"So, what are you guys getting ready ..." Gil turns around to start a conversation, but stops after seeing Sam's surly disposition. "Okay, let's just head to LaGuardia."
Gil keeps to himself for the rest of the drive. I'm not sure if that makes him lucky or not. I barely look up from my phone as I keep up with the tolls. That's one thing I won't miss about New York.
I used to not be able to fly. On my first ever plane ride, on my way to Florida for spring break my sophomore year of college, I developed a severe headache and a steady nose bleed. Fortunately, I was able to hide my condition from the flight crew, or else they would have had to make an emergency landing somewhere in Georgia. As it was, my friends were able to get me to an ER before going to the hotel room we booked near the beach in Daytona. I was stuck at the hospital for two days before the doctors finally found out what was wrong with me.
Turned out, I had poor drainage from my sinuses due to obstructed nasal cavities. I was lucky I was only on a plane. I could have died if I had been somewhere else, like a submarine. Somehow, the pressure caused a blood vessel to break. It was a minor leak and had healed on its own, but the danger was there if I ever flew again. Or somehow wanted to stay underwater in a sub for any length of time. I was able to finally get to the hotel to spend the rest of my vacation.
Which was a few hours. Because of my newfound medical condition, I was going to have to take a bus back to Lexington. The only direct departure that would get me back in time for classes was leaving that afternoon. I managed a trade with one of my friends, Pete who had made his own way down separately. It would've been the first time I had seen him in almost a year after he changed schools.
Anyway, I managed to get back to UK in time, but the lingering hatred over Pete for leaving me and Rick and Jim began to grow. It would be years before I would finally forgive him. I managed to keep my mother from finding out about my incident. I was just starting to pay for my own insurance at the time, so it wasn't too hard.
For the next few years, I managed to go without air travel, until I met Sam. I had to drive up to New York with him to iron out the secrets my Dad and him were keeping. After from Dad had recovered enough from the transplant and latest rounds of treatment, I finally decided to get the out-patient surgery to fix my nose. After that, we would take the plane back to Kentucky for most trips. We did make one last road trip that fall to pick up some of my stuff before moving to the manor. I traded in my old car for a new one then.
"We're pulling in now. You two better get ready." Gil startles me out of my daze with his announcement.
"Thanks, Gil. Sorry we weren't good passengers today." I deliberately try no to look at Sam as Gil comes to a stop at the unloading zone.
"No prob, Mr. Burton. You two be careful wherever you are going." Gil stays inside the car while we get out. He peels out as soon as Sam crosses the road to my side.
"How long before we leave? I'm hungry, and I need to hit the head." Sam, always straight to the point.
"At least another hour. Clear weather for the entire east coast today, but there were some storms over the Rockies last night, so there might be a delay. Plenty of time to eat before we have to clear for boarding."
"I'll meet you over there," Sam points to breakfast hub to our left, "after I leave the restroom."
Sam jogs to the right to the massive restrooms. Yeah, this is going to be a fun day. Nothing else bad could happen.
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