The roads got me hypnotized
And I'm speeding into a new sunrise
- "Radar Love", Golden Earring
Catch a flight south to Kuwait and realize that suddenly we’re descending no where near Kuwait. Pit stop in Kirkuk east of Mosul, to pick up a 3-Star General. He kicks us out to find room for him and his far too numerous security escorts. Getting back on, my seat has gotten worse and I sit with knees touching the person in front of me. We fly to Baghdad to drop off the General and pick up passengers. Load up and fly to Speicher to drop off the passengers. In 6 hours we’ve gone less than 50 miles net. Pack up yet again, fly to Kuwait. Circle the base to the in and out processing tents and turn in body armor for the trip back to the US. Find KFC for dinner, run into an old co-worker I haven’t seen in 2 years but who easily recognizes me. Sleep in a tent. Wake up and eat breakfast, mild flavor and appeal. Re-pack belongings, head to staging area, and volunteer to handle baggage. Push everything through customs and security and pack the plane. I was warned that it’s better for short people to pack, but I scurry up the cargo ramp anyway. Realize I ignored good advice and ended up hunched over in the hull of the plane. Later board and ride the flight into Germany, and then Atlanta. A flight attendant says she thinks I’m cute and I wonder what the point of me trying to get her phone number would be. Wake from my nap and stroll through security, having a flight attendant stamp my leave form. Get a handwritten confirmation of my flight to New Orleans, and walk into the terminal to board.
[Author, snapping a picture during hour 4 of the plane ride to Kuwait with an unsuspecting passenger]
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