The security line was long, so Pat bid me farewell and melted back into the crowd. I felt a little weepy standing there with my American passport in my hand. There is nothing to focus your mind more than that little blue book. You realize you can say "I'm a citizen" and it never fails to give me a stab of pride. I'm terribly proud of my friend Pat too, for being in Iraq (he was talking about extending too) and it was a pleasure for me to meet him and hang out and vacation a bit. Anyway my emotions jumbled, I forged through about 3 security check points, and finally boarded the plane.

In-flight movies were Hidalgo (YAHOO!!) and Shrek II again (and I enjoyed it again for the third time). My seatmate this time was a young German in his 30's who was 6'7" and very happy about getting the emergency exit row! (I guess so! He was all leg!!) He tried to suck me into a political discussion, but I wouldn't bite. (Oddly I didn't get any hostile attitudes from Europeans this trip, but with Germans it's hard to tell of course; they always seem reserved). His family was elsewhere in the plane, and his charming little blonde son kept coming up and sharing our spot, looking out the window and such, he was only 4 and a real cutie. It made the time go quicker. All German kids and dogs are well behaved, by the way. Twice someone said "we go by the rules" so that is perhaps central to the German psyche. There are worse philosophies in life I suppose.

The pilot made an A+ this time, with points for the great show out the window. As we approached Cincinnati, he said "the weather has deteriorated" as he flipped on seat belt signs, so we took him seriously and strapped in. One bobble and I was white knuckling the seats, ready for the long last trip straight down. Nope. He straightened the monster out, and brought it in with a magnificent swirl of moisture from the reverse thrusters. My goodness what a wonderful way to return to my homeland!

Customs: oh what an ugly word. I was not looking forward to it. I didn't declare that can of sardines on my declaration slip (is this what you call it?) and no one asked questions, even the guys at the x-ray machine. So many of us stood, patient, fried, confused, waiting for our bags. A bunch of bags went unclaimed, spinning on the carousel; which have the bombs? I muzzily wondered. Where are our bags, we have connections! many whimpered. I sat blown-out on the floor, wondering if Godzilla was somewhere over the Atlantic still. A woman got on the PA and told us "All bags from flight 49 Frankfort are unloaded, if you do not find your bag, proceed to destination and your bag will follow" my God there were so many of us still waiting, was she for real? Finally a big gruff fellow marched up, loudly announced the bags were REVERSED that is the Frankfort bags on the London carousel, and the London bags on OURS. Bags spit out of the machines, people grabbed them......... we were all grumpy...... I think I knocked over another guy standing there like a dumb cow, I was so glad to see Godzilla again. Then I let several gals go ahead of me, knowing I had a 5 hour lay over ahead...... why rush?

My luggage was unlocked due to security, and I had remembered the $360 hidden in Godzilla, so I fished that out before I re-checked the bag after customs. (they didn't even look at my stuff, just asked what I had been doing in Europe....... seemed bored. They say the searches are pretty random). In Frankfort I had spotted this young woman flying with us, still fat from childbearing, she had a small baby in a belly bag, and a toddler still in diapers with her, not to mention lugging a bag and baby seat! She happened to be behind me at a security point, and the toddler escaped, ran off. The poor woman begged for help, so I captured the sticky kid and took him through the scanner with me. And kept him captive until she could fish out a wrist leash and put it on him. Man what a tough gal!

Cincinnati airport was pretty easy to navigate, small and un-crowded late on a Friday afternoon. Got a Happy Meal and gagged it down. I finally found a corner near where I estimated my flight would leave, and after setting my watch alarm, curled up behind a pillar and cat napped. (I used my purse with my money and passport as a pillow) The funny thing is I sat up once and looked around, three more people were doing the same as me........ laying on the floor with their feet up. One was wearing heels. People travel in the damnedest things, I wore levis and a tee shirt (comfort!) but I saw two pretty indecent miniskirts on travelers. One was young, cute and red-headed; and got away with it. The other had huge thighs and looked skanky, the fashion point definitely swung wide of the mark. People still are the ultimate source of most amusement when traveling.

SeaTac bound: funny how when you travel, you see little blips of interesting things, or beautiful things, sad things, contemptible (etc etc) and if you don't write it down, it falls into the slipstream of ideas that eddy around us in everyday life. One didn't for me this time. On our night-flight home, from Cincinnati, we flew over the Great Plains. I wanna ride those plains, across those skies of black……… It is not dark down there, the little towns light up like jewels, all across our continent. Like a loose and sloppy necklace on a hippy's chest, they string one after another, up on stage in turn, on into the dark they parade, as we chase the sunset. There was a crescent moon, and a star (planet) nearby, a promise of Jihad perhaps. (and who's Jihad, one has to ask next). I love flying at night. A bad movie played, so I slept, lucky to have a whole row to myself, the soft hum of the motors lulling me into a stupor. Proudly I have not spent a dime on the $4 drinks, it's all Mother Nature relaxing me now. The next day I will be sorry, as an armrest was apparently in my left back (ouch). Pain added to the jet lag is making me a bit whiny, as I type.

Pilot made a A this time landing. Pretty good for a late night, but one can perhaps attribute it to his good Mormon upbringing, they were a SLC crew and the foxy-blonde lead steward knew his stuff. He greeted us all on arriving, then let us alone to sleep.

Godzilla was 3rd out of the chute this time at baggage claim, I cheerfully snatched him off the belt and headed for the garage "level 3 island 2" where the Kitsap airporter allegedly parked. Once I found the place, it was a thrill to actually see it there……… I didn't have to wait an hour for the next run. I was to Silverdale by midnight! Found my car, Dad had come through nicely, leaving it where he found it. Then I dug for my keys for an hour, called my parents at 1 am whimpering for a pick-up, then FOUND the keys, called back to cancel the pick-up…….. woke everyone up. All the while I was digging, I heard wild whoops in the nearby swampy nature preserve. Either the raccoons are really big this year, or the local teenagers are getting weirder and weirder.

Some fun notes:

• The German computer keyboards are reversed for Z and Y, and when you see the language written, you understand why. They use a LOT of Z's in German, and I don't remember seeing any Y's.
• Flora and fauna were fun to look at, Pat says they have forests like around Frankfort in South Carolina. To me, the place looked like Portland, rolling hills and pastures interspersed with woodlands. They have pines, but not very big ones. Over all Germany is very clean, except a few inner city spots (downtown Frankfort) and they have recycle stations ALL over the place and on many street corners.
• They have magpies in Germany, like Eastern Washington, only bigger. These are black and white corvids that live in families. The big towns had pigeons and sometimes crows. Crows were scarce but I saw a lot of fake ones on balconies apparently to scare off the pigeons. Many of the Gothic churches had spikes on the sills, to also avert birds and their guano.
• I feel better about us in Iraq after "reading" Pat's attitude. I could not have said this about American servicemen in 1988, about the time we mistakenly shot down that Airbus over the Persian Gulf. We all needed this war to give Americans and Muslims alike an attitude adjustment. Yes people are dying and it sucks, but I have faith it's going to get better, I really do.
• The European trend is toward feather beds for blankets, and they are too bleedin' hot!!!!!!

Anyway I finally got home………. And boy is it good to be back home in my own firm hard bed.

The End