It started out as a fine day. I was well rested from my extended holiday weekend which included a tight schedule of eating, drinking and sleeping on my parents’ new, very comfortable sofa in close proximity to a big screen TV. This morning it snowed and my neighborhood is even more picture-esque than I thought it would be when covered with the white stuff.

I had a 4pm flight to Des Moines (for work, not a vacation). There’s a cab strike so I called early this morning to make sure I could find one. The first one that came up when I did a google search said they’d arrive at my place at 2pm. Perfect.

I got caught up on some emails, with Food TV going in the background. A fine day to work from home, if I do say so myself.

I unpacked my eating/sleeping/drinking clothes and repacked some more formal attire (like my nicer tennis shoes and the not so beat up jeans). As 1:30 approached I was ready to go. I decided since we live on the third floor it would be easier for me to leave my suitcase downstairs in the entrance area and wait for the cab upstairs by my window instead of trying to quickly cart it down the stairs when I saw the cab and potentially killing myself. First mistake.

I got downstairs with the thing, which is disturbingly heavy, and decided my neighborhood is safe enough to leave it just behind our main entrance door. This door isn’t locked but it would be out of sight, so no worries. I try to arrange the suitcase so that it won’t be in anyone’s way if they come home mid day. Second mistake. As I moved the suitcase across the floor I heard the sound of the door slamming shut behind me. Keys? Upstairs. Phone? Upstairs. Cash? Upstairs.

After letting out a long string of obscenities, I looked at my watch. Cab arrives in 10 minutes. There’s a girl walking her dog across the street. I ask if she has a phone and try to call brian. No answer. I leave a message, thank her and go back home. I decide to try the back door in the unlikely case that someone left it unlocked – no dice. There’s a man outside next door shoveling snow. I have no idea how he can help me so I ask him the question that would lead to the most beneficial turn out for me. “do you have a key to this building?” strangely, he does not. But he has a cell phone and I call brian again. This time he answers. He’s going to get a cab ($30 – cha-ching) and come bail me out. Back to the entrance to wait the 20-40 minutes that it will take, depending on traffic.

So for the next 30 minutes, I sat in my building’s entrance with no jacket, freezing, counting down the minutes to when my flight started boarding. Right at about T minus 60 minutes, Brian arrived. I ran upstairs grabbed my bag, jumped in his cab and headed to the airport.

T minus 30 minutes – I arrive, check in and go through security
T minus 15 minutes – I find my gate (right outside security – woo!; tiny plane – boo!)
T minus 10 minutes – After all this stress (did I mention I nearly cried when the neighbor said he didn’t have the key to my house?) I need a chai, and its on the company so why not? I head to starbucks.
T minus 5 minutes – potty break
T minus 0 minutes – After coming out of the restroom, I realize I have entered a warp zone that puts me back on the other side of security. I have to go through – again. $4 tea – in the trash.
T plus 10 minutes. Arrive at the gate. Waiting.
T plus 30 minutes – people finally start getting on the plane
T plus 40 minutes – I am seated behind that guy. Overheard: I hope they have booze on this flight. I know its only an hour long, but I can pound at least 4 during that time.
T plus 45 minutes - that guy strikes again by saying “We’ll be dead by then” during safety instructions

Currently – somewhere over the great state of iowa. I decide I would like a tea as my beverage since I was robbed of mine earlier. Ask the man for hot water (yes, I bring my own tea). No hot water.

I also believe I am the only one making it in tonight therefore the responsibility of renting a car and driving the hour to the client’s office falls on me. Glasses necessary for night driving? Upstairs.

Wish me luck.