My Underhanded Luck

I have spent a lot of time the past couple of days reflecting over my recent travel experience in Italy, I finally realized just this morning that I have what can be considered "Underhanded Luck".  It is somewhat similar to one of those underhanded compliments people can give.  For example "I really like your hair a different way" or "It is so much nicer when you smile than how you normally look" or "Oh you seem really nice, but I actually wanted to talk to your friend".  Yes, I have heard everyone of these "underhanded compliments". 

So when I flew out to Rome last week and landed in London to have a man arrested 7 rows behind me and 2 isles over for having explosive material with him, I thought, this has to be my get out of jail free card.  I realized that it COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE, but they were able to catch him in the act and then much like the Titanic, put him with those in economy so the poorer could go down first and the first class could be saved.  Either way, I was able to walk off the plane and with no harm.  Underhanded luck.

My first night in Italy I was walking through the streets of Rome with my big black tote bag I purchased at DSW (for those that aren't lucky enough to know, this is the Discount Shoe Warehouse) and my strap broke.  What luck, my purse broke in Italy.  I had no choice but to purchase a new Italian leather bag so that I would have something to carry my personal items in home.  Underhanded luck.

I had to fly Iberia airline out of Rome to get home on Monday and our first stop was supposed to be Madrid.  Unfortunately a woman on my row, just 3 seats over started having what I can only assume is a heart attack so we had to make an emergency landing in some random town in Spain....I think, I actually don't even know.  So we were an hour late getting into Madrid of which I of course missed my connecting flight back to the states.  Let me also tell you I always fly Continental, but I chose originally British Airways because the flight was cheaper and I'm all about saving money.  British Airways to Rome (possible terrorist on flight one) switched to Iberia for home (rerouted for emergency medical landing and delayed into Madrid) then of all things the only way Iberia could get me into Houston would be the following day, via Continental.  The lesson is that I should have stuck with old faithful from the beginning.  I was put up in an airport hotel by the airline for the night.  After getting lost in quite possibly the largest airport I had ever been in, Madrid, I finally make my way to this hotel which divided itself into a hostel as well...Perfect.  My meals were comped, this was a plus.  It was a buffet, not exactly a plus.  But no matter who you were, how comped you were, how many people were with you, at whatever table you sat, they opened up a bottle of water and a bottle of wine and left you to your good senses.  Underhanded luck...and a little drunk too.

I arrived safely into Houston late Tuesday evening completely dumbfounded by my previous adventure.  After some solid sleep, I came up with the conclusion that if you stand next to me you will not get struck by lightening, however, I make no promises for the person standing next to you.


Happy Friday!