continued from yesterday….

When we arrived in Chicago, I went to the gate and found that our connecting flight to Detroit was delayed from 2:15 to 3:40 pm.

I noticed that there was another flight to Detroit that had been delayed for several hours and it was about to begin boarding. I got in the long line at the counter and was able to get us both on the stand-by list. We hung around the gate, waiting and wishing that our names would be called.

After they had called several other stand-by passengers, I was about to give up, but then they called Bill’s name! I went up to the counter and said that there were two of us. The agent said that this was the last seat available.

So I had to say, “Thanks anyway, but give it to the next person.”
She said, “That’s you.” I smiled and said, “Well, I guess I meant the next person after me.”

She called out another name and it belonged to a young man, maybe 30 years old, standing right next to me.

He said, “I’m sorry you couldn’t take it, but I’m grateful to get the last seat. My best friend is dying of cancer and I really need to get there before it’s too late.”

I touched his arm and said, “I’ll pray that you make it in time.” And off he ran to the gate.

See, things work out exactly as they are supposed to.

I wheeled Bill off to get lunch. He wanted a hamburger and vanilla shake from McDonald’s. He barely eats a thing and may have a total of 2 bites. But as he nibbled at his lunch, a Southwest pilot walked by and commented on his tasty-looking lunch. I told Bill that the gentleman was a pilot. Bill is a WWII vet. He was a Navy fighter pilot and loves to talk to other pilots or veterans. They had a nice little conversation.

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