I'm Off!

I woke up this morning and took my teary-eyed teenage daughter out to breakfast on the way to her school, and was quite strong as I told her not to cry; I won't be gone that long, I said. Dropping her off at her school, and watching her walk off to her class, my facade started to crack -- by the time I got out of the parking lot, I could barely see through my tears. But there wasn't much time, so I raced home, using one hand as an eyeball windshield-wiper, the other hand steering a path between all the car-shaped blurs.

In a mad panic, I tried to cram the last few forgotten items into the last few pockets of my luggage, and do the last of the chores around the house that I knew I wouldn't be able to get to for quite a while... agonizing over the fact that all I really wanted was to spend a few quiet moments with my wife.

And then what must have been the Zen master of chauffers came to pick me up in the kind of black non-stretch limo that actual rich people take, and now I know why. It was very comfortable, and quiet. Maybe being rich wouldn't be so horrible after all.

Got to the airport, through security, onto the plane, and settled into my Business Class seat (much more legroom than coach, much more seat adjustment, and a private video screen).

I had to change planes in Tokyo. My first and only experience in Japan was watching the TV in the lounge; Larry King was interviewing the contestants from "The Apprentice." So... THAT'S what Japan is like. I had enough of a stopover to buy a few trinkets for my family, dash off a quick email at an internet kiosk, and then get onto another 747, this time an upstairs seat! (I'm still enough of a rube to get a kick out of there being an "upstairs" on an airplane.)