Mad Dash!

The plane wheels touched down at 11:33.

I exited the plan about 10 minutes later.

James Bond-esque dodging in and out of the airport-goers to get to an Uber at 11:51.

I was now speeding toward the University of California-Davis Medical School where I was to give a talk at 12:00.

[But for a moment, I let my mind wonder…No, I was trying to catch the smugglers before they left their hideout, one that I had discovered using binoculars and a pair of tweezers. This was becoming more like an A-Team episode…]

But back to reality, here I was on the highway, in an Uber, having left my wife behind to get bags and rental car. My head pounded from a morning of stress as delayed flights ruined the best made plans.

And then, I have to tell you about another person in this story.

Her name is Ashley. She was the one who arranged for the Uber, ditching our previous Plan B which was for me to somehow give the talk via Zoom from the Sacramento airport, as we didn’t think I could make it to the talk in person.

[I had imagined my wife getting surrounded by airport security. “Ma’am, you can’t leave luggage or husbands unattended in the airport. He has been over there at Baggage Carousel #5 for the last 40 minutes, talking about who knows what and annoying the heck out of our customers.”]

Ashley was that gentle guide that you need when in trouble, when things start spinning a bit too fast.

As the Uber screeched to the curb at the medical school at 12:12, Ashley was there waiting to escort me to the building. Her smile reassured me that all was going to be okay.

A few technical difficulties later, around 12:23, the talk began.

Ashley, and the good people at UC Davis, thank you for making yesterday something I can write about this morning with a smile.

And a receding headache…