It doesn't get any better than this! Two times in a row!

Okay - this one isn't at 30,000 feet - but there's still the airport connection.
It starts the night before - I land in Columbus from a flight from NYC - call Embassy Suites for their shuttle - "it'll be there in 10 minutes" - and sure enough - 10 minutes later I'm on an Embassy Suites shuttle. There's 3 of us on the shuttle - and the lady beside me from NJ (?) has a sister in Fairport! Small world..... but wait - it gets better.....

As it turns out - I'm at the wrong Embassy Suites oh well - back to the airport to get the other hotel shuttle to "my" hotel.

fast forward 20 hours

"Weather" is happening on the east coast - so my flight through Philly is delayed - so I choose to get rebooked through DC.

Ironically both flights are at the same gate. I'm at the bar across from the gate sitting next to Bill, an investment guy, who is on my original flight heading to Philly. We can't hear much of what is being said in the terminal - so he keeps popping up to check what they're saying. Philly continues to be delayed (and the crew for my DC flight is coming in from there) - oh well - could be a long night. As we chat- I mention I'm from Rochester and the girl who just sat down on my right says - "Rochester" - I turn - and lo-and-behold - it's Mary Beth - the girl from the shuttle the night before!! She's heading home through DC with me!

Sadly on the flight she's 9A and I'm 10 C - so close (maybe I should retitle the book - "the seat ahead of you") While we're de-planing - MaryBeth informs she she is may be trading in her acura (I own one too) for a BMW from the guy beside her. We also chat a bit - ends up she has written a book already - not sure of the title but know it has to do with how to potty train a child with autism - based on her first hand experience with her son.

Of course - any time there's air travel involved - there will be stories of delays, missed flights etc. Once in DC we both head off for our gates. She has no time to spare - and sadly DCA airport is not well organized - gates end at 34 - with no signage of finding 35 or 44. We ask - and are told to take the shuttle at gate 25 to head to terminal C.

As we say goodbye - she promises to call next time she visits her sister.

I do hope Mary Beth made her flight - as she was only going home to be able to spend an hour in the morning with her 9 year old daughter before she heads to school and Mary Beth heads to Atlanta.