Year 5, Day 239

After an adventurous week, we said goodbye to Costa Rica this morning, gathering our things and heading for the airport.

The vacation had been great, but I think we were all ready to get home. Miles, who had managed to befriend almost every dog met this week, had now adopted the mantra, “I miss Brie.” So you can imagine just how shocked and infuriated we were to reach the airport with an hour to go before our flight’s departure only to be told we wouldn’t be allowed on the plane because we were “too late.”

As Jaclyn attempted to bargain and plead with the agent at the counter (in Spanish), I ran interference with Miles, who was only asking for two things on an endless loop — gummies and to “build a fort when we get home.”

I took the agent at his word initially and didn’t become absolutely livid until we were through security before our original, DIRECT flight was even finished boarding. At that point, having been forced onto a later flight that included a ten-hour layover in FLORIDA (YUCK!), I became thirsty for blood. When I say I have never been so angry in my life, I mean it. Could that power-tripping automaton at the desk not see that we had a four-year-old? Was he really going to make my kid sleep on the floor of an airport tonight?

My mounting anger was not subtle. I clenched my fists. I stormed around. I swore plenty loud enough for people around me to hear. And when Miles realized how upset I was, he immediately darted over to me and hugged me. “Daddy,” he said, “I love you.”

As much as this child tests every ounce of patience I have in me, he has these moments of supreme empathy and compassion. Those are the times I know he’ll be okay even if he sees our stink once in a while.

It was hard to bring myself to a point where I was able to cool down, but by the time I boarded the plane in Costa Rica I was feeling a little better. Then I glanced in the cabin and saw our pilot…

Seriously though, knowing the difficulty we were going through, one of the flight attendants asked Miles if he wanted to see the cockpit. It was maybe the fastest, most enthusiastic response I’ve ever seen from him about anything.

Of course, once we arrived at our new destination of Miami, we still had an overnight stay ahead of us. Thankfully Miles was able to get to sleep in his travel car seat, but the end of our journey will have to wait until tomorrow…

POST-SCRIPT: To that absolute wretched cluster of human debris we met at the check-in counter, I hope you have SEVEN goddamn four-year-olds of your own at some point and attempt to do ANYTHING with them. And I hope NO ONE is there to help you. YOU HEAR ME. NO ONE.

POST-POST SCRIPT: To the other people we met this week, you were all amazing, patient, and understanding.