I got up at about 8:30. Michael was already up, smoking and watching TV. I asked him if he would try and find the recording of “Macy Gray and ‘the flies, the flies'” while I showered. They have a towel warming rack. How wonderful to dry off with a warm towel! Afterward, I watched the video. Very funny!
We walked to Victoria station, we said our good-byes, and I caught the 10:04 train to Gatwick. I got checked in, withdrew 10 Pounds from the ATM machine, ate a breakfast/lunch/snack, and then used up the 6 Pounds I had left on Cadbury chocolate. I left 23 Pence on the seat at the airport terminal.
At 11:45, an announcement came on that our 12:10 flight was being delayed. Par for the course for this trip. A 2:00 flight to DFW was being canceled and we were going to wait to accommodate those passengers. After it was all said and done, our 10-hour flight left 4 hours late.
I watched the movie One Hour Photo, with Robin Williams, and read a lot of Uncle Mame on the flight. I sat next to somewhat of an Amazon woman. She was big-boned and tall, but not fat, really. I mean she didn’t hang over the seat or anything. She must have had, seriously, size 11 or 12 men’s shoes! She also had an unbelievable web of tattooing on her back. It was like a child’s drawing back there. She was returning from a week visiting her boyfriend in London, whom she’d met on the Internet.
At least twice during the flight back my thighs rubbed against the remote control for the television, which snapped into the side of the seat, and changed the channel I was watching or listening to. Rather disconcerting.
I arrived back at Raleigh at around 8:10, made a few calls to Robert, not being able to reach him. I figured he was in class. Wanting a ride home, I tried Steve, and got no answer. I tried Jay and Courtney and got no answer. I tried Gregor, got him, but he was already home and on his way to the theater. Steve called me back, and offered to come get me after he finished dinner with his mom and Sylvia. I tried Will. He said he’d be glad to come get me.
I got home close to 9, sent through my mail, checked out my refrigerator and freezer. If I hadn’t heard the electricity had been out for five days, I wouldn’t have known, and probably would have eaten the stuff in there.
By 10:30, 3:30AM London time, I was totally wiped out and hit the sack.