=====================================================================
Mon Mar 11 08:04 EST 1996
Weekend Update, March 8-10

You shouldn't be getting this email from me from this origin today.
You are because my flight to San Francisco was canceled on Friday
and I won't be leaving until tomorrow.

Last Thursday, the snow started in New England and they predicted a
foot or more snow.  However, the weathermen also predicted that Friday
would see the snow taper off by afternoon.  I called my airline several
times and they said that my flight was scheduled to leave on time,
or at least only 20 minutes late.  I felt otherwise but made my way to
the airport, nonetheless... after digging out the driveway several
times.  David Bickom gave me a ride to the airport.

The thoughts I had about checking in my baggage dissipated when I saw
the mobs, which made Disney World lines look pleasant.  "I can carry
this on the plane," I thought, "if I get on the plane early and snare
a space above me."  So I lugged about 50 pounds of luggage (now we know
why it is called LUGgage), first to the wrong gate and then to the
right gate in another terminal!  I snaked my way along another
Disney World-type line to get my ticket stamped for boarding, and
then found a piece of carpet near the window (and the boarding ramp).
My flight was due to take off at 2:25.  Ha!  At 2:45, they closed the
airport until 3:30.  The plane that was coming in from DC to then be
reloaded for San Francisco was circling overhead at the time.  It
landed shortly after the airport reopened and we were told that after a
short cleaning, we'd be boarded and get out as soon as possible.  However,
they were sorry to inform us that we had to change gates (and terminals)
again, so there was a cattle drive to another terminal where people
were waiting for a 5:00 flight to San Francisco.  (You should have seen
their faces when we told them that we were the 2:25  flight!)

We finally boarded the plane at 4:50 and 95% of us found our seats
when the announcement came on that Massport had closed Logan Airport
from 5pm to 7pm.  We were told to relax, and even advised to stay on
the plane because they would get out if and when they could.  I settled
into my seat for a nap.  Fifteen minutes later, they announced that our
flight was canceled and we need to get off the plane. Mind you, on
Thursday, people were grounded and trying to get out on this Friday's
plane!  Now 5000 people were stranded at Logan and nearly half of
them were lined up at telephones.  Since I was given a ride to the
airport and Joy could not drive to pick me up, I needed a new plan.

Thinking as quickly as I could through the stunned feelings, I hopped
a bus to the subway station and headed towards Quincy.  At one of
the crossovers, I dropped a dime and luckily my brother Stephen
was at home.  I asked him to pick me up at Wollaston Station.  He did
and I am grateful.  I rearranged my flight plans for tomorrow (Tuesday)
and imposed upon Stephen to take me home to Nashua.  (Mom and Dad were
flying in that same evening from Flroida; their flight was delayed
by about an hour and they arrived at midnight; Steve picked them up,
so he had a busy night with a few unexpected detours.)

Joy was surprised when I called her because she called the airline at
3pm.  The airline's automatic information said the flight was leaving
as scheduled so she figured I'd gotten off the ground.  Whatever the
reason, she was glad to have me home for a few more days before
traipsing around the country.  Other than my harrowing ordeal, I was
glad for the extra days at home, too.

Saturday and Sunday were pleasant.

   ,------._____________________________       _         ============   .
 /',      |      Mark Metcalfe          \     |  \        I_  O  _I_,==.:
|  \_0__, | Cadence Design Systems, Inc. >----|===`------'I `---' I |  |:
|    M    |      (508) 446-6451         /    _ \          I       I |  |:'
|   .|\.  |   metcalfe@cadence.com     /    (   `-,-----============:__;:
|  ,------.___________________________/    (_    O    __)       \_      :
|/'                                          (_______)          (_)