Time to get the Megan. When I took her to the airport we had a bit of a hassle getting me to the gate to wait with her. As you can read in my post of July 20th when she left. So I told her then that to pick her up I would try to get to the gate but if I couldn't I would be right outside the security checkpoint that she walks past to get to baggage claim. She was not happy about this, but felt she would be okay. I explained to her that when Grandma picks someone up, she doesn't even leave her house until the plane has landed and the person being picked up has called her, that way she gets to baggage claim about the same time as the person is picking up their bags and is ready to go.
So plans have changed just a little, I am going to go to a meeting and Grandma is going to drive Gordon to the airport to go in and pick Megan up. I explained this to Megan yesterday, assuring her that he would try to get to the gate, but if not would be at the security checkpoint. And that I would then meet them at Grandma's probably about the same time they got there. We talked about the time change how she would be leaving at noon and not arriving until almost 8:00, and I would be at Grandma's around 9:30.
Then today I get a call from Kathy, as she is sitting at the gate with Megan waiting for her plane to leave. Megan has told her that Grandma is picking her up instead of me and that Grandma doesn't even leave the house until the arriving person has called after the plane has landed. I reassured Kathy that we were aware that Megan is only 12 and that Gordon would be there to escort her to baggage claim, at the gate if possible and if not at the security checkpoint. And yes, the security checkpoint is on the way to baggage claim. And that Grandma was willing to leave prior to the plane landing and wait outside of the airport carefully dodging Airport Security.
Kathy has explained where the air sick bags are and Megan will be taking her Dramamine one hour before takeoff, so hopefully she will arrive in her own clothing, and Gordon will recognize her.
Keep in mind Mel, that I am much like my own mother, and you are not 12. See you on the 4th.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Ok, Megan is on the plane. When I tried to explain to her where the security check gate was in relation to the road to baggage claim she calmly but emphatically stated that she did not understand. So I said, I'll write it down. And she said writing the words you are saying is not going to make me understand them any more. So I took her to the point at LAX where we came in from security and showed her the signs for baggage claim throughout the airport and she astutely pointed out that Detroit airport was different. So I went thru the 68 things that could go wrong and what she should do in each case much to the amusement of the fellow passengers in hearing distance. I wrote out instructions to stay in the plane until the initial crowd was gone, then if Dad wasn't at the gate, to follow the signs toward baggage claim. Then keep a lookout for the security area--the big xray machines. If Dad still wasn't there, go to baggage claim. If Dad still wasn't there, get baggage. Once baggage is in hand, count to 200. (We practiced that part since we got to the airport two hours early.) If Dad still hasn't found her, find a courtesy phone and ask them to page "Gordon Gerth, please meet your party in baggage claim area." And finally, if he still doesn't come, call Grandma and I wrote down Mom's number and gave her quarters. I said you could also call your Mom, but Megan bets that her Mom's cell phone will be turned off in her meeting. So call me--I'll leave my cell phone on. I gave her my little list of everyone's telephone numbers which thrilled her as only Megan can be thrilled and I bought her McDonalds to take on the plane. The stewardess was no help when she boarded as she said incredibly--she can travel by herself? like it was too scary to contemplate, but Megan has survived throwing up by herself in an airplane, so I have every faith in her.
I love the logic that writing down the words you are saying will not make the understandable. How about if I talk slower and louder.
I have no doubts that she got home OK, but someone better post how her flight was.
Post a Comment