Transition: Wasilla to New York
Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 7:23PM 
I am two days behind on this blog and furthermore, I am very tired. So I will keep my words brief. Here I am, on the plane, just leaving Anchorage, sitting next to a very smart guy who is reading the Wall Street Journal. The news is grim.
These don't care if the news is bad or good. Either way, they just keep standing there. These are the Chugach, a bit north of Prince William Sound.
This is Bob, from Colorado, the guy who was reading the Wall Street journal. Now, he is overtaken by the view out the window. Bob works on road slide repair.
Now we are coming in to land at SeaTac, buzzing Seattle as a ferry pulls toward the dock.
The flight out of Seattle had been delayed by five minutes and was now scheduled to leave at 3:10. This was plenty of time for me to wander down to the main food court and order a rockfish sandwich, which I did. It was excellent.
I then went back the gate but now saw, in big numbers, 4:00 o'clock. "What time do I need to be back by?" I asked the gentleman behind the Alaska Airlines Counter at the gate.
"Not until 4:00 o'clock," he answered in a derisive, sarcastic, tone of voice.
It was then that I looked more closely at the smaller letters posted with the number. "Next update," they read.
"Oh, I see," I said, "I had misinterpreted it to mean 4:00 o'clock."
"No," he sarcastically replied. "It says next update. Check back at 4:00 o'clock."
So I went back to the dining area and watched airplanes take off for awhile.
About 3:40, I decided I had better go back to the gate anyway.
I returned to the "C" corridor and I had not walked far down it before I heard a voice on the intercom read the names of a number of passengers on my same flight - including my name. "Last and final boarding call," the voice said.
I still had several gates to go, so I started to run as fast as I could with my camera gear and computer.
I saw a couple of other people running as well.
As I approached the gate, the arrogant fellow saw me and turned away.
"You told me to come back at 4:00," I told him as I puffed past. "You almost made me miss my plane."
"I also said to stay in the area," he spoke in the same arrogant tone as before.
"No, you did not say that," I answered.
He didn't either. He was just trying to cover himself.
Had I have lingered in the dining area for one more minute, I would have missed my flight to Newark.
But I didn't. It all turned out good - that's Newark, down below, as our jet comes down on final.
;)
Now I am on the shuttle going from the airport to the hotel I had booked for one night near the airport, becauuse it would be cheaper - MUCH cheaper - than a New York City hotel.
This is John and Maureen. They stayed in the same hotel and were outside when I went out to catch the shuttle back to the airport so that I could catch the train into New York City. They hired a cab to take them to the train station in Newark and invited me to join them.
They insisted upon paying for the whole thing. They are orginally from Burma, but now live in San Francisco, where she works at Macy's and he drives a cab. Burma, they said, is a beautiful place with warm, friendly people - but a horrible government, one of the most repressive on the planet.
They had come so she could attend a Macy's convention. The convention was over and they were going to do some sightseeing.
So we rode the train together into New York.
When I walked out of the train station and onto the sidewalk, I saw that New York is a city where people and balloons freely mingle on the same street.
This gave me new hope for the future.
Reader Comments (9)
Your blog and your photos give me hope for the future. Thank you, Bill.
Yes, what Grandma Nancy said. ;-) Bill, I'm so glad you're back to blogging!
nice people make up for the rude people...i'm glad everything worked out :)
I join in with a hearty Welcome Back!
I went to your beloved Metro Cafe for the first time this weekend, caught a peek of the world famous Carmen. :~)
I'll be back!
Can't wait to see what new adventure drew you to NYC!
Patiently waiting.. and hoping you enjoy the stay.. I'm sure you'll enjoy the company.. two bears meeting, must be something :)
I look forward to seeing NYC through your eyes...
You always seem to me the nicest people Bill!
Cant wait to read about your NYC adventures! I havent been there in many years, and regret not taking my kids there when we lived in CT for 3 yrs.
safe travels amigo...have fun in NY...give hugs to MR.HARVEY to all the MAGNUM and to all my
BURNIANS...
I and the Wasilla people...are sending good energy...
viva mate!