No Vacancy!

“. . . and there was no room for them in the Inn.”

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about the “No Vacancy” sign that hung outside the Bethlehem hotel a few centuries ago.

Sunday, March 10, 2013 started out innocent enough.  I endured the adjustment of Daylight Savings Time overnight and still arose early to prepare myself for a flight from Palm Springs, California back to Omaha. 

It was a beautiful blue sky morning in the desert so I was shocked to see the number of people standing in the security line at the airport waiting to have their internal organs and luggage photographed.  Why would they want to leave?  Probably the same reason I was boarding a flight -- time to get back to work.

I was able to watch the first half of the Missouri Valley Conference basketball Championship on the airplane, listen to a 27 year old guy convince his wife he could make millions flipping real estate and watch a mother desperately attempt to comfort her screaming 2-year-old.  Denver is in our sights.  Television off.  Smooth landing.  Let the cattle rush begin to gates near and far. 

I switched airlines and therefore concourses for my final leg into Omaha.  '13' minutes before boarding, the gate agent announced a weather advisory delay into Omaha.  "Could be 5 minutes.  Could be five hours," she said (with a sense of humor).

I wasn't feeling it.  Not funny!  In fact, I stayed closed to the ticket counter, knowing the inevitable would happen -- sooner or later.  Every 15 minutes we received an update (thank you) telling us nothing had changed.  "Blizzard conditions existed in Omaha.  Visibility was 1/4 mile (that's not good).  Rumors surfaced that the Omaha airport was closing."

I sat close to the action, directly across from a young lady attempting to be the twenty something poster child for lip Botox.  Then it happened!

"Ladies and gentleman, Flight 6780 to Omaha is officially cancelled.  We are flying directly to Chicago." 

Chicago?  Holy guacamole!  Now what do I do?  Scramble to be first in line; that's what you do.  Markus (Southwest agent) tells me these are my options:

1.  Sleep at the Denver airport.  Take a 6:00 am flight to Kansas City, stay in the KC airport all day and arrive in Omaha 11:00 Monday night.  Not liking that one.

2.  Sleep over night at the Denver airport.  Take a 6:17a.m. flight to Phoenix and arrive in Omaha 4:30 Monday afternoon.  I'm now zero for two.

"I want my own bed!"

3.  Markus said my third option was to fly to Chicago and then back to Des Moines.  Arrive in Des Moines 11:00 p.m. Sunday night.  Tempting.  I could rent a car and be back in Omaha by 2:00 or 3:00 Monday morning.

"Let's do it!" I said.  I attempted a bit of a nap (unsuccessfully) on our 1 hour and 56 minute flight to Chicago, thus preparing me for the drive home from Des Moines.

Once inside Midway Airport, the ticket agent questioned my wisdom for deciding to fly into Des Moines.  Travel conditions had worsened in Iowa.  Yea!  I wanted to say, "Hey, your agent Markus told me that would be a good option. He even showed me evidence on radar of the storm not moving that direction."  But, I didn't!  She was a nice lady and I'm too tired to argue.

Maggie recommended I spend the night in the airport and catch the 6:00 a.m. flight back to Omaha.  "It happens all the time," she said comfortingly.

I took the bait.  I so wanted my own bed. . . but it wasn’t going to happen tonight.

A piece of toast for breakfast, a half of chocolate chip cookie for lunch and two bags of Southwest peanuts are sustaining me.  I order a 'delicious' airport meal and contemplate my condition. . .

I'm deserted, homeless, stranded and yes, totally out of control of the situation.  Just as I began feeling sorry for myself -- I remember the family of '7' ('5' adorable kids ages 7 and younger.  What are they thinking?) at the Denver airport who decided to drive back to Omaha rather than rebook.  I wonder how that's working out for them.

It’s time to consider what my options are for spending the night.  Time for a walk and a sleeping alternatives assessment. . .

They are setting up cots by the hundreds in the "C" Concourse.  Should I join this group of vagabonds or stay put with a dozen or so people who have found unusual ways to get comfortable in airport chairs.  It's not a pretty picture!  The sounds are strange as well.

I grabbed an airport issued pillow and blanky.  I think I'll try my own concoction of comfort by putting a few chairs together to form a make-shift bed.

At 11:57 a security guard informs me I need to move to the C Concourse ‘Cot Hotel’ as the Concourse I was in would be closed.

It’s at this moment I get a small glimpse of Mary and Joseph desperately attempting to find a hotel room where the Baby Jesus can be born.  “No Vacancy” was the message they heard over and over again.  I can attest; that is a desperate feeling. 

I choose my special designer cot in Concourse C, closed my eyes and for the next two hours I 'experience' the airport.  Here are my observations during the quiet night hours. . .

People make strange sounds when sleeping.  Airport construction goes on all night long ...with a sledge hammer.  The same automated, irritating announcements about smoking, baggage, and the moving walkway go on and on and on even when there aren't any people in an airport?  The same guy told me to cover my mouth when I sneeze and wash my hands every 15 minutes.  (Don't those people ever sleep?)  The space between our cots was the pathway for the cleaning crew and their carts.  The lights in an airport are never turned off.  Airport employees who work at night are really loud!  Airport music bangs through the concrete hallway all night long.  The temperature is turned down to a comfortable freezing point for raw meat.

What was it like inside that stable the first Christmas night?  What were the sights and sounds?  Did anyone understand or care about Joseph and Mary’s situation?  Did people just go on doing what they always did?

At 2:12 I consider staying up for one of my few all-nighters since being in college.  The next thing I know it is 3:10.  At 4:00 the security makes his rounds to let us know we need to move from the ‘cot hotel’ so they can prepare the concourse for the day.  I manage to get this 60 year old body out of 'bed' and check out of the cot hotel. . . refreshed from my 58 minute nap.

They tell me my 6:00 a.m. flight back to Omaha is on time.

Inside all the drama. . . Creighton wins the MVC Championship.  I'm alive and blessed.  Outside of a little loss of sleep (okay major), life is really good.  I have a new travel story to tell.  God is good!

In contrast, Jesus life never really returned to normal.  There was no 6:00 a.m. flight to take him home.  He experienced “No Vacancy” signs all of his life as he attempted to enter people’s hearts.  Still does.

It’s Christmas. 

Consider hanging a “Vacancy” sign so you can experience the full power of this special day.

Merry Christmas!