Connecting back to the world

The worst part about vacation is when it ends.

I'm now sitting in the airport waiting to come back to Tallahassee.  Can't wait for Michelle and Brittany to pick me up and and head to our usual spot (TCBY).

I'm debating what to do about my blog entry.  I could write one long, huge post with pictures.  One long, huge post sans pictures.  A few posts over a few days.  Or just not write about anything from my week and a half tour of Ohio. 

What I will do is tell a story that changed my life.

I love the gamble of who you are going to end up sitting next to on a flight.  I've had quite a few winners - the trifecta from Phoenix to Oakland, the handsome batchelor from Ft Lauderdale to Houston, the nice legislator from Washington to Columbia - and definitely some losers (if you haven't heard the Great Plane Debacle of 2007 it's best that you haven't).

Today was flight 2258. The best flight of my life.  It was everything I've ever dreamed about.  It was like the movies. Except Paramount could not top what happened.

I was waiting in the gate area in TLH waiting for my flight to Charlotte and then on to Cleveland.  I noticed a very cute guy in the waiting area.  I forgot about him as I was boarding the plane and the woman in front of me didn't have shoes on.  I kept forgetting about him when an old lady was sitting in seat 8C (my seat) and yelled at me.  So I just sat in 7B and hoped for the best.

And that's when he came and sat next to me.

Like, make me weak in the knees handsome.  Like make a girl stumble handsome.  Like Kelly Clarkson I can't believe this is Happening to Me handsome.  

As I was trying to think of what to say to break the ice, he took out his ticket and I couldn't help but look to see where his final destination was.  When it said "London Gatwick", I knew I could not stay silent. London is my favorite city on earth.  I could tell him everything I knew from my summer there - where to eat, what to see, what to do - It was my personal goal to make sure this guy had the trip of his lifetime because of my suggestions.

"Going to London?" I said

"Yeah, I've been on holiday visiting a friend who lives in Tallahassee and am going back home."

In.a.british.accent. WHAT!

As I melted into a puddle in seat 7B, I tried to gather my thoughts  Here I am, lucked out with the old lady sitting in my seat forcing me to move, a super cute guy is sitting next to me, and not only is he going to London, but he is FROM LONDON.  Stars are aligning my friends.

We talked about Tottenham Court.  He knew about the FSU program there. We talked about Kew gardens. We talked about Scotland and kilts.  We talked about haggis.  We talked about spotted dick (food).  We talked about Wagamama.  We talked about Regents park.  We talked about the Crown. We talked about Oxford St.  Spice Girls. Picadilly. Thames.  He brought out the tube map.  I didn't want it to ever end.

We talk the entire flight, and as we pull into the gate at CLT he asked if I'd like to grab lunch.  (I believe he said something more like Fancy a bite to eat).  So here we are, two strangers, grabbing lunch while we wait for our connecting flights. Things kept going my way when my flight to Cleveland was delayed, so I got another beer and settled in.  It was magical.  We

 exchanged ticket stubs and I boarded my flight to Ohio.

How do you feel about a London wedding?