Layover Luck
Instead of boarding your connecting flight in a never before visited airport, the airline announces that the flight has been cancelled. You will, however, have a seat on the next flight to that destination--tomorrow. To help make up for the inconvenience, the airline has given you a hotel room for the night and $100 USD. You have 24-hours to yourself in a new city. Where are you? What do you do?
It has been my experience that the most convenient trans-Atlantic flights have layovers in New York City, at least if your departure is from Pittsburgh. It would stand to reason, then, that the city I would be stuck in would be New York. I have been there before, but it has been twenty - four years, so I don't think that should count! The hundred bucks that was so nicely given to me by the airline would be used to buy a seat at a Broadway show, something like Avenue Q would be nice. Any money left over from the ticket purchase would be spent buying myself dinner at one of the city's fine restaurants!
What I Did During A Real Seven Hour Layover
The year was 1980. It was the Saturday after Easter. I was returning from Spain with a group of other students from my school. We arrived at JFK at 3:30 PM. Our flight into Pittsburgh did not board until 10:30 PM. I had seven hours to kill, and I was unfortunately not too friendly with any of the other students in my tour group. Time to explore the airport!
After walking around for a bit carrying my carry-on bag and recently purchased classical guitar, I started to feel a bit weary. I saw a snack bar that looked rather inviting. I scrounged through my purse to find enough money to buy myself a coke. Whilst scrounging, I also discovered that there were still a few cigarettes left in the pack in my purse. I decided that I would have one of those as well (You were still allowed to smoke in airports back in those days). Alas, my lighter was nowhere to be found. I scanned the snack bar, looking for some smokers who might be able to help me with my little problem. I quickly discovered such a couple with a vacant seat beside them. I sat down in the seat with my coke. The two people were involved in a conversation. ARGH! It was not in English! Think fast! I pointed to the lighter on the table and made a sort of flicking gesture with my hand. The man looked at me with a big smile. "You want to use my lighter," he said. Feeling silly, I said, "yes, You speak English?!" We had a good laugh, and spent the next several hours sitting at that table talking. We were heading in opposite directions. I was returning home to Pittsburgh, they were heading back home to Germany (of all places)! I don't remember much of what we discussed during all of that time, but I do remember that these two people were a final highlight to my much enjoyed trip. I shall never forget the time I spent at that snack bar with those two.
