Well, here I sit in the Crown Room at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. I have no doubt I will be here many times in the future, but this is my official "flight out of town." I'm off to become a resident of California. Over my lifetime I will now have lived in Florida (18 years), South Carolina (6 years), North Carolina (4 years), Illinois (2 years), Georgia (20 years), and California (TBA).
Tidying up loose ends, I took a different route than usual to the airport and saw downtown from the east side (via the Carter Center). I was surprised at how much window damage was done to the skyscrapers by the tornados last Saturday. It was far more significant than I had expected.
The mood in the airport today seems to be very subdued though rather crowded. The weather looks heavily overcast, but the predicted rain and thunder storms have yet to begin.
I never check luggage but did today. The giant suitcase contained the last things not already sent by the movers. It was 62 pounds. The lady at the Delta counter asked, "What do you have in that thing?!" as I strained to lift it on the scales. I said, "Everything I own," and told her of my move.
She was delightful. As there was no line, we chatted for several minutes. She said she was envious, wanting a big change herself. She wished me her "very, very best for a wonderful time in California," and gave me a couple of free drink coupons. I accepted them graciously not having the heart to tell her I don't drink.
I later especially liked an encounter I witnessed in the passenger lines approaching the security checkpoint. An older man was talking on his cell phone, and, as is typical when people are talking on their cell phone, not paying adequate attention to what he was doing--in this case, blocking others ,with his suitcase, from getting to another line.
The TSA lady addressed him, asking him to move his suitcase. He couldn't hear her as he was "busy." She then very nicely walked up to him and said, "Sir, if you can not pay attention to me while you're on the phone, you need to hang up," as she took his suitcase and moved it. As she left, she said with a familiar patience, "Just like my children!"
I have enjoyed my 20 years in the Peach State. While not as hospitable as it was when I first moved here, the people are generally still very nice.
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