In the long-running TV game show Wheel of Fortune that features host Pat Sajak and the long-legged and silent letter-turner, Vanna White; the contestants guest the letters of the alphabet hidden on blank tiles, and when enough letters are revealed, the contestant announces, "I'd like to solve the puzzle." And if they correctly guess the words to the erstwhile blank phrase, they win fabulous and valuable prizes - like plane trips to far off destinations.
So, let's play Wheel of Fortune. Sue you take the first spin--
Wheel of Fortune: Solve the Puzzle (A Location)
ORD_ _ _
So the proverbial wheel of fortune turns in dramatic fashion for Sue at the end of July. The wheel spins and fortunes are good, Sue gets an invitation to go to the International Presbyterian Youth Conference held every 3 years on the Purdue University campus, known as Triennium. Expenses paid by the denomination for her to fly on Southwest Airlines [i.e., not ride the bus] to Indianapolis and then report for duty as staff, helping with information booth for those attending the event. It is a fast-paced good time.
Good times, but Saturday comes and it is time to return home. So once again the proverbial wheel of fortune spins as Sue texts home, "I have set my face toward Garland, C U soon." I reply, you have good fortune to be booked on United Airlines for your return, rather than Southwest, since SW had a complete meltdown of their computer system on Wednesday - what a mess!" Sue catches her flight out of Indianapolis, will make a connection in Chicago's O'Hare (airport abbreviation ORD) and onto DFW.
Another spin on the wheel of fortune, this time fortunes are down. I check online for her flight arrival time and gate information.
Flight DELAYED 31 minutes. Recheck flight info 20 minutes later.
Flight DELAYED 1:35 minutes. Recheck.
Flight DELAYED 2:18 minutes. Recheck a couple more times.
Finally I read, Flight CANCELED. Good night.
Air traffic is backed up at her departure gate due to thunder storms. The flight crew timed out. Around 1 AM O'Hare personnel break out the cots for stranded travelers. Weary would-be travelers are rousted by security around 4 AM, time to move back onto those uncomfortable terminal chairs for Sunday morning.
United agents working on rescheduling hundreds or maybe even a thousand who spent Saturday night in the airport. Sue does not always do well with a lack of sleep, and she sends me a text Sunday AM saying, "It's a bright sunny day at Hobby [as in Houston Hobby Airport?].
I reply, "So R U in Houston now??"
She replies, "Yep!"
Then after a moment, truth and reality dawn, she sends another text, "Oops, No. I am still at ORD. I'm kind of punchy & groggy right now."
If you though Saturday at ORD was unproductive; just wince, repeat and wince once again. She was booked on a 10:30 PM flight out of Chicago, but the agent said she might get out on an earlier plane to DFW. She texts the news of her ending captivity. My reply, "Yeah. Right."
The wheel of fortune takes a spin for the worse on Sunday. She is issued 10 boarding passes, most of them are worthless. No planes to DFW available. Then the Sunday afternoon more thunder storms develop over ORD with now predictable results:
Flight DELAYED
Flight CANCELED
Flight CANCELED...
Can the wheel of fortune spin toward good - ever again? Maybe.
The United agent says he can get her on a flight tomorrow afternoon. Sue is incredulous, "That is exactly when these thunderstorms arrive, every day, can't you do any better???" She suggests a late flight to Houston. The agent asks, "So, would you like to go to Houston instead of DFW? Answer, "Yes! Just get me out of here." Done. She uses boarding pass #9 to fly out of ORD at around 1 AM Monday.
At least the plane does not fall from the sky, that's gotta count as good fortune, right? An uncomfortable set of wee hours in the George Bush International airport (Houston). Boarding pass #10 says "Arriving DFW at 08:39, Monday, 07/25/2016. It actually works. Her luggage was sitting outside the united claim office when we picked it up. The United claims attendant asked us to wait until she was free before she checked us out with our baggage. I said, "Let's just keep walking sweetheart." And we did.
Now, time to solve that puzzle: ORD_ _ _ (A Location)
Sue: Vanna, I'd like to buy a vowel, 'E'.
Pat Sajak: Yes, there is an 'E'
ORDE _ _.
Sue: I'd like to solve the puzzle - ORDEAL!
I spent a year in Chicago one weekend [badda bing]. It was an ordeal at ORD.
Sue Suneson Wins! Yes, You have won a flight to Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport, by way of a Chicago's ORDeal. Congratulations.
