My journey to America started off brilliantly. A taxi driven by a lovely young man (well younger than me) named Shiraz came to take me to the airport. The car was very luxurious and comfortable. I sat up front with Shiraz as it was easier to talk and lip read that way. We talked almost non stop and I learnt all about his family, he has fourteen year old twins. It made the journey pass quickly and pleasantly and we soon arrived at Heathrow.
Once I had deposited my case I then headed to security. That is always fun. I passed through their scanner and then had to be wanded. The reason was simple, I had forgotten that I was wearing my lip reading metal badge. Thankfully they soon realised that was the only thing wrong and I wasn’t an international drug smuggler or slave trader, just a slightly forgetful dotty old lady.
I passed the time in the terminal people watching as I walked to our take off gate. Once there I introduced myself to the people at the desk and explained that I couldn’t hear the tannoys and would need to be told when to board etc. The staff were very helpful and when they were ready to start boarding they allowed me to go on the plane before the first class passengers to find my seat. Deafness has some perks. Once onboard I was delighted that I could do up the seat belt easily, previously when I flew to America I had been much larger and needed a belt extension. So it felt good to be a regular passenger .
The steward was a lovely guy who went through the safety procedures with me, and then explained that when I reached Chicago my stop over I would have to collect my suitcase and go through American customs. Then I would have to put my suitcase through again so that it would go onto Grand Rapids. He was most insistent that I understood the procedure as if I didn’t do this my luggage would stay in Chicago. The flight was long but uneventful and I was glad to get off the plane The layover was just over two hours but there were so many people trying to get through customs that it took forever. I began to worry that I wouldn’t make my next plane.However I did eventually get through and made it onto the plane the penultimate boarder.
I finally arrived at Grand Rapids only to find my luggage didn’t. Just when I was wondering what to do next I felt a hand on my shoulder, I turned to see the friend I had come to visit and I was so glad to see her because I was so tired my brain was refusing to lip read. She helped explain to the airline staff what had happened and that my luggage was missing. They managed to locate it in Chicago and told me it would be put on the next flight out and delivered to my friends address. I was asked some questions to identify my suitcase and a few other questions and I was free to leave the airport.
The very next day my suitcase arrived in the afternoon and my holiday proper could begin .
Whittlesey Wordsmiths 