Attention Ladies and Gentlemen (February 4-5, 2010)

February 4, 2010

As one after another member of our team trickled into the airport, we wandered toward the meeting place we had pre-determined - GALLAGHER'S STEAKHOUSE in Terminal C. Since we were drawing closer to the time - 5:00 p.m., I decided to check with the hostess desk at Gallagher's and make sure we had our room reserved. Two years prior, Susan Wischhusen had spoken with the management indicating we had about twenty people gathering and was able to secure the "back room". I had made the same arrangements for last year's group, as well. When I spoke to the hostess, I explained that we had about twenty-five Rotarians arriving in the next couple of hours and we would appreciate having the "back room" as we had in years past. She smiled assuredly, and said she would go check to make sure the arrangements had been made and the room set up. She returned to tell me it would be about ten more minutes before they were ready for us. Finally, Ndeye returned and asked us to follow her. By this time about twelve of our crew had arrived.

The first people I saw, when Vanessa and I approached the area in front of Gallagher's were John and Judy Hutcherson. They had traveled with me last year, from San Antonio. Then we met Wallie and Barbara Ochterski, then Kelly Wike, John Steen and Gavin Bryant, who had just arrived from Anchorage, Alaska! Pete and Sarah Miller came in from their limo ride to the airport; as well as Barb Harper and Jill Olsen. Evan Kurtz checked in followed by Mark Larson, another member from Alaska, who met his roommate for the next two weeks, John Steen. Two more ladies came in, introduced themselves as Carol and Anita, both wearing Rotary apparel. In a couple of minutes, we determined they were with another group but we were pleased to invite them to stay with us. They were with the NID - VISION Group, that had been organized by Bob Gallagher. As we talked more, we figured that the strangest thing had happened - both Bob's group and my group had reserved the same room for the same time on the same day for our respective groups of Rotarians traveling to India to immunize children again polio! Coincidence? Who knows? Maybe it is the Magic of Rotary playing out its hand! At the very least, it was auspicious. Finally, Susan and Jim Wischhusen and Arnie and Rose Quaranta arrived. Other than our three ladies who were flying in from Toronto, our team was complete.

Gay Ratcliffe, Cheryl Draper and Valerie Philips all were scheduled on a flight due to arrive at 7:45 p.m., barely an hour prior to our scheduled departure time of 8:45. Most of us enjoyed a meal and perhaps a drink, and then decided we ought to head toward our boarding area - Gate 123. In the meanwhile, Bob Gallagher's group began to flush out and had about twelve or fourteen folks, sitting at a table the restaurant staff had hastily arranged, just outside the room where we had gathered. We wold them we would save good seats for them at the gate.

Although I was still concerned about Gay, Cheryl and Valerie, I took comfort in the fact that I knew two members of the other team who were scheduled on the same flight - Aruna and Shiva Khousik. They had been a part of my team two years ago, and I had every confidence there would be no way on earth that they would not make it in time. My suspicions were right - a few minutes before we began the boarding process, I turned and saw Aruna and Shiva standing with the other group - they had arrived! I went back to greet them and received the warmest and most heartfelt greeting from dear friends, which seemed as though very little time had passed since we had last seen each other. Within the next few minutes, I found Gay, Valerie and Cheryl and although somewhat tentative in our anticipation of the next fifteen hours, we moved with the crush of passengers toward the gate.

Once boarded and having crammed way more "carry-on" pieces into the overhead compartments (did I previously indicate that generally speaking, in my experience, most folks traveling to India, bring nearly all of their possessions and there is scarce little room remaining for the rest of us?) we were asked to take our seats and prepare for take-off. Funny, it did not seem like we were ready - the flight attendants moving around the cabin and not enforcing the "take your seat" rule. The captain's voice came through the public address system, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. I was to welcome you all aboard Continental's non-stop direct flight from Newark's Liberty Airport to Delhi. Our flight well take twelve hours and thirty-six minutes. We would ask that you take your seats so we can get underway." Most of us had already squashed into our cocoons by this time, so we just sat and chatted with one another. Ten minutes passed, then fifteen. "Ladies and Gentlemen," we heard again, "we seem to be encountering some difficulty with the catering company, so sit back and relax and we will have you off the ground in another ten minutes." I was impressed that I heard no moaning and groaning from my fellow passengers. "Attention, Ladies and Gentlemen. We had determined that the food for this flight has just arrived on another plane (or did he say had been loaded ONTO another plane) but should arrive shortly." Again, there was no stirring or angst shown by any passenger.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, May I have your attention, please. This is your captain again, and the good news is the catering truck has arrived and attendants are unloading our food and we should have the doors closed and be underway in just a few more minutes." Well, the food did get loaded and the doors did close and we pushed back from the skyway. However, it was several more minutes before we finally were queued with the rest of Continental's jets traveling to God knows where. Our aircraft slowly made a 90 degree turn to the right, revved up the engines and away we went careening down the runway and were sky borne by 9:52 p.m. bound for passing along the Maine coast, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador, Greenland and beyond. Our destination map indicated flying over Moscow, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kabul and Islamabad before beginning our descent into Delhi.

Following dinner, I was actually able to sleep (mostly) for about six hours, far longer than my normal night's sleep, so woke up ready to do some floor exercises to get the blood flowing again, and to take a walk about the cabin. Evidently, a good portion of the rest of the passengers awoke at a similar time and determined it to be a great time to walk about and get some exercise. Judy and John Hutcherson are my seat mates, so we enjoyed chatting about last year's group and what we have to look forward to doing this year.

The flight map now indicates we are traveling at 567 miles per hour at an altitude of 36,502 feet, with an outside temperature of -84 degrees Fahrenheit and that we will land in Delhi in about three hours and twenty-four minutes. We will have another snack and perhaps even something to drink. Maybe it is time for me to put this away, shut off the light and try to catch another few minutes of sleep. Ya think?

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