Thoughts from 35,000 feet...

It’s 9:47pm EST and I’m in seat 21A of American Airlines flight 658 from Dallas to Dayton. My lower back is reminding me that I’ve got to look into acupuncture or give up basketball (neither of which I’m terribly likely to do at this juncture), as sharp pains have been the order of the day. What an important day it has been. Not only is it Super Tuesday but also Fat Tuesday. Imagine that, having such a profound Tuesday right on the heels of Super Sunday. Just in case you didn’t discuss the subject with me at any point during the last 2 weeks, I had two feet firmly planted in the camp (population= me) that subscribed to the theory that Eli Manning would have the game of his life. In fact, Eli was Hickory High and fought like one of William Wallace’s Warrior Poets all in one fell swoop.

I’m listening to the Roots on my QC-3’s right now wondering how Super Tuesday turned out. (I’ll go out on a limb and make the assumption that Fat Tuesday’s debauchery and drunken foolishness went off without a hitch). I caught a glimpse of CNN on one of the TV’s near gate A10 at DFW, and it looked like My Mellow, My Man, Barack Obama had emerged victorious in Georgia, and that there were about 10 states whose polls were scheduled to close shortly. On the Republican side, it looked like Huckabee had also done well down there. The Republican campaign seems a bit like the National League West right now. No one is really paying attention. It gets no “pub” on Sportscenter as its level of play is seen as second rate. It’s almost like the D-League at this point. But I’m sure GOP will try to bring it strong down the stretch when the “playoffs” start in June. I narrowly got my vote in this morning, skirting obstacles at every turn.

I made it to the gym at 630am this morning, lifted weights, did a lil’ ab work (very little) and then went to the yoga class. I usual, I had all sorts of things planned prior to my mid-morning flight from SFO. Some might think I’m crazy for trying to cram so much into this minimal amount of time especially when the potential for missing a flight is at stake, but I’ve got this down to a science. I’ve done this so many times, that I pretty much know it’s going to take about 26 minutes to get to the Park n’ Fly lot near SFO, even during the morning commute. I know that, aboard the Park n’ Fly shuttle, it takes about 6 minutes to get to the terminal from the lot, and that since it’s not 8am, the lines to check in and get through security are not going to be terribly imposing. I got home from the gym about 835am and decided whip up some oatmeal right quick before getting on my way. I wanted to get one last good meal in before a day full of airport fast food and small-town, low-scale eateries attempt to do their work on my arteries. Besides, most of you know that I’m no fun to be around on an empty stomach.

Even though Oatmeal takes only about 5 minutes to cook, it is very deceptive in its abilities to consume extra time as it cools down. I had misplaced my absentee ballot and finally found it late last night, so I’d have to add a trip to the County Registrar’s office on 12th and Fallon to my list for the morning, so that I could submit my vote. No problem right? That’s not far from the house at all. Well, for some reason there was significant construction project taking place on 12th street taking it down to one lane for a couple blocks. There’s something going on…there’s something going on….

I had started to take 14th, but decided against all of its stop lights, although in retrospect it would’ve been a much better move. Of course there was no place to park at the Registrar’s Office which resides in the courthouse, but I thought I’d just be running in and running out, so I parked illegally in a spot marked OFFICIAL VEHICLES ONLY. I jumped out of my car so fast that I almost didn’t notice that I had not put the car all the way in Park, stopping instead a notch short in Neutral. My car started to roll backward down the hill as soon as I shut the door. But I remained calm, opening the door again and jumping into my moving chariot, and quickly applying the brakes. Out again, I sprinted up the steps and around the side of the building where the entrance was, out of the corner of my eye noticing the cop writing tickets at the other end of the block. The line to get into the courthouse was waaaaaaaaaaay too long, so I did an about face and sprinted back to my car where said officer was standing as he reached for the pad of tickets on his right hip. “Whoa WHOA Whoa whoa…,” I pleaded with him, assuring him that I was moving. In what was one of those once in a lifetime type situations, he said, “You’re lucky,” and put the pad away. I thanked him and tried to figure out how I would get my vote in. I HAD to vote. People died back in the day so that I could vote, and that was way before we had a brotha runnin’ for president. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I hadn’t put my stamp on this election.

I think best under pressure. I dipped over to the main post office on 7th street. Even though it clearly states that postmarks that said February 5th would not be sufficient for absentee ballots, I knew I’d have a shot if I got to this post office soon enough. The sista at the counter assured me that the postal carrier for that route told her that he would be back for a second run and would definitely deliver my ballot, and likely before noon. I proceeded to walk back to my car and then continue on my trip to the airport. Did I mention that I was out of gas? I had forgotten to get gas yesterday, and now the gas gauge needle was resting quite comfortably on the E. If I get caught in some traffic or if my calculations of the mileage weren’t quite right, my car might give me the silent treatment. I pleaded with it. “Don’t you know what you mean to me???”

Well, I made it. Somebody remind me to get some gas on my way home on Thursday. I enjoyed a lazy afternoon in a non-reclining exit row seat, drifting in and out of uncomfortable sleep. I spent about 2 hours longer than planned at DFW as the monitors were lit up with delays all the way down the board. Well, that’s the end of The Lesson for today, boy’s and girls.