The airport adventure

About halfway to the airport, I suddenly exclaimed, “I forgot the camera bag!”

I just bought a camera for the trip, and I was looking forward to taking lots of photos in Petra and Israel. I was heart-broken because there wasn’t time to return and get it. Then I realized Ethan just might be able to bring it to me so I called him. He found the camera bag right away, and after quick instructions to take 285 around Atlanta because traffic was heavy going in, he headed out. We asked Leah to pick up Makalu at school, which Ethan was going to do.
As Leah dropped us off, she tried to pep me up by saying that she was sure there was plenty of time for Ethan to bring us the camera since our plane didn’t leave until 5:30 pm, and it was about 3:45 then. And I agreed with her.

And then we arrived at the ticket counter--and the agent informed us that we had been rerouted to a Delta flight leaving just a little later. Okay--and then he found that that flight was canceled. So he put us on an earlier flight; one that was supposed to leave at 3:05. It was delayed and scheduled to leave at 4:45, he told us. No chance to get the camera bag. Marla had a small pocket camera, but with no extra rechargeable batteries.

So we headed over to Delta, made it through the line, got checked in and then was told that the flight would leave at about 5:15. Maybe, just maybe Ethan could make it.

We walked over to security to see if I could come back out and get the bag and was told I might as well wait for it. I called Ethan, and he had successfully made it onto 285 West. Mind you, he has driven to the airport only once, going down I-75, so I was worried he’d get on 285 East instead of West. But he did.

I asked Marla to go to the gate while I waited for Ethan so we could time how long it would take me to get there. I walked out to the exit to find the door number and to find the quickest way back. I called Marla, and it took her more than ten minutes to get to security and onto the train.
Ethan called me when he got on Camp Creek Parkway and started naming the park and rides he was passing. Again, I worried he’d miss the turn to the airport, but he called me just a couple of minutes later saying he was at the South Terminal. I went out, and he spotted me before I saw him.

He stopped in traffic to let me cross and then he handed me the bag. “You saved me life!” I called to him as I grabbed the bag with a big smile. And then he was off, and so was I.
I actually made it to the gate with 20 minutes to spare.

Our first adventure on the trip.