Random boys, Jennifer, Cari, Amanda
My monthly budget is shrinking about as fast as the economy, yet the two have no relation. To preserve what little funds I have left, I thought about skipping happy hour last Friday for a “free” night at home. But I couldn’t say no to hob-knobbing with Republicans and conservatives during First Friday at Union Pub.
The $2.50 rail drinks were right in line with what I’m willing to spend on a drink. After one I decided I was going to part from the political scene and make an ever-so-exciting Friday night trip to Target. The shower head/wandI’d been toting around in my purse the last couple days was starting to weigh me down. I decided if I carried it with me, then I’d be forced to make the return. That logic didn’t really pan out as it had taken up the majority of my purple Longchamp bag for longer than I’d like to admit. You’d think I’d be embarrassed to pull a shower head out of my purse while scrambling for my metro card or cell phone, but I wasn’t.
After a quick re-thinking in the bathroom, I decided I could afford another $2.50 drink and didn’t want want a date with Target to wrap up my election week. I really wanted to let loose. And boy am I glad I did.
After 30 minutes of admiring a cute ensemble on this girl at the bar, I realized why I liked this particular skirt-the same one is hanging in my closet. I just needed a cute, black, winter appropriate shirt to wear with it, and then I’d have her look. (I exchanged the shower head for a black shirt at Target on Sunday) Upon closer examination I realized there was more familiarity to this girl than her Banana Republic grey suit skirt. Of the 588,000‘ish people who reside in the District, I know maybe 35 of them. Odds I like, but are problematic when trying to determine if I know someone.
I did one of those awkward lingers where you pretend to be doing something but actually you’re eavesdropping on someones conversation, for a good 2-3 minutes, all the while jogging my memory of who could this girl possibly be. I overheard her say “Claremont McKenna College,” “Semester abroad in DC” and “Dallas” and then it hit me…..She is my airport friend!
On an early morning back in August, my mom and I stood among mass chaos at the AirTran counter at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, with two suitcases, two boxes and two carry-on bags holding the last of my estranged possessions. There is a reason last minute fare from DFW to DCA on AirTran is affordable….you have to put up with incompetent ticket counter workers, unruly passengers and the stress of “what happens if I don’t make my flight because this line hasn’t moved in 20 minutes?”
While looking absolutely ridiculous with all our baggage I decided it would help me look less ridiculous if I talked to the girl in front of me with two over sized bags. She is a Dallas’ite who went to Hockaday and now attends Claremont McKenna College in Cali. I immediately connected with her because my best friend, Queen B, almost went there. Hockaday is also in my old neighborhood so we chatted about how horrible All Star Driving School is and how we learned nothing about driver’s ed but loved to go to class because we’d rush over to Taco Bueno during the break. We didn’t really need a break during the two-hour class, but our teacher was a major nicotine addict and couldn’t go very long without a Marlboro Red.
We both managed to get our bags checked and made our way to the terminal just in time to find out Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska had been tapped as Sen. John McCain’s vice presidential running mate. I was estatic! Not because I had any idea who SP was, but because every newsroom across America, and maybe even the world, had already written a “dummy story” naming Tim Pawlenty as VP that would flood the Web once McCain made the announcement. The surprise pick completely turned journalists’ worlds upside down. Now they had to figure out who this girl is and why she was running for the #2 spot.
For the first time in my life I exhibited some self control, out of respect for my new friend. I was afraid she was a left-winger and had taken up the backwards ways of Cali and I didn’t want to go all political on her. So instead, I called my Dad and we relished in the joy of the Republican shake-up.
Because of AirTran’s poor organization and upside down policies we missed our connection in Atlanta and had to be re-routed to Dulles. This gave us even more time to get to know airport friend, who’s name is Jennifer. Jennifer was already flying into Dulles so you can imagine how thrilled she was when she found out we were on the same flight.
With some time to kill in the Atlanta airport I took a stroll around. During my stroll, my mom and Jennifer did some chatting and she apparently offered Jennifer, someone we’d met four hours ago, a ride from the airport to her new home in Dupont Circle. I’m not sure if its more bizarre that my mom offered the ride or if Jennifer accepted her offer. So when we touched down in NoVa, Jennifer, me and my mom piled into our rented car and began our journey home.
For the average person, the drive from Dulles to DC takes roughly 45 minutes. Jennifer however decided to ask the counter-worker at Hertz Rent-A-Car for directions, which I’m sure were correct, but we ended up in the middle of nowhere. The three and one-half hour trip was anything but dull. The bait shop we stopped at first, to ask for the right directions, was the perfect setting for a crime. Dull lights, a wooden sign reading “Live Worms” and the two hoodlums that walked in behind my mom, with their hands in their pockets, looked troublesome. Apparently the bait shop owner knew the raggedy boys and no one was injured.
About two hours into the trip Jennifer’s mother called inquiring about why she hadn’t called to say she made it to DC. Jennifer reassured her that she was on the way and that a nice family she met at the airport offered her a lift home. I’m sure you can imagine her mother’s confusion because she was not aware of the free ride Jennifer had accepted. I don’t think it put her mother any more at ease by telling her she knew our last name started with a D and she had our social security numbers. Come to find out Jennifer doesn’t have the greatest track record when it comes to moving to foreign places or befriending strangers.
I decide I’d had enough of Jennifer’s map reading skills and my mom’s for that matter (she admitted she couldn’t really see) and brought out my recently run-over, and somewhat fixed BlackBerry to google map us and get us home.
We eventually made it to Dupont and dropped Jennifer off. That was the last time I saw her, until last Friday. I still don’t know if I am more shocked that I saw my long lost airport friend, or that she is a Republican.
The reunion was bittersweet. We hugged and recounted our travel and she said she’d call me if she’s ever lost in DC. There was no mention of hanging out.
1 Comment
November 10, 2008 at 9:51 pm
I love that you and your airport friend are reunited! What an amazing tale!