Laughing With Di – April 2018

 I’ve had moments throughout my career of impressing a boss…this was not one of them.
My boss (JRK) was the company President. I was the Marketing Manager. He was in his prime. I was at the twilight of my career. (Get the picture?) We journeyed to four cities scouting venues for a private trade show. A series of airport comedy skits ensued.
Let’s have a laugh.
First stop – Toronto. At Customs, JRK told me to say we are meeting planners on business. I say that. The agent asks me if we ever bring anything into Canada when we have meetings and I say, not on this trip but we have in the past. ZAP! She slashes a pink line across my paperwork. JRK walks on and I am sent to another line. I look at JRK, he looks at me, and shakes his head.
We toured hotels in Toronto and Montreal and in a flash we were back at another airport. At U.S. Customs, the agent advised me I couldn’t bring three items on the plane. I explained, very logically I thought, that one item was my purse, one was personal stuff, and one was my attaché case. He wasn’t buying it. I had to consolidate or go back and check one of the items. I’m totally flustered. JRK has already gone through; he is looking at me and shaking his head. I “consolidated”, this was indeed becoming comical.
We were now in New Jersey walking to the car rental tram. I’m right behind JRK – I mean like right behind him. You could not fit a finger between us I was so “right behind him.” He got on the tram and the robot voice is saying keep away from the doors – the doors are closing – and the door closed without me on the tram. I looked at JRK with this astonished expression. He is shaking his head. Stop #1 was the Hertz desk. I got off and there he was on the phone, shaking his head. I looked so relieved to see him that he even managed a smile.
After our NJ adventures, we drove to Philadelphia! One redeeming quality traveling with the taciturn JRK was our mutual interest in the Chicago mob. I told him about the book I just finished, The Outfit, by Gus Russo. Some of the nicknames of gangsters cracked me up like, Girolomo “Mo Mo” Adamo, and Harry “The Muscle” Russell – – pretty funny.
We concluded our mission early so JRK put us on a “stand by” flight. I was uneasy flying stand-by. I asked JRK, “what if my luggage goes on the plane and we don’t?” With no compassion he said, “So what? You’ll get it when we land.” But, our fate was not yet sealed. The airport gods decided to randomly choose my luggage to open and check! JRK had to wait, shaking his head. They did it again with my carry-on! You know the rest!
Finally, at O’Hare I told JRK to go on his way. I took my time walking to baggage, and I got my stuff before him! There is some minor justice in this airport world. I walked away from him shaking my head!