If you have time to spare - Go by air.
[The kids from Garland who rode the bus to West Lafayette, IN Purdue campus got back home before Sue did on the airplane - which is an ironic twist of fortune].
So, let's play Wheel of Fortune. Sue you take the first spin--
Wheel of Fortune: Solve the Puzzle (A Location)
ORD_ _ _
So the proverbial wheel of fortune turns in dramatic fashion for Sue at the end of July. The wheel spins and fortunes are good, Sue gets an invitation to go to the International Presbyterian Youth Conference held every 3 years on the Purdue University campus, known as Triennium. Expenses paid by the denomination for her to fly on Southwest Airlines [i.e., not ride the bus] to Indianapolis and then report for duty as staff, helping with information booth for those attending the event. It is a fast-paced good time.
Good times, but Saturday comes and it is time to return home. So once again the proverbial wheel of fortune spins as Sue texts home, "I have set my face toward Garland, C U soon." I reply, you have good fortune to be booked on United Airlines for your return, rather than Southwest, since SW had a complete meltdown of their computer system on Wednesday - what a mess!" Sue catches her flight out of Indianapolis, will make a connection in Chicago's O'Hare (airport abbreviation ORD) and onto DFW.
Another spin on the wheel of fortune, this time fortunes are down. I check online for her flight arrival time and gate information.
Flight DELAYED 31 minutes. Recheck flight info 20 minutes later.
Flight DELAYED 1:35 minutes. Recheck.
Flight DELAYED 2:18 minutes. Recheck a couple more times.
Finally I read, Flight CANCELED. Good night.
Air traffic is backed up at her departure gate due to thunder storms. The flight crew timed out. Around 1 AM O'Hare personnel break out the cots for stranded travelers. Weary would-be travelers are rousted by security around 4 AM, time to move back onto those uncomfortable terminal chairs for Sunday morning.
United agents working on rescheduling hundreds or maybe even a thousand who spent Saturday night in the airport. Sue does not always do well with a lack of sleep, and she sends me a text Sunday AM saying, "It's a bright sunny day at Hobby [as in Houston Hobby Airport?].
I reply, "So R U in Houston now??"
She replies, "Yep!"
Then after a moment, truth and reality dawn, she sends another text, "Oops, No. I am still at ORD. I'm kind of punchy & groggy right now."
If you though Saturday at ORD was unproductive; just wince, repeat and wince once again. She was booked on a 10:30 PM flight out of Chicago, but the agent said she might get out on an earlier plane to DFW. She texts the news of her ending captivity. My reply, "Yeah. Right."
The wheel of fortune takes a spin for the worse on Sunday. She is issued 10 boarding passes, most of them are worthless. No planes to DFW available. Then the Sunday afternoon more thunder storms develop over ORD with now predictable results:
Flight DELAYED
Flight CANCELED
Flight CANCELED...
Can the wheel of fortune spin toward good - ever again? Maybe.
The United agent says he can get her on a flight tomorrow afternoon. Sue is incredulous, "That is exactly when these thunderstorms arrive, every day, can't you do any better???" She suggests a late flight to Houston. The agent asks, "So, would you like to go to Houston instead of DFW? Answer, "Yes! Just get me out of here." Done. She uses boarding pass #9 to fly out of ORD at around 1 AM Monday.
At least the plane does not fall from the sky, that's gotta count as good fortune, right? An uncomfortable set of wee hours in the George Bush International airport (Houston). Boarding pass #10 says "Arriving DFW at 08:39, Monday, 07/25/2016. It actually works. Her luggage was sitting outside the united claim office when we picked it up. The United claims attendant asked us to wait until she was free before she checked us out with our baggage. I said, "Let's just keep walking sweetheart." And we did.
Now, time to solve that puzzle: ORD_ _ _ (A Location)
Sue: Vanna, I'd like to buy a vowel, 'E'.
Pat Sajak: Yes, there is an 'E'
ORDE _ _.
Sue: I'd like to solve the puzzle - ORDEAL!
I spent a year in Chicago one weekend [badda bing]. It was an ordeal at ORD.
Sue Suneson Wins! Yes, You have won a flight to Dallas-Ft. Worth International Airport, by way of a Chicago's ORDeal. Congratulations.
If you have time to spare - Go by air.
[The kids from Garland who rode the bus to West Lafayette, IN Purdue campus got back home before Sue did on the airplane - which is an ironic twist of fortune].
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