Coming Home III

I recall clearly coming home to take care of mom following her massive stroke in 2005. I was on vacation with my Greek American Princess [GAP] in La Crescenta, CA, with my friend and his wife, Danny and Marja Webster. Danny is another Seminole boy, son of Bob and Mary Jo Webster. We were in a seaside inn north of Santa Barbara when I got the call. We had to cut the trip short, re-book our flights and fly back to DC.

We had flown American Airlines and I requested a family emergency relief on our tickets. Long story short, AA gave me a ration of shite and charged us an additional $150 per ticket. I requested to speak to her supervisor and there was no help there. I told the nitwit to write my name down because he would be hearing from me. Being a lobbyist on the hill, I knew the AA cadre of lobbyists. I had contacted then US Senator George Allen R-VA. I told him the story about the AA debacle and asked him if he would file a piece of legislation for me. He loved the idea and got Representative Frank Wolf R-VA to file it on the House side. They got to work and had a passel of bill sponsors and the legislation got legs, so to speak. Since I was still in Oklahoma, taking care of mom, I could not hand deliver the legislation, so I called the AA chief lobbyist and referenced the bill and why I had gotten the ball rolling. At that time, I gave him the names of the culprits that had put the screws to me. He went ballistic! Not at me but at the situation I had endured. He begged me to relent but I reminded him that they would be hearing me and besides that, airline policy had to change.

When such a bill is filed like this one, it kicks in a lot of machinations. AA had to hire what are termed, “Hired Guns”, private lawyer/ lobbyists. Not only that but the Airlines trade association had to take the lead on the issue since all airlines were thrown into the same boiling water. The trade association had to employ some hired guns. The die was cast. Just a few days following our conversation, I received a check in the amount of $300 US Dollars. The trade association dude pleaded with me to pull the bill. I did not relent, the bill flew, and it is now law. There is a saying, F with the bull and you get the horn. It applied in this instance. FYI, a bill like this costs $millions to play. It cost the airline industry $multi-millions.

In order to get to OK, we flew to DC so I could pack and take my car, knowing I would be here for a while. That was the longest drive to OK I had ever taken. I drove straight through, 1,350 miles. Just as I was crossing the AR/ OK line, I was almost nailed by a staginny! That sumbiatch had a wingspan the width of my car. I was in my Cobra, top down on a beautiful September evening. I had my summer tan on so I guess he thought I was an Indian. Believe me when I tell you, I had that Cobra on afterburners. It is a small wonder I did not end up in the ditch. I pulled over at the first gas station that would take me all the way to Seminole. I was still shaken by that damned owl. In addition to gas, I got a 6-pack which would also get me to Seminole. I pulled into the house I had bought for mom at about 10:30 pm. The house was an oven so I kicked in the AC and went outside to inspect things. The lawn was a wreck so I had to get someone to mow it the next day. I was also a wreck and I had to drive to Integris Baptist in OKC the next day. I spoke to the doctor and he told me that 2 things saved her life. The stroke occurred while she was at the Senior Center rather than at home. Everyone kicked it into high gear and got her on Medi-Flight. That saved her life. Her stroke was massive. I stopped in Shawnee to buy some things I would be needing due to her condition. She could not chew/ swallow like normal so I had to run her food through a food processor. No lumps! I remained in Seminole for 6 months, feeding her, monitoring her meds etc. Her sister came down from S Illinois to retrieve her. Mom had 3 sisters there, other family and friends so she would be better served there. This was an assisted facility in Flora, IL. Martha and her daughter Stacy had cleaned out the 4-horse trailer and we loaded that up for the trip. I remained there a few more days and ended up selling the house. That is another fun story altogether. I did get in some Crappie fishing during this time, beginning in January. and I actually got a tan, fishing in shorts and tank tops. Barb took one look at me when I got back and said, you son of a …. :-). We both got a good laugh out of that.

I took the route to DC whereby I could go to Flora on the way back. We got her sister the Power of Attorney and other affairs in order and then I was on my way back to DC. This was one of my 6 months living in Seminole affairs. The next one was to be in 2012, when I was in the process of retiring. That too is another fun story altogether. My final landing was here in May, 2015…long story.

Isn’t this fun? You are getting to read parts of my book and little bit at a time. To be continued…