(I posted this on my facebook notes last year, before my blog era, so it can only be appropriate that I repost this here. Sorry, no visuals on this one!)
I don't know what's the deal between me and flight boarding gates. I am a pretty punctual person, always on time or early for appointments but not when it comes to boarding gates. No matter how early I get to the airport, I am ALWAYS (and yup, ALWAYS) the last one to arrive at the gate (or maybe one of the last). There was a time I was on transit in San Francisco happily having a drink and noticing from the window overlooking the tarmack that a Delta flight has pushed back. I looked at my watch and boarding pass and thought, that kinda looks like my flight. I walked to my gate and saw it was empty. Then I went to the one guy standing behind the podium counting boarding passes and asked, "Is this the gate for Delta to Cincinnati?". He looked at me with a served-you-right-for-being-late face and said "Are you Dr. Jasmine Karsono?". "Yes", I said. "We have been calling you. Your flight just left. You would have to take the next flight that goes through Salt Lake City. It will arrive in Cincinnati at 11pm". Oh joy. It's not like I am that eager to go to Ohio but just the thought of missing a flight from right under my nose and hanging around an American airport is just plain appalling. And I deserve this just because I decided to have that gin & tonic? I don't think so (or at least that is what I think :)).
Well, that was a one in ten case. For the other nine, I will be running on the travellator rushing to my gate, to be met half way by an SQ staff half shouting, "Are you Dr. Karsono?? Could you please hurry to the gate ma'am, the gate is closing!!". And I would grin, say sorry, all the while trying to run as fast as my little feet can take me.
I solely blame this on my little feet. Scientifically speaking, people with small feet and short legs cannot walk as fast and get as much mileage as you would a taller and/or longer foot person. I'm 5' 2" talll and a US size 5.5 shoe, or European size 35 (just thought I'd give both sizes in case you want to buy a pair of shoes for me for Christmas, given how much of a shoe addict I am, which in and by itself is a different story - and see, hey, I'm digressing from my story!).
Or maybe it's distraction! But of what?? Like the other day, case in point. I arrived at the airport 2.5 hours before my flight. I did my usual chores. Got some cash, exchanged foreign currency, went to the lounge, had a little snack, drank tomato juice and checked email. 50 minutes before departure I started walking to the gate. Then, I stopped by the MAC counter (this is the cosmetic, not that electronic fruit), stopped by Shiseido (to see what they're up to), then headed to the gate. By the time I got there, the glorious "Gate Closing" in red was flashing on the screen, and I was one of the last ones. The minute I sat on my seat, I could hear the all familiar, "Cabin crew, doors closed". And a stereophonic "thump" heard from all angles of the aircraft. Hmmpphh. I slumped down on my seat, reaching for my phone to switch it off and thinking," Me again??".
I really don't have a clue. I don't think I browsed for THAT long. How much can you browse in 50 minutes?? And these were not even shoes!! Or may be I did take my own sweet time. Maybe it was that and in combination with my short legs and small feet. Or maybe the gates just decided to close early. Maybe I need professional help, a hypnotherapist to uncover what childhood events has happened that makes me always late for the gate. Or maybe the fact that I am afraid of heights and in denial to get on that plane has always caused me to be late.
I have no idea. For now, I'll just try to get my butt to the airport as early as I can and as always rush, rush, rush to the gate. That, or until all airlines black list me due to late shows. When that day comes, it will be the beginning of a boat ride era for me wherever I go. And then I will be REALLY late :-P.
Well, that was a one in ten case. For the other nine, I will be running on the travellator rushing to my gate, to be met half way by an SQ staff half shouting, "Are you Dr. Karsono?? Could you please hurry to the gate ma'am, the gate is closing!!". And I would grin, say sorry, all the while trying to run as fast as my little feet can take me.
I solely blame this on my little feet. Scientifically speaking, people with small feet and short legs cannot walk as fast and get as much mileage as you would a taller and/or longer foot person. I'm 5' 2" talll and a US size 5.5 shoe, or European size 35 (just thought I'd give both sizes in case you want to buy a pair of shoes for me for Christmas, given how much of a shoe addict I am, which in and by itself is a different story - and see, hey, I'm digressing from my story!).
Or maybe it's distraction! But of what?? Like the other day, case in point. I arrived at the airport 2.5 hours before my flight. I did my usual chores. Got some cash, exchanged foreign currency, went to the lounge, had a little snack, drank tomato juice and checked email. 50 minutes before departure I started walking to the gate. Then, I stopped by the MAC counter (this is the cosmetic, not that electronic fruit), stopped by Shiseido (to see what they're up to), then headed to the gate. By the time I got there, the glorious "Gate Closing" in red was flashing on the screen, and I was one of the last ones. The minute I sat on my seat, I could hear the all familiar, "Cabin crew, doors closed". And a stereophonic "thump" heard from all angles of the aircraft. Hmmpphh. I slumped down on my seat, reaching for my phone to switch it off and thinking," Me again??".
I really don't have a clue. I don't think I browsed for THAT long. How much can you browse in 50 minutes?? And these were not even shoes!! Or may be I did take my own sweet time. Maybe it was that and in combination with my short legs and small feet. Or maybe the gates just decided to close early. Maybe I need professional help, a hypnotherapist to uncover what childhood events has happened that makes me always late for the gate. Or maybe the fact that I am afraid of heights and in denial to get on that plane has always caused me to be late.
I have no idea. For now, I'll just try to get my butt to the airport as early as I can and as always rush, rush, rush to the gate. That, or until all airlines black list me due to late shows. When that day comes, it will be the beginning of a boat ride era for me wherever I go. And then I will be REALLY late :-P.
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