I hate flying to or from NY/NJ. On each and every of my numerous trips, I have had to face some or the other problem. I have started feeling its kinda jinxed for me.
Last Friday afternoon, on the spur of the moment, I booked a ticket for Indianapolis. I was missing V so much..couldn't not be with him that weekend. I had walked out of the house in the morning as usual, expecting to be back in the evening not so much looking forward to a dull weekend. But by the end of the day I found myself going towards the La Guardia airport. So far so good. As I approached the guy checking the boarding pass and the id in the security check, I was feeling good and excited. The guy was a desi...he took one look at me and pointed me towards the 'special shorter queue'. I though wow..what did I do to deserve this, thinking that I had been selected for an express queue. Bah! In my dreams! When I came closer, I realized it was a special screening queue. I had to undergo a body search! Aaargh! I was seething mad at that guy to have chosen me to undergo the procedure. How can a desi do this to a fellow desi? I mean do I look like a terrorist or what? I understand this is their duty...but why always me??? This was not the first time I had been 'hand picked' for this 'special treatment'. Infact I have lost count. Luckily I had plenty of time in my hand..so I didnt have to worry about missing the flight.
Other thing that normally happens to me (again why me??!!) is that almost every flight I have taken to/from NY/NJ gets delayed. But this didnt happen and I was nicely settled in the aircraft with my cell phone obediently switched off. And then guess what....the captain's voice crackles through the speakers announcing that we havent yet been cleared for takeoff and we will have to wait at least 45 mins more!!! Once again proving that NJ/NY airports have something against me.
I finally reached Indy where V and a couple of frens had come to pick me up. The weekend was good and went by too quickly. The next thing I knew I was on my way back to the Indy airport on Sunday afternoon. I was kinda worried about the return journey as I was landing at La Guardia at 830pm and the best way for me to get back to NJ was take a bus from Port Authority at NY. Already a couple of my friends had scared me on traveling alone in that area in the night. But of course..I shouldnt have worried...coz do things really go as planned when its NY airports involved?? I went through the security check..and guess again...I was selected for the special screening! I guess I should now take it as a normal thing and not get bothered about it. When I reached my gate I realized my flight was 1.5hrs late. Of course...how could I have even thought this would be smooth?
I got my flight changed to NJ one. Although the NJ flight timing was almost the same as the delayed flight, atleast it was in NJ saving me the trip from NY. Also, I knew the way around NJ airport more than the city which made me feel a bit more comfortable. However since I had changed my flight, it was with another airline and I had to undergo security check again. Yes you got it...once again I had to go through the special check. The lady there told me that its the airlines who select and they mark it on the ticket itself. No wonder I had to go through it my entire trip!
By then I was in a terrible state. As if I wasnt feeling bad enough to have to leave V, I had to go through all this. I had even started regretting why the heck did I move..why couldnt I just be with V and let him support me :P. Also, I was worried about how will I reach home...I didnt want to bother anyone to come pick me from the station (I was taking train from the airport) in the middle of the night..plus I wasnt sure taking a cab was a good option.
To make matters worse the 2nd flight too got delayed. I felt like doing something..bash those airlines people..strangle them..something! But I was helpless and had to (in)patiently wait for the plane to take off. Finally after an hour's delay we took off. On landing it was 11:30pm. I approached the lady at the airline counter and asked some arrangement to be made as since the flight got delayed, I missed my ride back home. She was nice and sorry and she told me to check the customer service. I went there only to find empty counters staring back at me. I noticed one lady walking out of the area. I quickly caught up with her and asked her if she was from the customer service. She rudely replied yes but couldnt I see they were closed? I simply walked out of her..I wanted to give her my mindful, but I had no time to waste, plus I knew my words would not make any difference to her. I went to the train station and took the train back home. My landowner came to pick me up from the station and finally I was safe back home.
I have told V, henceforth he will be the one to travel. I am so tired of dealing with these stuffs every time. Plus I hate traveling alone... as if I haven't had enough of my company while commuting to work everyday.
