Before Mom retired, her work took her all over the United States – sometimes for several days, sometimes just for a few hours.
One day, she had a speaking engagement in Baltimore, I believe it was. Regardless, it was a daytrip. She was to fly out of Columbia (SC) to the locale, make her presentation, and then return the same day. As with all flights to and from the south, she had to go through Atlanta. (You know the old saying? To go to Hell, one must go through Atlanta!)
Anyway, early in the morning, she drove to the Columbia airport and boarded her flight to Baltimore. Everything was fine.
The return trip, though, was delayed. Once she got to Atlanta from Baltimore that evening, she called Dad to let him know she might be a little later than originally scheduled.
Dad took it all in stride. He said, “Okay. But you’ll probably call me when you get to Columbia.”
Mom was baffled. Why in the world would she call him when she got to Columbia?
Well, the explanation goes something like this. Dad was in the state Senate at the time and the car had a state senator license tag on it. At about 9 pm that night, airport security had called Dad to see if everything was okay. Of course, everything was okay, he answered.
The problem was that the car – the one Mom parked in the airport parking lot - the one with the state senator’s license tag – well, it was still in the lot but it was running!
Mom was running late when she got to the airport that morning and apparently she had left the car running. All day. From 7 am ‘til airport security called Dad at 9 that night.
He knew good and well she’d probably call him when she got home to the Columbia airport because the car would be out of gas.
Sure enough, when she landed and got to her car, the instrument panel showed “0 miles to empty.” There was no more gas in the car.
Mom called Dad. He took a gas can to the gas station, filled it up, and then headed to the airport to put gas in Mom’s car.
Then he rounded a deep curve. He was worried the gas would spill, so he reached behind him to steady the gas can. There was no can.
He had left the full can of gas back at the gas station!
Eventually, they both got home.
One day, she had a speaking engagement in Baltimore, I believe it was. Regardless, it was a daytrip. She was to fly out of Columbia (SC) to the locale, make her presentation, and then return the same day. As with all flights to and from the south, she had to go through Atlanta. (You know the old saying? To go to Hell, one must go through Atlanta!)
Anyway, early in the morning, she drove to the Columbia airport and boarded her flight to Baltimore. Everything was fine.The return trip, though, was delayed. Once she got to Atlanta from Baltimore that evening, she called Dad to let him know she might be a little later than originally scheduled.
Dad took it all in stride. He said, “Okay. But you’ll probably call me when you get to Columbia.”
Mom was baffled. Why in the world would she call him when she got to Columbia?
Well, the explanation goes something like this. Dad was in the state Senate at the time and the car had a state senator license tag on it. At about 9 pm that night, airport security had called Dad to see if everything was okay. Of course, everything was okay, he answered.
The problem was that the car – the one Mom parked in the airport parking lot - the one with the state senator’s license tag – well, it was still in the lot but it was running!
Mom was running late when she got to the airport that morning and apparently she had left the car running. All day. From 7 am ‘til airport security called Dad at 9 that night.
He knew good and well she’d probably call him when she got home to the Columbia airport because the car would be out of gas.
Sure enough, when she landed and got to her car, the instrument panel showed “0 miles to empty.” There was no more gas in the car.
Mom called Dad. He took a gas can to the gas station, filled it up, and then headed to the airport to put gas in Mom’s car.
Then he rounded a deep curve. He was worried the gas would spill, so he reached behind him to steady the gas can. There was no can.
He had left the full can of gas back at the gas station!
Eventually, they both got home.
2 comments:
Oh my gosh, this sounds so like Bud and me. We'd do this for sure. It's a hoot!
Have a glorious weekend.
what a cute story. my former boss left his car running one time at the airport, he was very embarrassed because we never let him for get it.
I have enjoyed reading through your blog.
Post a Comment