Day 1.5

(Saturday) Midnight: plane ride to LA. Napped for a few hours with a parka draped over my face. Gavin used me as a body pillow.

(Sunday) 5am: LAX. Navigated the warren of stairwells, empty halls, and half-constructed tunnels that have been unfinished since the first time I got lost in them in 1989. At least they’ve removed the curtains of plastic sheeting and the brief runs across open tarmac.

8am: paid $30 for three bagel sandwiches because it was literally the cheapest fucking meal option in the terminal.

10:30am: boarded flight to Philadelphia 

Noon: deplaned without going anywhere because the fuel lines were malfunctioning and they needed to remove an entire fuel tank from the plane. Watched people yell at the desk guys because they paid FIRST CLASS SO LET’S GO while we sat and drank mocha Frappuccinos. First class people are okay with exploding in midair so long as it’s on schedule I guess.

1pm: re-boarded and flew to Philadelphia. Drew in my sketchbook and watched Outlander over my neighbor’s shoulder.

10:55pm: Why is Philadelphia airport so big?! We had 10 minutes to get to the gate before our flight left without us, and had to sprint nearly a mile. Sent the boys ahead and jogged behind them like someone with the cardiovascular strength of an 80 year-old man and the pelvic floor strength of a 41 year-old mother of 3. Passed about 14 defibrillators, which were installed exactly for ding dongs like me. Did not faceplant while running off the moving walkways. Skidded in just in time to board the plane last. WE WIN. The fashionable 15 year old passenger next to me loses, because I smell like a goat. Sorry, kid.

(Monday) 1am: ROCHESTER. I don’t know what it looks like because it is dark. And cold. We have a sweet black SUV and we are pretending to be feds at the Taco Bell drive through. Our luggage was left in Philadelphia, so everyone is going to be wearing my pants until that gets here. (I am a suspicious traveler who crams all my belongings into one giant carry-on backpack.)

Tomorrow later today: exploration and shopping before checkin at the university.