Black Cats and Grab Bag en Route to Bassmaster Elite

Tulsa International Airport currently has more construction than 400 miles of Interstate 40. Parking is at a very high premium – which will cause a spikey haired marketing guy to bust into a cold sweat as he begins to feel late for his flight, and circles like a buzzard on a roadkill skunk at 5:00 am, looking for a place to land his Tundra.

luggage

Finally a nice Native American man on a golf cart saved my bacon and escorted me to a ‘secret’ unmarked spot on the upper deck. But first a black cat crossed in front of me.

I told a soldier in uniform “Thank You for your service” as I walked across the dark parking lot with roller bag in tow.

Once inside, the flight was delayed by 20 minutes – because the sucker had hit a bird on its way into Tulsa late last night.

A bird had to be cleaned from the bird.

I had one carry on – I put the little red airport issued tag on it next to my ‘Outdoor Channel TV’ luggage tag that houses my address card, gave it to the good man at the end of the jetway, and sat down in 21A next to a beautiful crying baby.

We touched down in Charlotte and my bag was missing.

Panic.

Here … some old fart (and y’all know I truly love old guys) decided he liked my bag better than his. After 27 new grey hairs, a couple cuss words, and a giant Thank You to the single co-pilot that saved the day – we tracked the guy down – I got my bag back – and said thank you twice more to the co-pilot.

So grateful – because me in Palatka, FL all week with one pair of boxer shorts would have been a bad deal for all involved.

Lunch was one of those ‘fresh’ 37-hour-old turkey and cheese sandwiches from the porta deli in the middle of the airport.

And y’all wonder why guys like James Overstreet and myself would rather drive 14 hours to a Bassmaster event – than fly 4 – any day.

“At the baggage claim, you got a lot of luggage in your name. When you hit the ground, check the lost and found -Cause it ain’t my problem now. I can’t carry it on, I’ve got a lot of troubles on my own. It’s all over the yard, in the trunk of the car, I’m packin’ it in, so come and get it.” – Miranda Lambert