The party broke up around midnight, but not being
sufficiently liquored up (Malbec was my poison of choice,
a couple bottles or more worth), P.D. and I hightailed to
Katz's Deli and Bar for another hit. Parked next door,
where the parking troll informed us we had to eat next
door, which we assured him we would, after taking a drink
at Katz's. I seem to recall Maker's at $7 for a generous
shot, but I can't recall whether I had one, two, or three.

One's a Meal next door beckoned. By this time, though, I was
so far gone that I don't remember anything about eating -
all I can recall was being visited by the parking troll, who
was probably making sure we showed up, and having a pleasant
chat with him. P.D. dropped me off at the hotel at 2
something and I toddled off to bed, tossing and turning and
thinking of the great and small loves of my life before
finally dozing off.
===
My watch alarm was unwelcome, but the hotel wakeup call,
which I'd ordered for 4 minutes later, didn't work, so I was
grateful for having set that.

At the desk I discovered I'd been charged for phone calls as
well as Internet, though it's all bundled, supposedly. It
took the night manager several minutes of typing to fix.

SuperShuttle came precisely at 0550 as promised, and so I
got to the airport about 0630. Security was surprisingly
breezy, despite there being a long line of Kettles, most
going to Phoenix and then Honolulu, carrying all their
worldly possessions with them. A pair of charming older
ladies, seeing me with my passport out, asked if they
needed their passports too, to go to Honolulu. After I
said no, they pulled them out anyway.

US1675 IAH CLT 0855 1216 734 2A

I tried for the 0705, so as to visit the club in Charlotte,
but an anxious nonrev essentially begged me not to get on.
The snappish gate agent said to her, we'll deal with you
when we're finished with the paying customers. I relented,
and the nonrev got her seat in first. I plugged in and
worked an hour, no great loss to me. Afterward, though, I
overheard the (black) gate agents discussing how rude and
obnoxious the (white) nonrev had been, so I almost regretted
my niceness.

An okay flight, which I slept through.

US1088 CLT BOS 1307 1515 734 2F

Very pleasant flight, despite serious bumps on the way down.
We got in a little early.

-33-