The Reluctant Passenger and I

Racing is the appropriate word.  This is the second time this has happened to me recently.  Someone has the bright idea to schedule a must-do meeting, first thing in the morning somewhere.  The only way to make such a meeting is to schedule a 6:30AM flight.  Which means waking up at 4:30AM and ringing up for a cab around 5:00AM.  The front gate does not have a car.  Uber doesn’t have any cars . KuaiDiDaChe doesn’t have any cars.  Someone from Uber responds.  Hopes up.  He cancels immediately.  No way to text him. The guy at the front desk wants to know if Ill boost the fare.  “I’ll triple it.  I’ll give em’ one hundred kuai.”  “Do you need a receipt?” “No.”   No call back.  In the end I had no choice but ask my wife to accompany me.  The reluctant passenger and I sped off. 

This trip is a twenty-minute trip generally.  Most of it is a long shot straight down the Tian Bei Road.  At this hour there is next to no one on the four lane road and you can fly, from red light to red light in the illusion that you’re saving lots of time.  But with every stop light you arrive at first, you wait for the laggards you left behind to slowly crawl up behind you once again.  My wife remained mercifully quiet as I did my best to blend aggressiveness with prudence. 

I pulled over early at the first possible start, thanked my wife and dashed off across the taxi traffic lane.   Inside I began to search for this odd airline (Junyao) I was using for this, the second time.  The simple map laying out where the different airlines where located had been recently altered.  Now there was a more complicated rendering of every flight for the next few hours.  I don’t know the acronym for Junyao Airlines.  The girl told me to check-in where I always did with the Air China Business counter.  I had intended to go to the Junyao business check-in anyway.  “Hi, you’re part of Star Alliance right?  Oh dear your not?”  By then, they’ll just check me in anyway.  I’m doubtful about checking in at the Air China desk right up until she hands me my ticket.  I might even get miles for this flight. 

Now I am sitting here eating up a few minutes before the boarding is called.  Once that happens I can go to the expedited line at security.  Automatically, I’ve had a double espresso at 5:50AM.  No sleep on this flight. I can enjoy the middle seat that is waiting for me, riveted awake and type with my elbows pinned to my ribs.