At only thirteen, there hadn’t been many opportunities for me to go into the real world unattended. So when I was flying to Colorado by myself, I was entirely excited. It was, what I thought, a simple flight plan: Detroit to . I have nothing to worry about. This’ll be sweet. What good that adolescent tenacity did me.
I left my parents at the security check point, and off I went. Free at last. I felt like I knew the motions of going through the airport well enough. Still, I manage to get completely lost. Is this an airport or a labyrinth? Gate letters and numbers didn’t seem to follow a cohesive pattern. Uneasiness creeps in. But, I never think to ask for help, not out of pride but embarrassment instead. So as I continue to walk around disoriented, I get frantic. Oh my god, I’m going to miss my flight. But, I finally see the finish line that was Gate 34C and make it just in time for boarding. Fate, however, likes to play cruel tricks on me. Great, a two-hour delay, all this worry for nothing. Nonetheless, I was relieved; the hurdle was cleared and disaster, avoided. I eventually board, pop Dramamine to offset my horrendous motion sickness, and sleep the entire flight.
While I wait to retrieve my luggage, the baggage claim goes round and round. With each rotation, my spirit descends once again. The conveyor belt stops. It’s just me and other people’s stray luggage. I just can‘t win, can I? Completely crushed, I leave to find my family in hopes that they will fix everything. I scan the arrival area which was a dense sea of people--no familiar faces. They must not have known about the delay… And just when all hope was lost, when this already overextended nightmare was about to be prolonged again, I hear my name.
This was an interesting story. I couldn't really do stuff like this until I got my license and started driving every which way across the country.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was very lucky, but that was the only time I traveled alone as a kid.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome. I almost flew to Japan by myself at 13 years old, but I ended up going with the family I was originally going to leave with. I would've probably failed though ha
ReplyDeleteI couldn't even imagine going to Japan by myself now. I would have been scared out of my mind to go at 13!
ReplyDeleteI didn't travel alone until atleast 16 that must have been quite the experience!
ReplyDeletewhere did you go at 16 scott?
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