My alarm found a way to not wake me up and for the life of me I couldn't tell you why. What I can tell you is that I had planned to wake up with plenty of time to pack for my 2 day weekend away, and that all of that time was wasted away while my brain decided to ignore the incessant noises of my alarm clock.
It was pandemonium, I was grabbing the closest clothing to me and throwing it into my backpack. So here's what I managed to pack:
2 belts
Swimsuit...
1 extra shirt
No socks
No extra underwear
5 hats
My computer
2 extra hoodies
Toiletries
(pretty sure there is a bra in that, but you get the point)
The next hiccup in my journey stemmed from traffic. You know how people drive slower than the speed limit because there is a cop? Yeah I got stuck behind every single one of those people on the way to the airport, just perfect. I was a belligerent outspoken Irishman behind the wheel to the point where I about lost my voice.
But as certain that I have Irish roots, Murphy's law was out to get me that fateful morning.
I sprinted to the terminal from the parking lot, because who waits for that shuttle? My backpack full of useless junk bouncing around on my back, the cold air rapidly filling and freezing my lungs just as fast as I could exhale the cloud of steam back to the wonderful smelling Salt Lake basin. Positive thoughts in my head even though I know I have about 30 minutes before the doors on that plane close.
Of course, the security line at SLC is backed up out of the cattle herding zone. So then begins the timer game, and I know you've all played it. You know the game where you time how long it takes you to complete one lap of the security line and then you figure out how many 'laps' you have left. I did the math, and it was not looking good. I had about 2 minutes of margin for error and I still didn't know what gate I had to get to!!!
Sure enough I get through security without a glitch, but let me tell you I looked like a crazy person after I got past the checkpoint. I didn't even take the time to put my shoes back on, I just sprinted for the gate. When I got there, the agent was there... the door was closed. I looked to her and said, "I've missed it haven't I?" She shot meet a stern look, which was quickly remodeled when she saw that I had sprinted from security with all my belongings carelessly bundled in my arms.
"What's your name?"
I gave it to her.
"Sit down quickly."
So now I'm running down the jetway and I round the corner. The flight attendant is LITERALLY closing the cabin door when she sees me, she says to me, "sit down quickly!" Of course I comply, I had somehow made my flight.
I turned to the man sitting next to me who was staring at me, definitely amused about how I entered the aircraft. After I was settled in I said to him, "The only reason that I am here, is because of nice people."
Before I continue, and yes there's more, I want to put good vibes out there to everyone who helped me make that flight. You made my life a better place to spend my time.
I had planned on printing a document at my good friend's house when I got there, but it turns out he didn't have one. At first I didn't think it was a big deal, but as I read over the invitation email more carefully it seemed more and more like if I didn't have this document on physical paper I wouldn't be allowed to test! At this point I was feeling a lot like...
Kinkos was closed... I checked. Thanks a lot Mitch Hedberg!
http://funny2.com/hedbergd.htm
Finally I get a hold of my sisters friend, at about 1230 am.... and she has an infant daughter. I felt terrible asking but I did it anyway and she was the godsend that helped me out (for which I am eternally grateful), I drove to her house printed out one document and left promptly to go try and sleep before my huge test. However, thanks to the events of the preceding day I was so stressed out I could hardly keep my eyes closed.
Morning rolls around, I have now woken up about 5 times in a panic because I thought that I overslept again. No such thing happened, we left early plenty of time was put aside for problems we might have AND THEN WE GET A FLAT TIRE! Absolute absurdity, but not that big of a deal as we both know how to change a tire. HOWEVER, the last person who put the wheels on the car had stripped one of the lugs.
We relentlessly tried to get the wheel off of that car but to no avail.
Time to call a cab, only the cab can't find me.... at first. OH and I had to borrow money for the cab, just icing on the cake really.
FINALLY I arrive at University of Washington campus.
.... and then I have to figure out where I'm REALLY going. To be perfectly honest, I paid the cab and started sprinting across campus completely aimlessly just hoping for the best which happened to be one of the only things that I got right.
Side note, things went well when I sprinted around... coincidence?
The outcome was good, but the journey was one of the most trying events I've dealt with.
Well Worth it, I came out on top...
...Humbled yet triumphant
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