T u r b u l e n c e
So last night turned out to NOT be my last night in the States.
I arrived this morning at San Francisco Airport with a cup of delicious jasmine tea, a sandwich and two heavy bags. I knew that I had forgotten a pair of shoes and my sunglasses, but nothing vital.
At first I was a little confused about all the lines, but made it to the staffed machines. I tried at first but as I suspected it said it couldnt find a route for "C. Anjou". C is for my middlename, that happens to be the first name on the passport. I tried to get the attention of people working there and realised that there was only one woman patrolling 30 machines and 100 confused passengers. No one had time for my questions and I was abruptly moved to the line that was called "Additional Services".
This made me relieved, that was the line that helped me in Chicago. I started talking to the woman in front of me, and the couple behind me in the line. The woman in front had moved four meters in 20 minutes. The line was approx 12 meter, and time was of the essence. After 25 minutes or so things were getting serious, and the fact that the line was an additional 10 meters that I hadn't noticed yet didn't help.
When my newfound allies in the line were guarding my bags I ran off to seize the few people that worked there and tried to tell them about the situation, all of them chased me off with a "You'll have to speak to a United agent".
But there weren't any. Not until it was too late to check in did I get service from the people behind the deskes. It was a very rude man who told me immediatly that the only thing he could do was to get me to a later plane to Washington (which I hoped for) and then I'd have to get a hotel there and wait to get the same flight to Denmark, but a day later.
I was very upset and the man refused to help me further because there were people almost missing their planes (like me, 30 mins earlier...). I stood beside the desk as he helped a man and the couple behind me from the line. Afterwards he told me "I'm gonna move you. You can't stand her and cry all day." And I was told to follow, which I did. He took me to Premier Access, the same kind of line as the earlier but for the people in first class and business class. And only 3 people in line. A guy who looked a bit like Morgan Freeman asked why we were in line, and I tried to explain the situation.
"They moved me here because he said you have more time here." I probably looked sad and lost, which I was.
"Who said that?!"
"An asian-looking man. He said I couldn't stand there and cry all day."
He looked upset, turned away, asked the people that already ended up behind me in line of their reasons.
"Uhm, could I get my passport back", I asked Morgan Freeman, who was actually called Richard.
"No, you're coming with me." I was getting nervous.
He took me to a desk, and started looking at the flight I missed. He made some calls, and spoke reassuring to me without ever losing his professionalism.
The first thing he said was:
"You're from Sweden?"
"Uh-huh."
"Are people this rude in Sweden?"
"No." I shook my head slowly and looked even more miserable.
"No. This is America. People are very rude here. But we're gonna fix this."
I said that I'd rather go to Washington the day after, and stay the night in San Francisco, instead of Washington.
He said alright, and started looking up tickets. Things were troublesome and he said "Imma call the wizard. If anyone can help us, it's the wizard."
I just nodded encouragingly.
After many calls and mumbling and asking other staff for stuff, he printed me two initieries and asked if I could go back to my relatives. I got to borrow his phone and tried to call the few numbers I had. No replies.
I told Richard that if I could get wifi I could email my way out of the airport. He said the wifi was free, so I sat down and started facebooking my cousin, chatting with my sister and emailing my aunt (all at the same time). Just tried all ways to communicate my situation to see if someone could get me out of there. Soon enough my aunt replied and told me her husband would pick me up if I called and confirmed. Richard lended me his phone again, I called and was ready to go.
I gave all my thanks to Richard, and he replied without losing his professionalism.
Not much later I was brought back to my aunt's place. I rested a little, I was finished after all the suspension. It was still early. Gonna eat soon, and I dont dare to unpack my big bag. Gonna stay in these clothes and just go tomorrow, but even earlier, and I'm gonna check in tonight so I can just drop my luggage at the airport and then straight to security.
Phew. This is a day in limbo. Between staying and going, between here and there. Awake and sleep.
