this is more like one of my misadventures.

We got to the car and everything else was perfect. We talked with my brother in the car and with Christina when we got to his house in Northport. Time to laugh at a few inappropriate jokes even at 11:00 pm. I saw Sid again and loved him up. I met the new cat who gnawed on my arm but I can take it. We slept well. We'll be able to see my mom and stepdad for lunch today.

We're actually here on Long Island to share a house with Ethan's friends in Southhold as an engagement party; my brother is getting married next month. The bathrooms in the rental house work as far as we are told, and we have a map.