VIBES

Another long year has passed without a vacation trip from our children. The fault was mine, not theirs. I was the one who wanted a change in our lives, verbally beat my husband’s reluctance to move to Arizona into the dirt. He caved in telling me what he had said many times, ‘What’s wrong with you? You have never asked me for anything in our 30 years together. If this is what you really want, want with all your heart, we’ll find a good agent and go.’

Our children came with us as Jules and I took one lasting look at our empty house. There were shadows, echos everywhere. Steve looked out the kitchen window. ‘Mom, remember when you were making lunch and went outside to call me in? In the 2 or 3 seconds I was falling out of my tree house, I heard you scream. I still think you were ectoplasmically transported to be where I would hit the ground, and made it before I touched down.’ ‘Sure, Lee, now it is a funny story but you didn’t laugh much while the cast was on your arm.’

Janie, now 21, was holding our first grandchild, couldn’t speak, simply put beautiful Betsy in my arms. That did it! We cried a river. ‘Time to go!’ All arms waved and hands threw kisses until we turned the corner and lost sight of each other. I wiped Jules tears away with kisses.

Twice we flew north during our first year of separation. Every instant of being together was wonderful, all except the goodbyes again. Joy of joys Janie and Brad were flying down for Christmas. Jules and I had such fun, shopping for toys, new clothes for Betsy. We rented a crib and borrowed a stroller from next door neighbors. Plans for sight seeing, a more or less live Christmas tree in the living room and a turkey dinner set in stone. The tree looked so strange in cactus-ville. No Santas in heavy, sleazy red suits, no hope for snow. But houses and the few green patches of lawn were awash in red and green lights, blinking like stars that have come out to play. December 22 I called the airport checking on flight 704 from Pittsburg to Phoenix for a plane change to El Mirage. Hit 1 for this, 2 for that and the phone went dead. I tried again and the Southwest robot said it would arrive at 4:30. Damn, drat and horse feathers! ‘Jules, did you hear that?’ ‘Hear what?’ ‘What Southwest said. ‘704 is coming in late, 4:30 instead of 3:30.’ Good thing you called or I’d have to go on the parking lot.’ Checking again the time was ten more minutes late and then nothing but static. Something was wrong. Another try and I was told there was no such flight in their records. There is a 705. Please try again.’ ‘My god, Jules, something is really wrong. Southwest has denied the flight number. It must be down and they need time to tell families.’ Jules laughs at me. ‘You must be doing something wrong , or need hearing aids. Give me the phone. I’ll try it.’ I watched his frustration as there was no human, just more static. Ordinarily hitting the operator key a sweet voice asks if she can help you but not this time. ‘Jules, turn on the t.v. The plane seems to have disappeared. We ran in circles, our hearts pumping out our lives. CNN mentioned nothing about a tragedy.

I called again. Delay, delay. ’ ‘Let’s go to the airport Jules, fast. We may have lost our family, Oh, god, oh, god.’ ‘Wait. I’ll go on line. There has to be news.’ I stood beside Jules watching as he searched for www//Southwest Airlines. Com. He scrolled down to arrival information and saw the notice, the apology in all caps. ‘Southwest regrets the inconvenience caused by our entire communication system having gone haywire for the last two hours. We are now up and running. The scroll went lower and there was 704 arriving at 6:02 p.m. I looked at my watch, grabbed the new baby doll dressed in all pink for Betsy and flew to the airport without a plane. At 5:45 my cell rang. ‘Mom, Mom, we’re getting ready to land. Bye.’ Jules kept his eyes on a good parking spot but it was for the disabled. We kept looking until finally a red Mazda pulled out and we pulled in. Jules and I ran to the luggage area but he ran faster than I. A few steps behind him I came close to knocking him down. There they were, Janie, Brad, crying and worn out Betsy. She reached for the doll.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas, Everyone !