Helpless

Day 1
2:11p - Steve left for his 4-day trip.
3:11p - Steve's push time to BOS.

That afternoon, CC took a nap while Ben and I just hung out around the house.  My in-laws stopped over.  Around 5pm I started dinner.

5:23p, Steve called me.  If time allows, Steve will usually touch base with me between each leg.  I figured he was in BOS.

Hello?

Hi.  I am still in here.

What? Mechanical delay?


No, we don't have a CA.  He timed out last night. We finally got someone, and we are finally out in just a couple minutes.

Oh, that sucks.  I am sorry.

2 hours late, Steve finally made his way to BOS.  After BOS, he had to fly to EWR.  After EWR he had to fly to TPA.  If leg 1 is delayed by 2 hours, all the legs will be delayed by 2 hours.  That must be stressful...always being 2 hours behind...


*****

8:50p: My mother-in-law and I were comfortably sitting in our family room watching Sister Wives.  My father-in-law had repositioned himself to the toy room a bit earlier so that he could watch his kind of tv.  He must has been watching the weather channel because he came in and said "a tornado just touched down in Naples."  They have friends in Florida, so we were talking about where people live and if his friends were effected.

9pm (or so): Steve called. 

Hello?

Hi.  I am finally in EWR.  I would tell he was walking briskly.  He just got off his plane, and was walking to the new plane for his next leg to TPA.  Since he was delayed 2 hours, I had thoughts of flight 123 to TPA sitting at the gate, full of passengers and eager crew.  I  figured the FAs would have just made the announcements to the passengers that the FOs plane just landed and it will be a matter of minutes before the knight in shining armor would arrive on the plane, the cabin door would be shut, and the plane would fly off into the sunset.

Your dad just came in a told us that a tornado just touched down in Naples. 

GREAT!

Did you know there was weather in Florida?  That big tropical depression is down there right now.

No, I didn't know that.  Great. Just great.  This is going to make my already long day, even longer. And of course I just parked at GATE A, and I have to get to GATE Z which is the absolute farthest gate.  And my foot fuckin' hurts.  Steve woke up Saturday morning with a throbbing heel.  We have since concluded that he has plantar fascitis. 

Steve, I am so sorry.

We hung up, as he got to his gate and needed to get to work.  Talk about feeling helpless. I felt so badly for Steve, is wasn't funny. He was being rushed around like crazy, and his foot was throbbing. And with the TPA leg in front of him, they weren't due to arrive until 1:30am or so. Talk about a long night. Poor guy. I was even telling my mother-in-law how it would be nice if I could arrange something for him at his hotel when he got in.

10pm (or so): Steve texted me and told me that there was no CA for his flight, and they were going to cancel the flight.

10:30p (or so): Steve finally called me.  He was waiting on the curb for his hotel van.  He told me that he just called his hotel to confirm he was staying there, so he was all set for the night.  I am sure it felt nice to have his evening cut short.  But, it sucks that he will get paid less hours due to the cancellation. 

It isn't often that his days are crazy like this.  It isn't often that I feel helpless for him.  It is my nature to care for him, and I want him to be happy.  It sucks that I could only offer him words...through a phone, nonetheless...and nothing more.  Everyone has bad days at work.  At least when I have a bad day I can retreat to the comforts of my own home.  Steve?  He had to retreat to the comforts of the hotel van, and a random hotel room. 

At least he got to sleep in the next morning.