Waiting

I was scheduled to leave London on 9-3.

The airport in New Orleans was still closed and the area was under 24 hour curfew the night before....so I needed a new plan.

Before the storm actually hit, I figured...if I get stuck in London for a few extra days...poor me LOL

and I had a blast...but when it's time to go home....well....I was ready.

All of my friends had evacuated.

I needed someone who was near an airport - that was willing to pick me up - and could accomodate me (where to sleep? most hotels were full for hundreds of miles) -- AND would be in a hurry to get back home (*I* sure was....as soon as the curfew was lifted...I wanted to be there).

It turns out that my best friend fit the bill.

I flew into Memphis.

New Orleans airport was still closed but the curfew had been lifted....she planned to pick me up and we'd start driving home right then.

I get my luggage and head outside....I had been awake for nearly twenty hours.

She wasn't there.

No big deal...I needed to stand for a while anyway.

I wait.

She calls.

She said....she was sorry she was late..she'd be there in half an hour...she sounded...I dunno....funny....I asked if everything was OK...she said she'd tell me when she got there.

so I waited.

over an hour.

no complaints....I was excited to be going home and appreciated that she was doing this for me...as it turned out...the curfew had been lifted that morning...and if she hadn't committed to picking ME up...she'd have been home already....

she shows up and we start driving.

I figure it was a family issue....whatever the hold up was....some sort of drama....she seemed stressed...apologetic....upset about being late....

Then she tells me why she is late.
She was at the casino.

She hit a jackpot just as she should have been leaving....and it took a while for them to pay her.

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she was with her mom at the casino (her family would remain in Memphis another day...none of them had electricity restored yet)....

and she was pretty excited...it was the largest jackpot she'd ever hit...she asked me "did you ever win that much?"

I did.

but....I was getting uncomfortable....

but she was excited....I remember....so I let her go on...

then she starts to tell me what kind of machine it was... "do you know those? I don't think they had them when you played" so she begins to tell me how it works... about the 'feature'...

"I really don't want to know." I said, interrupting her.

She stopped.
Realized....apologized.

I laughed...told her that she had ME to thank that she'd won....if she wasn't picking me up at the airport...she would be in New Orleans...NOT at the casino!

* * * * * * * * * * *

So many times...people waited for me...SHE has waited for me many times....when we were to meet for lunch and I'd be late....or I wouldn't show at all.....my husband, my children....over the years they've all waited on me...while I was at a machine.

I've been late for everything...all of my life...but never...NEVER....like when I was gambling.

I make every effort now...to not make people wait.

Especially my children.

* * * * * * * * * *

My not wanting to gamble really is about so much more than money.