Sunday, February 22, 2015

I worry even when good things happen! What's wrong with me?

I printed the boarding passes for the flights back to Eugene.  The first--for the long four hour leg--had me in a row that was not the same as what I originally had.  I looked closer.  "First."

I had been upgraded all the way from economy to the front of the plane.

You would think that I started celebrating, right?

I worried.

The last couple of times I was upgraded to first/business class, well, the cosmos made me pay big time.  The latest was the awful experience at Denver.

Which is why I worried that I would have to pay for it.  There is no free lunch, after all!

I suspected that the cosmos would strand me in San Francisco.  My connection was a late in the night flight, after which the next flight home was in the morning. I was convinced that it would be a replay a la Denver.

Seated directly across from Gate 67, I booted up the laptop.  No wifi in the airport.  So, now, two hours to kill, without wifi, and with increasing level of worries over my free upgrade.

Turns out that I am one bad luck charm. No wonder at work and in personal life, nobody wants to be around me.  In this case, it was in the form of an announcement--the flight out of Gate 68 was cancelled because of the bad weather in the northeast.  I felt bad for the passengers; after all, the plane was there, the crew were there, ... but, a no-go.

But, life is all about me.  I now wondered if the cosmos had exacted the price for my upgrade via canceling the flight out of the next gate.  I know, I know, it is all a coincidence and there is no causation at all.  But, hey, whoever said emotions are triggered by logical thinking!  Check with any woman ;)

I boarded the plane. The flight steward seemed surprised that I didn't care to have wine or beer.  He kept coming back to me with "are you sure you don't want anything?"

As the plane neared San Francisco, the setting sun produced impressive sights.  I looked around--it seemed like most of my people--as in we first-classers, hehe--were focused on their devices, reading or watching.  Like even the passenger in the seat that was in front of me--the reflection provided the evidence:


I wondered whether she was aware of the phenomenal colors in the horizon right outside her window.  Perhaps not; after all, this not a first experience either of passengers entertained by devices and not knowing about the fabulous show outside.

As the plane started descending, the sky turned dark, and so did my optimism.  I was reminded of the price that I had yet to pay for the free upgrade.  I wondered what awaited me.

The plane taxied and almost reached the gate when it stopped.  A minute later came the announcement: another plane was parked at the gate and that we would have to wait for at least twenty minutes.



So, was this the price that I had to pay the cosmos?  With this and the canceled flight, was I even with the cosmos?

I really didn't care because the the connecting flight was more than two hours away.  We finally reached the gate thirty minutes after wheels-down.

After grabbing dinner, brushing my teeth--a good student I am--I settled by the gate.

Fifteen minutes before boarding time, the guy at the adjacent gate cleared his throat and made an announcement.  About a flight cancellation "because of a crew situation."  Aha, so this was the Denver replay that I was sure would happen.  But, I lucked out--my bad karma had been transferred on to yet another flight.

I am glad I am home to tell this yawner! ;)


8 comments:

Kottapali said...

Please warn me not to be in the gate next to yours :)

Sriram Khé said...

hehehe ...

you are safe--given the couple of thousand miles that separate our worlds ;)

Anne in Salem said...

My worry would be for my credit card - did they charge me for the surprise upgrade?

Best thing about flying west in the evening is the extended sunset. Beautiful picture. So glad you got home safely at roughly the anticipated time.

Anne in Salem said...

My worry would be for my credit card - did they charge me for the surprise upgrade?

Best thing about flying west in the evening is the extended sunset. Beautiful picture. So glad you got home safely at roughly the anticipated time.

Shachi said...

I ALWAYS worry too when too many good things happen - especially after becoming a parent!

Sriram Khé said...

Glad to know that there are other worrywarts ;)

As a former, and older, colleague told me more than 20 years ago, "when you become a parent, you are a parent for life. As a parent, you worry. Which means, you worry for the rest of your life"

Ramesh said...

This blog seems to be full of worriers. No doubt, the influence of being "close" to you. I shall keep away from your blog for a few days to let your bad karma go elsewhere !

Sriram Khé said...

Yep ... people run away from me as fast as possible ... karma, as they say, is a bitch ;)