stomach drop

Tuesday, May 10, 2011


This morning got off to a relaxing start... Got up at 5am to finish up some reviews, worked til 10:30, wrapped up laundry and packing... Louis went for a 5-mile run and came back sweaty, but somehow both pumped (because he was able to go for a run) and grumpy (because he had to rush to finish packing)... We actually progressed well and left around 1pm to catch our 3:40 flight.


We grab a cab. A smooth driver. Right as we were turning on to Sheffield, LB drops an eff-bomb.


Me: oh no, what is it?
Louis: I forgot my eyedrops.


(This is for the pink eye LB has nursed for only 6 months.)


So we turn back. Louis races up and comes back down. I ask him if he locked the door, and he says yes. I then ask him 5 more times. His answer doesn't change.


Our driver doesn't make Louis carsick. We turn into the international terminal - we should be in Terminal 2. We make a nice slow turn. No sweat.


1:40pm


We get to check-in counter. Can I see your passports please?


Agent: I think there's a problem.


Oh no. My stomach drops. I know what she she'll say before she says it.


Agent: Was your name recently changed? This name doesn't match our system.


In my mind, I can see two passports in our travel drawer. One before and one after my name change. I had grabbed the wrong one. Argh.

Agent: They will not let you in if your ID does not match your ticket.
Me: Oh my god. This is my passport before my name change. My other one is at home. 
Agent: Where do you live?
Me: In the city.


The agent looks at her watch. Our flight is at 3:40pm. She says we must check in an hour, maybe 55 minutes before our flight. It is currently 1:45pm.


Me: Is there anything we can do?
Agent: I suggest you hurry.


It is like Amazing Race. We run downstairs, grab a cab, and tell him we need to go to our address, but then come right back. It is a race! Please go fast.


He says, no problem. And he floors it. We do all the tricks. Weave in and out of traffic. Create left turn lanes two intersections before the light. Go up side roads. 


We get home in 20 minutes. Louis runs up, grabs the passport, then runs back down. I ask him only twice if he remembered to lock the door.


We take Wrightwood back to the highway. Cut over on Ashland. Cut in front of the on-ramp traffic. Merge onto I-90E by going 1/10th mile on I-94E and then cutting in. Still, we hit traffic after I-90E.


It is 2:30pm. I look at Louis – what are we going to do? It is like we are in mourning. Do we miss the entire first day? Do we pay an exorbitant fee to take a flight on another airline? Oh my god, I ruined our trip!


It is suddenly 2:38pm (the one-hour mark, and the agent had mentioned the 55-minute threshold). In a last-ditch effort, I wonder if the taxi driver realizes just how close we are. He has been driving like a phenom, but he is so calm. We are about 2 miles from the O'Hare exit, in stop and go traffic.


Me: Excuse me, sir, can you get us there in 5 minutes?
Driver: (unintelligible, but polite, answer)
Louis: (already nervous about the driving, to the driver) Sorry, yes, sir, I know.
(Then, to me) Christina, I don't think there's anything else he can be doing right now.


2:46pm


We pull up to Terminal 2. Before the car stops, I race out and run to the ticket counter while Louis pays and gets our luggage. I cut in front of the entire line (telling the guy in front our flight is 50 minutes), and wait for two minutes while a counter agent opens up. (Is it rude to go up and interrupt a transaction?) When an agent frees up, I race up and say, our flight is in 50 minutes, please check us in now!


Our agent is able to check us in, just as Louis arrives at the counter. The agent tells us generally there is an hour cut-off prior to international departures, but for some reason check-in had not closed yet. We are so ecstatic. Yes, we made it!


3:15pm


I call AT&T and upgrade my data plan to international roaming. Success in 5 minutes.


Louis: Is there anything else we can do last minute?


We board the flight to Montreal (connection to Paris) at 3:20pm.


Here's to a trip.