Reenacting The Amazing Race, but without the big prizes

A couple of weeks ago, I had to deal with the mother of all scary flight transfers.

For various and sundry reasons which do not need exploring at this juncture, my flight--on Delta--had a 35-minute connection between flights. This is of course hinging on the first plane arriving on time.

Of course, no such luck. The flight lands approximately seventeen minutes late at Hartsfield Airport in Atlanta. [I bet you can already see where this is going.]

I'm sitting in the middle of the plane, and already have my buckle ready to slide off, to grab my overhead luggage, and then head for the terminal the nanosecond the seat belt light is turned off. Unfortunately for me, that day it seemed everybody else had the same idea, so I'm stuck on the plane for another five minutes before I can take my overhead luggage and get to my next flight.

At most other airports and with most other airlines, my connection would be a few doors down. But this is Hartsfield and Delta, so no such luck. With now twelve minutes before my next flight is scheduled to depart, I have to hustle across terminal A--my flight has arrived at one end of the terminal--then get to terminal B, and cross over to the other side. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't be a problem. However, since for once I don't have any checked luggage, I have to do this while alternately carrying and pulling my suit bag.

Cut to the gate for the second flight, approximately six minutes before the scheduled departure. As I come running at (my) top speed, I see the gate attendant closing the door. I scream for her to wait, and fortunately for me, she does. After a little drama involving tickets and identification, I'm finally allowed onto the plane, and come barreling down the aisle of the plane. Any anger and rancour on the part of the passengers about the person arriving at the last second and holding up departure is quickly wiped away by the sight of me stalking down the aisle to my seat with a look so furious that it could burn a hole through glass a hundred yards away.

Obviously, I made it to my destination in one piece, although quite irate at Delta for its stupid procedures--like scheduling 35-minute connections.

In addition, I was also quite thankful for not having checked luggage this time, which would have saved me the problem of getting to my destination without my luggage.

What happened at my destination is another story, for another day.