Visit with 1 Giant Leap, New Orleans, LA, USA: DAY 7

Monday 24 January 2005

The following morning, I called Ben and woke him for breakfast at 8am. He and I met at the Trolley Stop Café where we chatted about what we had done the night before. Ben had had a nice relaxing time at the hotel and I was please to hear that he had been able to relax somewhat. We talked of Jody and Ken, about the whole week and then said our good-byes as Ben was heading out to town to do some shooting for 2s2e.

I called Duncan to wish him safe journeys and to pass along a message to him from Ben about when they would meet up later that day for the next round of adventures. I started down to the desk with my suitcase in tow, but thank goodness, no pound cakes in my hands, and ran into Monique who told me that all of the girls except Adriana were flying out that day as well…and that our flights were to leave around the same time, so we decided to share a cab to the airport.

I went back up to Jess’ room where Jess, Lola Mae, Antski and Soph were waiting and sat with them until we were ready to leave. Poor Lola Mae was feeling ill and had a bad case of grumpiness from not being able to keep her food down. She was a sad little one that morning, but Jess was really cool. I thought about the fact that there might soon be a tearful goodbye for the girls, so excused myself and went outside to wait in a lounge in the hallway.

At 10 or so, we all piled into a cab: Soph and I were packed into the front seat and Karen, Monique, and Antski were in the back. Soon we arrived at the terminal, and I said goodbye to the girls and went to check in for my flight home. After clearing the security checkpoint, I walked into the men’s room and walk squarely into the guy from the night before who had been playing blackjack with me at the Casino. We high-fived each other and he said he got too drunk and accidentally bet his $500 chip and lost it after I had left, but because his bet was for $505 and the table maximum was $500, the pit boss came over and gave it back to him. After that, he left the casino. He then told me that his flight home had been overbooked and he was headed back to the casino with a free airline ticket in his hand and dreams of hitting it big again.

I boarded my flight and took off my jacket to reveal Jody’s "The Same Sun Shines on Us All" T-shirt underneath. When the flight attendant came along, she looked at me, then at the mantra on the shirt and then did a double take. "I really like that," she said. Once again, I told her about 1 Giant Leap and how it has caused all kinds of creative collaborations and how she could find both the T-shirt and the DVD.

My old friend Ben arrived at Raleigh-Durham International Airport not long after I did and we went to pick up take-out Chinese food before going to my house to greet Greta, Goose and Zelda. When I walked in and opened their cages, the dogs went hysterical. Greta was whining and they were jumping all over me and eventually one of them swiped me across the face and split open my lip. I guess love comes in all guises, but I know I am loved. And it is unconditional love…the best kind.
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