I found myself reaching for my cell phone today, to call you. Partly it was to entertain you with the challenges I've faced this weekend, trying to leave town in the middle of "The Great SouthEastern Ice Storm of 2005," but mostly because I had a new experience today, and it was one you would have enjoyed.
I had to fly to Chicago for work - new hire training (orientation). Our headquarters is outside Chicago, and all new hires come here to train, sot hey've got a pretty smooth operation.
I was supposed to be here yesterday, but the Atlanta airport was closed for awhile - ice covering everything to a depth of 1/2-2" will do that to you.
So on Friday evening, my Saturday morning flight was cancelled and rebooked to Sunday morning.
On Saturday afternoon, my Sunday morning flight was cancelled and rebooked to Sunday afternoon.
On Sunday morning, my Sunday afternoon flight was cancelled and rebooked to Monday lunchtime. (Who knew it could be so hard to go north in the winter-time?)
Of course, my class started at 830am on Monday morning, so I missed the first part of the first day.
Anyway, I finally made it to Chicago, and called "the limo service" that my company uses, to tell them I was finally here. Now, I've used "limo services" before, and they usually bring me a nice, clean Lincoln Town Car or something similar.
Not this time, Mom.
They picked me up at the airport in a nice shiny black *stretch limousine.* I've never been in one of those before. I wanted so bad to call you up and say "Hey, Mom! I'm in a stretch limo!"
But of course, I couldn't.
So instead, I drafted this letter in my head, and thought about the other times I've called you from odd places when I was doing cool things (remember the phone call from Helsinki?). And I thought about the times in the past year when I've wished I could call you, like last summer on the whale-watching trips...
Mostly, though, I leaned back and enjoyed the ride, and pictured you smiling cause your little girl was being treated like she was somebody special (which you've always insisted I am).
I love you, Mom.
(p.s. I ordered flowers for Dad for Valentine's Day today... he'll get them on the 11th. I like sending him flowers)
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