The Final Four Chronicles: The Departure

 

April 4, 2023

We all leave Houston today, and return to our normal homes and lives.  Some of us are travelling again later this week, so that continues.  I assure you that this post will be sparse, as we are exhausted.  But, there are some things of note.  See everyone next year in Phoenix (as the NCAA says), Glendale (where it really is), and Scottsdale (where we will be)!  For now, here goes travel day.

Way too early - All ar up and awake.  Some for work obligations, some for travel, some for both.

9:15 - Sinickal and Tony off to the airport.  Sinickal sleeps through most of his flight to DCA.

10:00 - Checkout of the AirBnB!  So long 606 Oakley Street!

10:13 - Kevin and Pepster head to Katz's deli for a leisurely meal.

11:57 - Kevin leaves Katz's Deli for the airport.  Pepster heads downtown.

12:38 - Pepster enters Shay's.

13:35 - Hey, a free Yuengling.  (Pepster was drinking Hopadillo.)

13:59 - Kevin:  To book-end the weekend, gate agent jumped from first class and diamond straight to main cabin 1 boarding groups.  People bum rush the gates.

14:10 - Then, everyone proceeded to stand 3 wide when the gate agent realized it and then called comfort plus.

15:15 E.D.T. - Tony lands at LaGuardia.

15:23 -  Tony notes that everything seemed goofy at the airport this morning.

14:25 C.D.T. - Kevin notes that the line for clear was as long as the actual Pre-Check line.

14:26 - Tony remarks that pre-check was moving faster earlier in the day, and that he was "randomly" selected for the additional screening for the 4th straight flight.  Believes he is being stereotyped as an Italian.

14:27 - Lady in Shay's shows the guy sitting next to Pepster a picture of her and Dwyane Wade taken earlier in the weekend.  Pepster asks them (her, the guy next to him - who is not with her - and the guy next to her - who is) if they saw the mis-spelling of Wade's name at the Final Four.  Guy next to the lady showing the picture says, well, I guess his name is spelled a little differently.  He continues in saying that Wade's parents were much like her parents - pointing to the lady at the bar - in that they made a mistake.  They named her Kristi - K-R-S-T-I."  Pepster responds, maybe they just liked Family Feud and wanted her to buy a vowel?"

14:31 - Kevin wheels up to MSP.

14:32 - Pepster heads to the airport.

16:11 - At Hubcap in the A terminal and George Bush International, and some R&B song comes on the radio.  It is too faint for Pepster to realize what it is.  The bartender asks the two ladies next to him at the bar - who were already there when Pepster arrived - if they had heard the Megan remix of the song.  They had not, but one of the ladies says, "People say I look like Megan.  Pepster thinks, wants to say, but is able to stifle, "The hell they do!"

19:28 - Pepster wheels up to Fort Lauderdale.

19:45 (approx.) - Kevin sits next to a guy in the Delta lounge who is sending him a case of Drip Drop, which is used to stay hydrated or help hangovers.  Kevin was too afraid to ask which one the guy thought he needed!

21:02 - Kevin just watched an older white lady ask the flight attendant to wipe down the entire seat, belts and everything because she didn't want to touch anything herself.

21:03 - Her seatmate arrives and she is Asian.  First lady "does not look pleased!"

22:34 E.D.T. - Pepster wheels down in Fort Lauderdale.

21:46 C.D.T - We all agree that Roy Wood, Jr. needs to host The Daily Show after his Angel Reese take.

00:00 - Kevin wheels down at DCA.