My Job Description

There was a time in my life when I had a “real” job as some might call it, but I confess to people all the time that I work a lot harder now than I ever did at that “real” job. I love it when I have to fill out paper work for school or the pediatrician and they have a space for my “occupation”. When I look at the forms I realize that the entire thing could not hold my job description. I am a Chef, Personal Shopper, Maid, Psychologist, Nurse, Pharmacist, Communications Director, Stylist, Financial Analyst, and Event Planner to name a few. The one thing that I have never really thought myself as was a Travel Agent, well this weekend Mark proved me wrong.

Mark began his journey to Australia last Friday and I emphasize the term “journey”. He flew to San Francisco Saturday morning and like a good little wife I tracked his flight over the internet like a seasoned Air Traffic Controller (I should add that to the list). When I knew his plane had landed safely, I anxiously anticipated his phone call. It was about 15 minutes after his landing that my phone rang and I answered it with joy and eagerness. What I heard on the other line was not so joyful. It went a little something like this:

Me: Hello!

Mark: Hey, listen, I need your help.

Me: What’s wrong?

Mark: The airline people told me that I have to go get my luggage at baggage claim now, and check it back in at the terminal. They will not just send it through the normal transfer system.

Me: O.K…….Then go get your bag…

Mark: I’ll have to call you back…I’m going to ask one of these people over here.

(Click) He hung up

Me: Nice talking to you too!

15 Minutes later (the phone rings again)

Me: Hello….

Mark: Listen, I need your help.

Me: With what?

Mark: They have told me that I have to go get my luggage now, and I can not check it in until 8 hours before my flight tonight.

(Did I mention he had a 13 hour layover in San Francisco?)

Me: O.K. Well, just take your suitcase to the main terminal and get you something to eat.

Mark: This is crazy! I can’t believe this is happening to me! I’ll talk to you later. Love you…

Click (He hung up, again)

10 Minutes later (the phone rings again)

Me: Helloooo!

Mark: Hey, I have a problem; I can’t find anywhere to eat in this place.

Me: You’re joking me right? It’s the San Francisco International Airport, there has got to be somewhere to eat.

Mark: Can you find me somewhere?

Me: Huh?

Now, I traveled a lot of places back when I had a “real” job, but San Francisco was not one of them. I am good, but not that good. So you would think that I would have just rolled my eyes at Mark’s request and marked his craziness up to just being tired, but NOOOO. What did I do? I get out my trusty computer, found a map of the airport, and found him a place to eat. Did he take my directions and find the Subway Shop? NO, he did not. He sat in the main terminal with his luggage and ate his peanut butter crackers (that I packed in his suitcase) until time to check his bag.

Am I angry that he did not take my instructions…no, not really. Because even though he did not take my advice and find the Subway, I can now at least add Travel Agent extraordinaire to my occupation list.

And for those of you who are wondering…Mark arrived in the land down under safely and a little hungry. (I Love You, Mark!)