I Have To Get To Mom

The CQ called the CO (Company Commander) at home and the good ol' Captain was a bit perturbed he was disturbed after duty hours.  The CQ explained to him the situation and he said something like, "I saw those orders come in but it was close to the end of the day so I figured I'd just wait until tomorrow."  The CQ then explained how I was there waiting on these orders and the Captain said, "Well, I didn't know there was an urgency."

DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS AN URGENCY??????????????????????

I'M SORRY, WHAT PART OF EMERGENCY LEAVE IS CONFUSING, SIR??????

I have no recollection of what happened next.  My next memory is me in my apartment.  I do remember I was so over taken with disbelief that it superseded (for the time being) any anger in me.   I also remember telling myself I needed to focus on getting to my Mom and I'd deal with the Captain later so I filed this whole ordeal away.

Next thing I remember, I'm standing in my apartment on the phone with Red Cross.  You see, the plan had been my flight reservations were being made through the military travel office and Red Cross was going to give them a check to cover the cost of my flight.  You know back then, we didn't have all these online travel sites and flying at a moment's notice was very expensive.  In fact, I remember my flight was about $900.  But now since my orders did not get signed and all this time had passed, the Red Cross office and travel office was closed so my flight could not be paid for.  When I got back to my apartment I called Red Cross and got an after hours recording . . .our normal hours of operation are . . if this is an emergency . . 

THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I called the after hours number and of course since this was a person I had not previously spoken to, I had to go through the entire story again.  Don't you hate that?  You get transferred over to a new representative and have to explain the problem all over again . . . .but thankfully, unlike my Captain, this person was actually very nice and very helpful.  She gave me the name and number of a person at Ft. Riley I was to call.  She told me I'd be able to get a check from her.  The next call I made was to the airlines, as I had missed another flight and I was trying to get out that night.  After several calls I was able to book THE LAST FLIGHT OUT OF KANSAS CITY UNTIL MORNING.  The last flight.

THE LAST FLIGHT.

I looked at the time, the flight took off in 2 hours.  Two hours!  It was a two hour drive to the airport--and I still needed to get the Red Cross check.  I called my step-Dad and sisters, who had already arrived in Florida, to let him know I finally got my orders and what flight to expect me on.  I then called the Red Cross contact at Ft. Riley and she was so very sweet.  The other Red Cross person I had just spoken to called her and I was ever so thankful she did --that I didn't have to start my story from the very beginning again.  The Red Cross lady gave me her address and said for me to come on over, she'd be waiting for me.  She lived in family housing on base.  I grabbed by bag and orders and headed back on post.

I don't remember what time it was but it was evening --certainly after dinner hour and maybe nearing bedtime.  It was late and it felt a little strange going over to this stranger's house.  The lady answered the door and invited me in.  We walked over to her dining room table.  I remember her husband was in the family room sitting watching TV.  This felt so intrusive --both me in their home and them into my emergency situation.   I didn't like it at all.  I remember having to force myself to be patient because I just wanted to scream to this lady GIVE ME THE CHECK!  I HAVE LESS THAN TWO HOURS TO GET TO THE AIRPORT!

We sat at her dining room table where she had a lock box sitting there waiting.  She took a set of keys and opened the box.  It seemed to me she was moving in slow motion but you know, I'm sure everything was moving at a normal pace.  She opened the box and I saw the prettiest red, white and blue checks with that big red cross logo in the corner.  I just love paper so much --pretty paper that even in my distress, I still noted the pretty checks.  The woman took out a check, wrote it out to the airlines then she had to record the check, get a copy of my orders, I had to sign for the check, show my ID . . . .

CAN YOU PLEASE MOVE THIS ALONG??????????????????????

Finally, we were done and I headed out to the airport.  I now had about 1 1/2 hours to make a 2 hour drive but keep in mind, that left no time to park, check in, etc.  We didn't have e-tickets back then . . but we also didn't have the level of security we have now . . even so, I stood a very slim chance of getting on a flight within 1 1/2 hours.

I floored my little 1985 Dodge Colt.  I prayed for safety.  I prayed for my baby (I wondered what all this stress was doing to my pregnancy).  I prayed I'd not get caught speeding (can you pray for protection from the law?  I dunno--but I did).  I prayed I'd get to my Mom on time.  I prayed.  I prayed.  And I drove and I drove and all the while, I kept having to remind myself to breath.  It felt like my throat was closing.

I have to get to Mom!  I just have to get to my Mom!