A very Merry Christmas

As I sit down in my seat all the way in back of the plane. I am worried. Not because a Jamaican American Airlines plane crashed the day before but because the Jamaican flight attendant that I met a few hours ago when my first flight was cancelled told the passengers that if the plane's doors where not closed in 15 minutes at 12:15AM this flight will be canceled and we would be stuck all night in the Dallas airport.

10 minutes pass, passengers are still boarding.... 14 minutes pass. The plane looks full..... 15 minutes pass...... 16 ….. 17 ...18....19 The pilot comes on the intercom and tells us that we will be heading to Austin! As the passengers clap the flight attendants march off the plane. Soon after the pilot announces the flight is canceled and we will be sleeping in the airport. Truthfully, I am not that disappointed, I'm happy. It's hard to explain why, I just am happy to be back in America, happy to be on this crazy adventure. We don't fly to Austin....we end up in Houston...and then off to Dallas. But, I am in America.

Christmas Miracle-
I am dressed for Jamaica not the frigged Dallas airport so when the airport turns off their heat the temperature plunges and I start to freeze. It's so cold that even with 2 long and short sleeve shirts on I still can't sleep. While walking around one of the world's largest airports I come across a odd group of people. Jamaican airport employee, gay male hairdresser, salvage diver, 30 year old blond girl and her mother, funny Mexican guy, large black guy, hysterical older women, cute young hairdresser and a businessman- all drunk and extremely loud.
I try to walk by without catching their attention but the group calls me over and asks me where I am from. Before I can finish telling them I am in the Peace Corps they have pushed a drink and my hand and have gotten me to sit down.
After about an hour of drinking (5 hours for the rest of them) the black guy tells the Mexican guy that originally he thought he recognized him because “all Mexican guys look the same”. The Mexican just smiled and said well, what's the name of your parole officer because all black guys have one. The black guy (I wish I knew their names) took offense to this and tensions was high.
An hour and few glasses later every one including both men thought this confrontation was very funny and they where laughing about it.
Another hour later, two of the group wondered off together and the hysterical women became even more hysterical and the rescue driver emotionally revealed that he knew he was meant to die underwater.
At around 5 am the Jamaican who worked for the airport and had not been drinking asked me what about which flight to Austin the rescheduled me on. I told him that I didn't even get standby for any of the first three flights of the day. The Jamaican just brought me over to a computer punched a few keys and handed me a ticket on the first flight to Austin. I couldn't believe it. It was Christmas, I was going home, and I was thrilled.
Just as fast as the night had started for me it ended. The emotional salvage driver was confronted by a cop on a Segway. The cop wanted to know who was taking care of this intoxicated man. The cop was surprised to see such an odd group of people claim responsibility. Different races, sexual orientations, ages, and nationalities, all came together that Christmas to share each others company for one of the best Christmases ever. But even the best Christmas and lots of new friends can't save a drunk salvage driver who wants to take off his pants and ride tandem with a cop on a segway...

Christmas

I'm back in Austin. Back with my family and Morgan my dog. What an adventure to get here. Good to be with family and friends.