Run, Banjo, Run!
August 19, 2009
Mark in the UK writes:
Hi Patrick and D.O.D.
I recently registered to complete a half Marathon in North Eastern England called The Great North Run. But unfortunately whilst training I managed to pick up a knee injury. It`s a lot better at the moment, but nowhere near up to being able to run a half Marathon (13.1 Miles). At around the same time i was given an old Windsor Whirl Junior from a friend who isn`t doing so well. To cut a long story short, there I am, the knee`s not brilliant, but I reckon I can at least walk the Great North Run, but that`s not really good enough is it. I needed a way to be able to raise money for a couple of Hospices, and Cancer Research.
I started training again, and whilst walking I had an epiphany. Carry that Banjo throughout the Great North Run!!!!! Play it at the start, stop (there`s only so often people can listen to the Ballad of Jesse James), and play it as I cross the finishing line! I laughed this off, but the idea stuck. It would be fitting to use the Windsor, and why stop at the great North Run? There`s countless places and events i could take part in with it. i mentioned it to the Wife, and a couple of people (Northern Banjo Boy being one, great blogsite incidentally), and was surprised to hear positive reactions.
I have a blog which is documenting my daily adventures in attempting to complete this crazy idea. Please feel free to visit, and all comments are very much welcomed, and if anyone wishes to kindly sponsor me, they can get my e-mail details via the Blogspot.
Six Days and Counting
August 19, 2009
I had to go through Charlotte airport coming and going to Kansas.
On my first run through Charlotte I had a slip from US Airways explaining that I was deaf/hard of hearing and needed assistance getting around the airport. Charlotte is such a busy airport that I couldn’t hear anything over the crowd noise. I tried showing my assistance form to different folks at the airport hoping to get some help finding the terminal for my connecting flight. I was ignored every time. I eventually found my terminal, and when I showed my assistance form to the ticket agent she crumpled it up and handed back to me.
I uncrumpled my slip, sat by the gate so I could see when folks were boarding the plane and told myself that folks were just having a bad day.
I did try showing the slip to the stewardess on the flight, but she just laughed at me and said something I couldn’t understand.
When I got to Kansas I decided to treat my trip through Charlotte as another one of my misadventures. Like getting lost in Germany or when the cat pooped on the computer (and my slice of pizza!) in Chicago, it would be just another funny story from the road. Stuff happens. People have bad days. Laugh it off and go on with a happy heart.
So I wasn’t too nervous on the trip back. I knew Charlotte was going to be rough, but Aaron and Barbra called US Airways and told them what had happened earlier, so I figured this trip would go a lot smoother.
As soon as I got to Charlotte somebody took me to a cart and made it clear that I was getting a ride to my terminal. The guy driving the cart check my ticket carefully, noted the terminal and promptly drove me out to the middle of nowhere. I couldn’t hear what he was saying over the crowd noise, but he made it clear that I was supposed to get off the cart. I got off and he drove away. I waited for a while, and then started asking some airport employees for help. I showed them my assistance form, but once again nobody wanted to be bothered.
I waited a while longer, but when it started getting close to my departure time I gave up and started walking.
I had to walk clear across the airport, and when I found my terminal the ticket agents made note of my assistance form, but there was two flights leaving from the same gate so I couldn’t hear anything they were saying. I found a place to sit down and hoped for the best.
When it came time to get on the plane the agent signalled me to come and board a little early. I walked out the door and there were three planes out on the tarmac. She pointed at one and said something – but I couldn’t understand her over the noise. I started to ask her if I was headed for the right plane, but she went back inside leaving me all alone.
There were some guys unloading bags from one of the planes, and one of those funky square two trucks was tooling around, but other than that I was all alone. I started walking towards the plane the agent pointed to, but there was nobody there to take my bags. I looked around, and then one of the baggage guys came running over telling me I was at the wrong plane. He pointed to one of the other planes so I started walking. As I was walking I looked over my shoulder and saw that the tow truck was headed right for me. As I jumped out of the way I felt something tear in my knee.
So I’m standing there with my knee singing high tenor. The baggage guys are screaming at me to go here, no, go there and I’m getting run six ways from Sunday. After visiting all three planes I finally found the right one. I showed the steward my assistance form.
He glanced at it and said, “Whatever.”
Aaron and Barbra contacted US Airways about my experience and the company has offered me a $200 credit on my next flight.
My knee is still messed up. If I walk around a little bit it starts to hurt like hell. I’m putting off seeing the doctor until after the BAHA is activated. Trying to explain what happened when I can’t hear is just too frustrating.
I think the thing that scares me the most about my adventures in Charlotte is that the employees of US Airways did not seem to care. All of the other stuff aside, they sent a deaf guy into a dangerous situation because it was too much trouble to walk me to my plane.
On the bright side, only six days and counting to the activation of my BAHA implant!
