Airlines can be amazing. On Friday night, the Chicago to Des Moines flight I was on backed out of the gate and stopped a few moments later. We sat for about five or so minutes before the Captain announced that a “little person” had left something of “significant value” in the terminal and “beyond all hope” it had been found. He asked the passengers to be patient while the ground crew drove out to the plane to pass the valuable through the cockpit window and thanked us for our patience noting that we would be equally grateful had it been “you” — I agree with him. About ten minutes later a flight attendant walked proudly to the back of the plane and handed a toy to a “little person” in the very last row of the plane. It was a moment that should have been accompanied by a chorus of applause.

I’m far more relaxed about my travel today. Unlike Friday when my Toronto to Chicago flight was delayed which put pressure on me to make my Des Moines connection, today’s flight out of Des Moines left fifteen minutes early (I think we were one of three planes at the airport). We landed similarly early so I felt comfortable knowing that I would have three and a half hours to chill in O’Hare. It turns out that my Vancouver flight is delayed by almost an hour.

Anyone want to meet for dinner?