Airport Run: Long before dawn I drove to rural Minnesota to pickup up a 51 year old man and take him to the airport. A life long alcoholic who called a random number off the Internet last night for help. Turns out it was a fancy treatment center in LA. Continued...

Within the hour they had confirmed his ins, booked him a flight, and scheduled a car service to pick him up. He said until I actually showed up he thought it was scam. And was kinda hoping I wouldn’t actually show. He has only flown once in his life, and is petrified of cities.

I told him not to worry that terminal 2 is easy to navigate. He said oh trust me I’ll mess it up somehow. And we laughed, because I’ve been driving Minnesotans for 11 years and nobody knows better than me that Minnesotans can fuck up a one car parade when travelling. He told me

that almost everyone in his family has died of alcoholism and treatment has never worked for him. But he doesn’t want to die. He hopes that a change of environment, and a longer treatment program, might help him more. He’s quitting his good job southern Minnesota as an engineer.

Said he was in tears saying goodbye to his girlfriend as I waited outside. Wanted me to know that’s he’s a big strong man but he’s scared. I can imagine. Also asked if that when we got to the airport if I’d walk him in, and help him pull his itinerary up on his phone.

We got to the airport, and I turned on the light to help him. He said, “omg girl you have claws you could destroy a ballsack.” Lucky for him, I’ve heard it all. I take his phone and search for the itinerary.

He asks again if I’ll walk him in and I do. We joke about how he should tell them he’s afraid to fly, and I should just drive him all the way to LA. And that insurance can pay for that too. He’s a sweet fellow and that did sound like a fun idea$$.

I give him a spare mask because his looked a bit ragged and overused, and I wish him well. Honestly a beach house in California sounds lovely right about now.