I arrived this morning at San Francisco Airport with a cup of delicious jasmine tea, a sandwich and two heavy bags. I knew that I had forgotten a pair of shoes and my sunglasses, but nothing vital.
At first I was a little confused about all the lines, but made it to the staffed machines. I tried at first but as I suspected it said it couldnt find a route for "C. Anjou". C is for my middlename, that happens to be the first name on the passport. I tried to get the attention of people working there and realised that there was only one woman patrolling 30 machines and 100 confused passengers. No one had time for my questions and I was abruptly moved to the line that was called "Additional Services".
This made me relieved, that was the line that helped me in Chicago. I started talking to the woman in front of me, and the couple behind me in the line. The woman in front had moved four meters in 20 minutes. The line was approx 12 meter, and time was of the essence. After 25 minutes or so things were getting serious, and the fact that the line was an additional 10 meters that I hadn't noticed yet didn't help.
When my newfound allies in the line were guarding my bags I ran off to seize the few people that worked there and tried to tell them about the situation, all of them chased me off with a "You'll have to speak to a United agent".
But there weren't any. Not until it was too late to check in did I get service from the people behind the deskes. It was a very rude man who told me immediatly that the only thing he could do was to get me to a later plane to Washington (which I hoped for) and then I'd have to get a hotel there and wait to get the same flight to Denmark, but a day later.
I was very upset and the man refused to help me further because there were people almost missing their planes (like me, 30 mins earlier...). I stood beside the desk as he helped a man and the couple behind me from the line. Afterwards he told me "I'm gonna move you. You can't stand her and cry all day." And I was told to follow, which I did. He took me to Premier Access, the same kind of line as the earlier but for the people in first class and business class. And only 3 people in line. A guy who looked a bit like Morgan Freeman asked why we were in line, and I tried to explain the situation.
"They moved me here because he said you have more time here." I probably looked sad and lost, which I was.
"Who said that?!"
"An asian-looking man. He said I couldn't stand there and cry all day."
He looked upset, turned away, asked the people that already ended up behind me in line of their reasons.
"Uhm, could I get my passport back", I asked Morgan Freeman, who was actually called Richard.
"No, you're coming with me." I was getting nervous.
He took me to a desk, and started looking at the flight I missed. He made some calls, and spoke reassuring to me without ever losing his professionalism.
The first thing he said was:
"You're from Sweden?"
"Uh-huh."
"Are people this rude in Sweden?"
"No." I shook my head slowly and looked even more miserable.
"No. This is America. People are very rude here. But we're gonna fix this."
I said that I'd rather go to Washington the day after, and stay the night in San Francisco, instead of Washington.
He said alright, and started looking up tickets. Things were troublesome and he said "Imma call the wizard. If anyone can help us, it's the wizard."
I just nodded encouragingly.
After many calls and mumbling and asking other staff for stuff, he printed me two initieries and asked if I could go back to my relatives. I got to borrow his phone and tried to call the few numbers I had. No replies.
I told Richard that if I could get wifi I could email my way out of the airport. He said the wifi was free, so I sat down and started facebooking my cousin, chatting with my sister and emailing my aunt (all at the same time). Just tried all ways to communicate my situation to see if someone could get me out of there. Soon enough my aunt replied and told me her husband would pick me up if I called and confirmed. Richard lended me his phone again, I called and was ready to go.
I gave all my thanks to Richard, and he replied without losing his professionalism.
Not much later I was brought back to my aunt's place. I rested a little, I was finished after all the suspension. It was still early. Gonna eat soon, and I dont dare to unpack my big bag. Gonna stay in these clothes and just go tomorrow, but even earlier, and I'm gonna check in tonight so I can just drop my luggage at the airport and then straight to security.
Phew. This is a day in limbo. Between staying and going, between here and there. Awake and sleep.
Today's songs:
The xx - Fantasy
The xx - Islands
A hawk sitting on a rooftop in level with my aunts sundeck.
The xx - Fantasy
The xx - Islands
A hawk sitting on a rooftop in level with my aunts sundeck.
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