Drifters – In most airports, the humanity moves at a fast pace going from point A to point B. Not so at O’Hare. There, humanity prefers to be carried along like a slow moving stream. Heads and eyes are not focused on where you are going but rather at all the fascinating, shiney gewgaws that vendors are presenting . . . . . and other than Chicago specific vendors, you see all the rest of these in every US airport. The "drifters" eventually arrive at their gates (I guess) but probably look somewhat like a piece of well worn driftwood when they do.
The Red Carpet – There is an airline that takes great pride in treating its Premium/Golden/platinum/Any Precious Metal/First Class/Business/Whatever with a bit of extra special and early boarding treatment. They are checked through a separate line before the rest of us “unwashed” are allowed to board. Now, this line is separated by separate stanchions with retractable rope and flows over a Red Carpet with the airlines logo printed on it. It’s quite the ceremony as the line is opened and closed to allow the elite to board. Once they start to call us, that would be the "unwashed", the Red Carpet line is closed off and we all start to board by the customary zones. The “unwashed” line leads to the very same check-in station as the Red Carpet line did. How far apart are these lines of the haves and have not’s? Oh, I’d say 3, 4 and a half inches at most. You just don’t walk on their Red Carpet . . . What a hoot.
Tee-Shirts With an Environmental Message – Arriving flight of passengers I see an enviro/hippie type getting off the arriving aircraft. Scraggly “I wanna grow one but can’t” beard, hair looking as if it just might be a nest for squirrels, and the appropriate earth friendly clothes made from recycled stuff, backpack included. But it wasn’t the outfit that drew my attention, it was the message on the tee-shirt: “Reduce Your Carbon Footprint. Get Back to Nature.” . . . . . I’m sure that the irony of getting off a commercial aircraft and his tee-shirt’s message never hit him.
No Fly List Candidate - Walking to my gate I pass an eatery that has bar level seating facing the concourse. He’s eating of course, but he looks strikingly like Marty Feldman (may he rest in peace). Never saw him blink.
300 Lbs Hobbit. Mohawk, spiked about 5 – 6 inches. The usual 3 week beard growth. Shorts. Zip up hoodie. Doc Martens. Ensemble is all in black. Moving with a purpose.
Cell Phones – Almost all of us have them. What I didn’t want Monday evening was to be seated across from someone in a crowded gate area who decided he needed to use his. He either thought everyone in the two gate area was deaf, or he was deaf, or his caller was deaf. . . . . naw, he was the same for calls two and three. I wanted to ask him to put the call on speaker as it was unfair to the rest of us to only get one side of the conversation.
“Vinnie” – OK, how do I describe “Vinnie”? “Vinnie” seems to be the most appropriate name I can call him as you’ll find out. “Vinnie’s” a man’s man. He works for one of the major airlines cause that’s what’s printed on his shirt (unbuttoned to show the ample fur on the chest) and has the short sleeves rolled up. The shirt is at it’s maximum stretch. He strides with a purpose in his well worn, black cowboy boots . . . cigarette strategically placed behind one ear.
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