So my flight got delayed again at YUL. The exciting thing about this delay, what gave it a different let’s say ‘Jouissance’ then the previous days delayitude, was that today, we all got on the plane, taxied away from our gate and then came to an abrupt stand-still. Like a bug in amber, a lizard frozen under the eye of a predating eagle. Our little airbus, alone on a vast expanse of concrete. The pilot came on the overheads and explained that as the plane had started for take-off. O’Hare had closed it’s runways due to freezing rain, BUT said the pilot, since it was for all concerned a better idea to be “ready for immediate wheels-up status” we would all just stay put in the narrow little plane. Thus began a two hour wait for the “go ahead” during which many a sports analogy was used to try and coach the reluctant team (passengers) into accepting their time in the “bullpen”. For some reason it was considered optimal to explain that “everywhere” was like this, true perhaps, but other everywhere’s have a wider circumference.

We arrived at O'Hare where we had the honor of waiting in the "penalty box" for a gate to open, and then I ran straight to gate C23 where I actually managed to board the flight for San Francisco and then, I believed we were Sydney-bound.

Here's where the story gets really good. See, since the flight from SF had the same number I assumed that even though we were pretty behind schedule, we'd have to get to Sydney because it was all the same flight number, so they'd have to keep the second plane.

But, oh but, as the man sitting next to me said "if you're gonna fuck me, at least kiss me first." The flight for Sydney left 15 minutes before our plane touched down. Yep. So here I am, at the Crowne Plaza Burlingame, at midnight, eating cuppasoup with a stir-stick.

I haven't ever regretted a course of actions as much as I regret the ones that have brought me here. The good news is that tomorrow since my flight doesn't leave until 10:30pm, I will go down to SF and explore Fisherman's Wharf and some other places I haven't been yet.

I love SF, of all the places to get stranded it's gotta be one of the best, come to think of it, I could be in St. Louis.