MX: Flying to Dallas
Wednesday, Jul. 02, 2003

030621 Flying to Dallas

I guess I got in bed around eleven last night. I slept fairly badly. I tell you, with all the stray dogs in Mexico City, I think if I lived there I'd do what my dad does with chipmunks.

Dad has a trap that he catches chipmunks and squirrels in. He just recently figured out how to get squirrels. You have to put some bait on the outside, so in the middle of their meal it's not a big deal for them to walk into the box to get more food.

I'd somehow figure out how to trap that dog that won't shut up at night and take it to another place in the city.

I was always wondering where the skyscrapers were in Mexico City. I think it was on Friday that I was finally told that the ground was so soft that they didn�t have them. Twenty million people and only the rare and unusual building is over three stories tall.

Alison woke up at 5:40 and showered. I slept during this since I showered the night before. I really miss my exfoliant that I use on my face and head. I feel like a crossant.

We were told to get to the church, or Laborio's house, whatever you want to consider it, by six. We'd leave no later than 6:15. I ddn't check my watch, but I know that we didn't leave by 6:15.

We got to see Laborio before we left. He didn't look nearly as bad as people had described. However, he looked bad, really bad.

I'm hoping that with the shotty medical system and the poverty and all, that he can regain his strength pretty quickly. I'll have to read up on the internet about facial paralysis that isn't located on one side of the other when I get home.

Six fifteen wasn't the best time to leave. It wasn't due to traffic or anything, well, not automobile traffic. The bus we used to go to the boats was chartered again. This time to take us to the airport.

The line to check in was very long. By the time we checked in the one bag we needed to, we had ten minutes before the plane started boarding.

One of my regrets was that I wasn't able to buy a cheap t-shirt for a sports team of Mexico. On the way to Gate 29, I saw some jerseys. We were on the flat escalator type walkway. I gave my bag to Alison and headed off to the store.

I came into the place and said "Hola" and looked at the shirt. "Quando es?" It was 590 pesos. $60. My eyes widened and she said that they were authentic. I'm sure they were. Rather than let her know that they didn't justify my money to enjoyment ratio, I slumped a little, indicating that I liked them but lacked the money, and left.

I was desperately seeking food even though I'd eaten two packs of crackers while in line to check our bag. We weren't able to eat before leaving. And unfortunately, I agreed with Alison's reasoning that I should leave my water bottle behind.

I bought a sandwich of unknown composition and two drinkable yogurts. Alison had gone and had both our boarding passes. Though I had said earlier that we'd not separate without the FRS radios on, we did.

Five minutes after our plane was set to board I headed out to Gate 28. I got here. To bad there was no plane or people.

I figured it must be 29. I headed for 29, I was OJing it through the airport at this point, leaving a trail of blood.

That's a joke based on commercials from the 1970s where OJ Simpson ran through airports for his rental car which actually was already waiting for him, or some such crap.

The terminals were like a Y and I was at what I thought was the tip of one side. Jog jog jog down to the branch of the Y. I turn and get onto the motorized walkway. Jog jog jog and the walkway turns a little...and I see that this branch of the Y is much much longer than the other.

I'm late, and I'm still not sure I'm even headed in the right direction.

Well, I was in the right direction and they plane hadn't even started boarding. I had to sit on the ground I was so out of breath.

Remind me not to sign up for CBS's The Amazing Race.

Steve asked what kind of sandwich I had. I told him I didn't know but it was the biggest one there. I also told Alison that we don't separate again without turning on the FRS radios.

Earlier I had bought two 20 oz Diet Cokes, or actually Coca-Cola Light, as it is called in Mexico. I intended to keep both for myself and was trying to get Alison's attention to see if she wanted one. In stead, Leigh, who was getting pretty weak, was given one. However, now that I'm onboard I've got a Ginger Ale.

The total of my stashed food and drink is the ginger ale can, two things of drinkable yogurt...and thats it. Yikes.

Dallas's layover is about three hours, I think. Alison has $20 US and I have about 1200 pesos. I figure I can change the pesos into dollars in Dallas.

Ooh, I just remembered I have a Nintendo Gamecube waiting for me at Alison's mom's house. Whooo!