Back to the story of how I got here - this is getting a little ridiculous now that I've been here almost a month, I know. But it's a pretty wild story, no?
Tuesday:
Another cold, beautiful day dawns in the Garden State. Will it be the day I leave the Garden State? Time will tell…
Check-out time was noon, but I requested an extension – I had until 2 pm. I packed, so I would be all ready to head to the airport as soon as I got back from my third trip to the city. I headed in – the trip was quick, so I stopped a Starbuck’s for a latte – a good coffee before heading to the land of tea. I walked the last few blocks to the passport agency, went inside, had to wait for the desk to become open, then sat down across from the woman from Saturday, the woman from Monday was also there, as well as a young man. They checked the file, checked the list…
“That will be here at 1.”
“AT ONE!!!!”
You know the story – I won’t reiterate it again, but I did for them. AND, I have to get my stuff out of my New Jersey hotel by 2. I cannot be here at 1! It was going to be in the 11 o’clock pick up from the State Department – not actually at the office by 11. How many times did I ask if it would be AT the office at 11 (see previous post)? They were starting to look scared that I was going to have a complete fit. "We’ll call and find out if it is ready," they say. They call, have to get a call back. We wait, call comes back, yes it is ready (okay, that was a huge relief – it was ready – it existed – awesome!). They decide to send me over with the courier.
I never found out the courier’s name. She was a woman, probably a little older than me. We headed out of the office and to the nearest subway station. She headed through the turnstiles and started to walk away. “Excuse me – I’m from Seattle, I’ve been stuck here four days, I need a little help!” My tone was pretty snotty at that point, but can you blame me? My courier friend turned back, explained how to get a ticket ($2, exact amount, or credit card with a charge – of course, I did not have $2). Courier lady got a little friendlier after that, we chatted on the subway, she has relatives in Seattle and Vancouver, blah, blah, blah. We changed trains (how was I going to find my way back?) then came out in some industrial area in the bitter cold.
We go into the State Department, which is a mass of people, screaming babies, security guards ordering people around – craziness. Courier lady gets on the cell, “Eric, there is a big line, you need to bring down the passport for Polly Radebaugh...No, you need to bring it down...No, she needs it now, bring it down...Okay.” I feel like a movie star! Yea, Eric, bring it down now, she is jetting to Moscow for her next film! Eric brings it down, I peruse to make sure it is all correct (what would I do if it wasn’t?) then bid goodbye to Courier lady – who hugs me! Out on street I’m almost jumping for joy – I once again am a woman with proof of my identity – you don’t know how great that is until you life without that. Quick call to hubby to say it is in my hands, then across the street to the subway (Courier lady had explained how I get back – just one train, very handy). Back to HoJo’s, collected kitty and all my stuff (have I mentioned exactly how much stuff that was?). Back to the airport…
Flight was at 8:10. Okay, before you think I’m a freak for being at the airport 5.5 hours before my flight, where else was I to go? Had to be out of the hotel room by 2 with my 23 pound cat carrier and three other bags. Kitty and I hung out in front of the Continental International desk until 4 then headed for check-in. The helpful Continental worker herding people into the lines tried to turn me back telling me that I should really check the cat in first – OH NO lady, you don’t understand. I’m checking in now – I can barely manage the cart piled with my stuff and need to get rid of some of it. I made my point.
After checking in the bags, I had to wait another hour to check in kitty. More hanging out in Newark, then into Continental’s cargo office. One of the men that had witnessed my freak out on Friday was working and remembered me – I didn’t think that was a very good sign. But, he was sweet to ask me if I’d gotten my passport, so I gave him a very brief version of this story. He took the paperwork then went to the back for several minutes – don’t panic – finally he returns, explaining that he wasn’t sure about the vet forms (darn Nutley vet), but he thought they’d be okay (please be okay…). Checked her in, then I was off to find a snack.
As you can imagine, I was obsessively checking my passport every 5 minutes or so until I actually boarded. I did not return to the horrible Portuguese restaurant either. I got some sushi rolls that I ate at the gate.
About 7:45 our plane finally pulls up for our 8:10 flight, so obviously we are leaving late. We wait and wait, then finally are told that this plane is being pulled from service. They have another plane, but it is at a different gate – at the other end of the terminal (could I really be kidding). Before rushing off with the herd, I check in at the desk – I can see the pet transfer van outside and want to make sure that Pixie gets to the new gate. I get a very patronizing answer – I refrain from screaming – then head to the other gate.
Again, we wait. The wait is broken up by a man screaming at the desk agent because we have to show our passport at the desk, he already showed it where he started the day. I’m thinking, “oh, oh, you can see my passport, here, here, here’s mine!” (Also thinking, “funny thing about you showing that passport at your original destination – let me tell you a story Mr. Yeller.”) Finally we board, four days and 90 minutes late, but I’m on my way to Ireland!!!!And arrived safely the next morning in Dublin, with my loving husband there to greet me - sweet reunion. We headed for the vet, waited only 30 minutes or so - after months of sweating and anxious worrying, it was 30 minutes for the inspection - then we were free to go.
And to get current, I now have my PPS number, which means that I can start looking for work - will keep you posted on that adventure!
