How to Find a Silver Lining in a Fog Bank (Part 1)

My original title was going to be called 'Why ANA Really Sucks' but I changed it at the last moment.

I was severely tested on two items of my personal top 10 list of things that I love to do; my wife and long distance driving. Seeing as my wife Mika, who’s Okinawan, was going to pay final respects to her mother who recently passed away. Plans were set out to find the most direct flight as possible. That led us to the Dulles International Airport in the Washington DC area. With all the necessary arrangements and a rental car, we were all set for the trip.

With my sister babysitting our two boys, we left home around midnight. Stopping only for a quick meal and fuel up, we headed out on the highway by 12:30 on a long 5 hour drive to the airport. And as tradition held fast in our family, my wife was fast asleep within 15 minutes. And so begins one of my big loves of life with that being long distance driving. An extra-large bucket of soda, a couple of plain cheese burgers, chips, a giant snickers bar and the radio set on Classic Rock with an open road in front of me. Better than sex. Almost.

With hardly any cars on the road in the middle of the night and my lack of driving the speed limit, I was making great time. So much so that by 4:15 we’re pulling into the airport parking lot. Thirty minutes later, my wife was ready to get out of the car. And if you are married or have a girlfriend then you know a woman will not get out of a car until she looks and smells great. Walking pass the small snow mounds in the freezing air we entered the airport and proceeded to locate the nearest bathroom.

We then sat down to wait till 8:20 for the ANA ticket counter to open up. In that time we finally had time to really talk about a lot of things. Our life together, our concerns about the kids, our future and the promise to make sure the kids eat right while she’s gone. We talked for a long time about the clothing people were wearing at the airport, the weather conditions as the whole time we were constantly holding hands.

By 8:20 the ANA counter opened up and she was all set to fly. We then asked for a pass so I could be with her as she boarded the plan. The lady at the counter was a little bit reluctant but asked her supervisor for her opinion. They both along with my wife had a long Japanese conversation as these two women were smiling like they just won the lottery. The whole time I’m thinking that I’ll get the pass to be with my wife.  But Mika turns to me and said they won’t give me a pass due to new rules. Both women were still smiling to the point that I could see their back molars.

Mika didn’t want to push the issue but I we went to an information booth to try and get a pass for me. We found the booth and told our story. He was surprised that ANA turned our request down stating that no new rules were in place to prevent them from doing so. He gave us a few ideas as to try and get a pass from ANA but my wife was really worried about making trouble so I eventually relented and we walked around the airport for a while. Eventually sitting down and talked some more.

In time we had to part ways. We said our good-bye’s and she disappeared down the escalator as I was prepared to go and sit down and wait for her plane to leave. One of the airport staff watching us stopped me and directed me to an area of the airport where I could see her plane. Until her plane left, I stood by this huge glass window area. Watching an ANA plan unload and reload. After a while Mika called me as she had finally made it to her gate. She couldn't really see where I was standing at due to the passenger walkway to the plane and a Starbucks blocking her view. But we talked. We talked again as passengers were boarding the plane.  I told her that she had plenty of time as the luggage was just beginning to be loaded onto the plane.

Eventually her plane was pulling out and heading for the runway as I turned and headed for the car on a long and lonely ride home. We were pulled apart before we were ready. But we were still together. Yes by phone but as she was boarding the plane we were speaking the same words to each other. As I left the viewing area, the same staff member asked if I was OK. We chatted for a few minutes. He knew what was going on for he sees it every day with couples having to say good-by too soon due to laws and anarchists.

That day I faced what to me and us was a huge test. Little did I know there were even more forces waiting to test me as I left the airport. But that’s in part 2.