If you read any of my earlier posts, you will remember I suffered extreme jet lag when I went to Germany. Well, it was probably jet lag mingled with depression but even so, my body had a very difficult time adjusting to the time change. Fast forward 7 months to my return to the states. I had not slept the night before (sat up in hard plastic chairs all night dozing off here and there), endured an 8 hour flight and now I'm in a whole new time zone again. The adrenaline from being so excited to go home was keeping me going. I don't really remember being all that tired. I just remember wanting to instantaneously be in Chicago -- *snap* just like that.
I remember when I called my Dad to give him my flight information I could hardly speak. I was on a real phone (none of that military business) -- STATESIDE talking to my Dad! Best yet, I was going to see him in just a matter of hours. Not days or weeks or months but hours! Glory!
I had an evening flight to Chicago. I was on a plane that had two seats on each side with an isle in the middle. Yeah, I have no idea what kind of plane that is but that is what I was on. Keep in mind, I was still in my military uniform. I wanted so badly to sit by the window because more than anything, I wanted my eyes to behold that gorgeous Chicago skyline when we flew into the city --my beacon home. But when I boarded the plane a gentleman was already in the window seat so I sat in my assigned isle seat. We exchanged a few polite words. I told him I was on my way home. He was on a business trip, having spent the day on Philly and on his way home to Chicago. He was dressed in a sharp crisp business suit with a bright white shirt. He had removed his jacket. I must have said something to him about the skyline, perhaps hinting I wanted to change seats. Before we even took off, I was out like a light. I vaguely remember the flight attendant coming by to offer drinks and the gentleman sitting next to me telling her to just let me sleep. It was that same feeling I had when I got to Germany --I wanted to be awake but my body wouldn't allow it.
The next thing I knew the gentleman was waking me up saying, "There it is --there's the Chicago skyline, you're home now." I lifted my head, which had fallen onto the man's shoulder. He let me sleep the whole flight like that. Worse yet, when I woke up I noticed I had drooled all down his clean white shirt! Embarrassed? Uh, totally but then I caught a glimpse of that glorious nighttime skyline --my home, nothing else mattered. As if sleeping on him and drooling all over him wasn't bad enough, I leaned way over so I could see out of the window better. I almost missed seeing it all together as just as I was looking, the plane was making a sharp turn and preparing for landing.
Landing!
I got off the plane and standing there anxiously waiting for me --my Dad and Step-mom. I dropped my carry-on bags and ran to them. I hugged them --I cried, my step-mom cried. At long last --
I was home.
I remember when I called my Dad to give him my flight information I could hardly speak. I was on a real phone (none of that military business) -- STATESIDE talking to my Dad! Best yet, I was going to see him in just a matter of hours. Not days or weeks or months but hours! Glory!
I had an evening flight to Chicago. I was on a plane that had two seats on each side with an isle in the middle. Yeah, I have no idea what kind of plane that is but that is what I was on. Keep in mind, I was still in my military uniform. I wanted so badly to sit by the window because more than anything, I wanted my eyes to behold that gorgeous Chicago skyline when we flew into the city --my beacon home. But when I boarded the plane a gentleman was already in the window seat so I sat in my assigned isle seat. We exchanged a few polite words. I told him I was on my way home. He was on a business trip, having spent the day on Philly and on his way home to Chicago. He was dressed in a sharp crisp business suit with a bright white shirt. He had removed his jacket. I must have said something to him about the skyline, perhaps hinting I wanted to change seats. Before we even took off, I was out like a light. I vaguely remember the flight attendant coming by to offer drinks and the gentleman sitting next to me telling her to just let me sleep. It was that same feeling I had when I got to Germany --I wanted to be awake but my body wouldn't allow it.
The next thing I knew the gentleman was waking me up saying, "There it is --there's the Chicago skyline, you're home now." I lifted my head, which had fallen onto the man's shoulder. He let me sleep the whole flight like that. Worse yet, when I woke up I noticed I had drooled all down his clean white shirt! Embarrassed? Uh, totally but then I caught a glimpse of that glorious nighttime skyline --my home, nothing else mattered. As if sleeping on him and drooling all over him wasn't bad enough, I leaned way over so I could see out of the window better. I almost missed seeing it all together as just as I was looking, the plane was making a sharp turn and preparing for landing.
Landing!
I got off the plane and standing there anxiously waiting for me --my Dad and Step-mom. I dropped my carry-on bags and ran to them. I hugged them --I cried, my step-mom cried. At long last --
I was home.
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