Home again, home again.

[saffronhare]

But let's skip the jig, okay? Feeling transparent this evening, but finally home. My ever-loving agrnmn has arranged for clean sheets on the bed, and my duckie jammies are in the dryer. All will be well, and all will be well. (sigh)

There was a lot of great stuff at the conference, but my last 24 hours have been pretty surreal. I'll share more later, but here's a snapshot of the folks I've encountered in that timespan:

Yesterday evening, when I went down to check out the Marta (metro line) as an option for transportation to the airport -- I wanted something other than a $35 cab ride. Turns out, in the three minutes I was down there, I got bumped and needed to perhaps break somebody's finger to keep his hand out of my pocket. So, with the knowledge that I'd be encumbered with luggage and a laptop case on my way to the airport, I chose the cab ride over the possibility of filing a police report.

This afternoon, while I was at the hotel's FedEx/Kinko's branch to send a metric goatload of papers back to the office (rather than carry them in by luggage), one of the men in line struck up a conversation. Where you from? he asked. Kansas City, I answered. Oh? says he, Overland Park? Sure, says I. Then he proceeds to ask me exactly *where* in Overland Park I live. I tilted my head at him and sort of frowned for a moment, and then mentioned I usually don't get that familiar with strangers...even friendly ones. He sort of mumbled to himself and left the line. I felt a teensy bit bad, but yo.

Finally, my cab driver on the way to the airport was a treat of a gentleman. Here I thought I'd sort of slouch in the back seat and stare out the window, and he starts talking. I inwardly groan, but then I realize he's a genuinely nice guy. Is Kansas City in Missorir or Kansas, he wonders? Oh, and he was Arabic, with this splendid way of rolling his "r" sounds. When he picked me up, we was just getting off the phone, sending flowers to one of his regular clients for her birthday -- except all he had was her phone number and the knowledge that she lived in Kansas City. I was able to help him out, and listening to his voice sort of buffered me from the rest of the world for a little while. I was much more cheerful by the time I got to the airport.

Comments

[matchgirl42.livejournal.com]

Ah. Now see, I was thinking you were getting your intimidation mojo on, and was thinking, "dayum, an intimidating saffronhare almost got pickpocketed, little ol' me doesn't stand a chance."

Ah. So you were being...nonchalant. Gotcha. ;)

*Duly noted... if I do end up traveling the marta alone, I will look intimidating, and carry a big stick.*

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't know. This bunny made no attempt not to look overtired and distracted for the purposes of the expedition, but give yourseld credit for having some presence, sistah. Don't you worry 'bout carryin' no stick. :)

[matchgirl42.livejournal.com]

But, man, not carrying a stick takes all the fun out of it. Plus, it's a convention, everyone will be in costume, anyway. ;)

[triadruid.livejournal.com]

Put your money in your cleavage. It's the only way to be sure.

[matchgirl42.livejournal.com]

To be sure of what? *raises eyebrow*