I'm back in town... but too tired and overwhelmed by thousands of emails to write anything today. Just some quick notes.
To United Airlines: How you could manage to lose the seat assignments for a family of four traveling together, and then assign my two and a half year old daughter a middle seat in row 34 by herself, I do not know. How you could do it twice... helps me understand that whole bankruptcy thing.
To the handsome, articulate, suave, attractive, and brilliant man reading Malcolm Gladwell's Blink on the flight between Boston and SFO: may whatever God you prefer reward you heartily for giving up your comfortable window seat for a middle seat in row 34 so that my two and a half year old daughter could sit with me. The drink I bought you could not possibly be enough.
To all the passengers who flew from Boston to SFO with my screaming, miserable, non-sleeping wife and children: I'm sorry. But thank you, almost all of you, for being so damned good about it. Nothing restores one's faith in other people quite like the supportive clap on the shoulder four hours into a cross-country flight, or the gentle words of commisseration and support from the stern looking businessman who you thought was going to have you thrown out the window.
To the lovely young sisters across the aisle from SFO to Boston: thank you for offering the cub some of your green pepper slices. It was very sweet, and she didn't mean anything by it when she made that face.
To the producers of Fever Pitch, Monster in Law, The Longest Yard, and Kicking and Screaming: your movies lost nothing without the sound. Do not take this as a compliment.
To the Canadian customs officer who questioned me for rather a long time before letting me in to your country: hey, if I saw rumpled, unshaven, red-eyed me, with my passport full of trips to the Middle East, I'd ask a lot of questions too. You beauty (Canadians really do say that!)
To the cities of Vancouver and Berkeley: you rock.
To my home office iMac: rest in peace. I'll miss you, but I'm sure going to love your replacement which I can't afford but which I now just have no choice but to purchase.
To my cat: read the above eulogy very, very carefully the next time you feel the urge to start meowing outside my bedroom door at 2:00 in the morning, or when the baby is trying to fall asleep.
To Karen Hughes: thanks for appearing on al-Jazeera on September 27. Shame about the trip. I'll try and write something about it when I'm a bit less frazzled.
Great to have you back! Look forward to lots of posts :)
Posted by: Mohamed | October 04, 2005 at 07:11 AM
Twice?
Thank God I fly Continental.
Posted by: John Penta | October 04, 2005 at 08:08 PM