So I'm in Dulles (DC) and I'm notice a couple of really interesting things. First, there are these like little busses that you board just like a plane that shoot you off to the main terminal. I had not the pleasure of riding one (bare with me) because my United flight leaves out of D terminal. Way on the other end of the terminal I'm in since I arrived in like C negative 12 and I'm leaving out of like D one bazzillion and forty-two. And I had to walk it all. In 12 minutes. Until I realized that my ticket noted boarding time (which is always just a "suggestion") and not really departure time.
So in my half sleep daze at 4 am my time, I stopped at Starbucks. Nothing wrong with Starbucks. Check that, nothing wrong with Starbucks drinks--especially strawberries and creme fraps. But their croissants are HORRIBLE. All caps horrible. Of course I passed my breakfast usual (Dunkin Donuts) on the way to my gate and I contemplated buying another croissant sandwich (I think the sandwich makes all the difference. Or at least the heating because Starbucks heated croissants are at least edible), but the line was long so I passed. Passed right into a little Americana shop. Full of pretty much I hate Bush stuff. And Hillary, she can do it stuff. It was interesting. I mean, I'm in DC so I had to pick up a post card and get it mailed from here. So I expected to get a DC postcard. But actually mailing it...hence the mail slot.
I walked up and down this terminal and did not see a mail slot--you know, those "slotted holes in the wall" that you slip your mail into in the airport (or in hotels or on college campuses) so that it goes to a convenient slot for the mail man. Not a "box" (I think of those as the stand alone blue things...or I think I saw one at the UW that was decked out all Star Wars style...but I digress).
So I instead went to one of those lounges. Particularly the British Airways one. For the high class passengers (not social status but purchased social status). I asked if they knew where a mail slot was. Blank stares. Repeat. More blank stares. The dude looks up and says "I think she means a mail box." No. I don't, but that would work as well.
He says:
Well, no, there are none here ever since 9/11. Interesting he mentions that because I thought of 9/11 this morning. Not because I was boarding a cross country non-stop flight to DC out of SEA (we'd be out of fuel for them to do anything to anyone they thought mattered and really, I think terrorist acts in the states are kinda like Chicken Pox...once you've had one flavor, you have to get something far worse like mono for your immune system to fall for something again). But just for whatever reason. So it was kinda odd he said that. The nice lady took my bait though and said as I expected her too:
Oh, it is just a post card? I'll take it for you and mail it from the main terminal.
Customer service is not dead.
But riddle me this. Why is it that the duty free shops in Dulles, by Govt Act 456.2b.dkeuudj.889.f6kd cannot allow anyone but outgoing passengers in whereby the duty free shops in Seattle welcome all? Who is not enforcing the law? Who is too lazy to enforce the exceptions that always exist?
Time to board the plane to LaGuardia. This part should be fun.
