Geek sex symbol

We packed up and went down to the front desk to check out of the W Seattle. It was nickel-and-dime hell. Our free night and second night at $179 ended up costing $302. I left it on my Starwood American Express card and we got the green Ford Focus out of valet parking and headed east where we had a yummy brunch with Tony and Judy and Tim and Christine. I called the dedicated United 1K reservations number, worked through the automated menu, got put on hold for a minute which should never ever happen, and found my exact flight time. It took exactly a half-hour to get from Redmond to Sea-Tac airport. We cruised right up to the Hertz car return and for the first time in a while I used the express return because the roving cashiers were backed up.

Hunnybear accompanied me to the United 1K counter, which in Seattle says “100K.” I waited a few minutes for the lone agent there to take care of his customer while the four agents working the Premier/Premier Executive/Star Alliance Gold and Silver/Upgrades line waited on three parties. I told the agent I was only 1K but I’d promise to get the other 99 if he’d check me in. He did and Hunnybear complimented him and United in general on their new diligence in collecting upgrade certificates. She mentioned she was flying Northwest today because she was out of United upgrades. The agent was pretty laconic but nice and just handed me the boarding passes. Quite a line had formed behind me in the 1K/Full Fare First Class/Pass Plus queue.

Hunnybear and I said tender farewells and she trekked southward while I went through the new security and war zone to the torn-up tram. I got to gate N2 moments before the 757 boarded, this time from door two so we got preflight drinks. I settled into seat 2C had sparkling water with lime. My seat opponent was a beefy sailor reading a book on the aviation industry and drinking gin and tonics. I had one of the same stewardesses as on my trip up on Friday. She kept calling me “doctor.”

This was a snack flight so instead of the yummy brochettes or yummy fajitas we had a choice of chicken or chicken. I took the chicken salad instead of the chicken with creamy cheese sauce. I forgot to request removal of the dessert, which as a rule I don’t eat, so I was forced to try the chocolate-chip cookie. Geek sex-symbol Soledad O’Brien was on the video system between commercials so I watched her talk while listening to Soft Sounds through my Sony NC-10 noise-canceling earplugs. There were three screaming children in the row behind and the Sonys performed admirably.

We landed a few minutes early in Los Angeles.

Lion thoughts:
· If United hired Tom Peters to design a plan to alienate their best customers he couldn’t do a better job than they’re doing right now.
· Sometimes it’s better to get the best room in the worst hotel than pay twice as much for a mediocre room in the best hotel.
· Wherever you go, you can have a great time if you’ve got friends.

The end.



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