These Homecoming Friday's

Monterrey, Nueve Leon, Mexico. Early morning.

“Woke up this morning with an ache in my head.”*

One of those splitting headaches that won’t allow your eyes to move from east to west, the way George Gregan plays his rugby for Australia. If it was from too much drinking last night I can still understand, but it was not the case. I even went to bed early at 11 PM. The most likely reason is a stuffy hotel room. A quick breakfast of "pan tostados y cafe Americano" at the The Wings in the Monterrey airport and a headache tablet might do the trick.

These homecoming Friday’s are long, tiresome days. Not from physical activity, but mindless traveling is tiresome. The hair-raising drives from hotel to airport, (whether by taxi or hotel shuttle the drivers all seems to value their lives cheap by the way they drive, fast, furious, and in perpetual rush to the next pick-up. Hell, you’ll swear they are looking forward to this kind of thing, as if they can never get enough of it. At the airport on a bus, on the plane. At the next airport - off the plane, on a bus, through customs, and then the wait, and wait, and wait. Back on a plane, off the plane, and the 45 minute ride home.

Houston, TX . 11:00 AM

“Welcome home”, said the customs lady at Houston, TX airport.

This morning those words sound soooo sweet. I slept most of the 1 hour 15 minute flight. My head feels slightly better. More clearer. The sinus ache between the eyes is not gone though. It’s still early but lunch at Chilli’s is at the order of the day. An Amstel to start off with. Maybe a beer will dull the thought of waiting for the next 3 hours before my connection flight takes off. Followed by a cheese steak, fries and glass of chardonnay. It will have to do until six tonight when I get home.

At the departure gate, terminal B, those circular halls with one seating area and multiple exit gates, a group of women pays a man traveling with them the ultimate, respectful embarrassment when they announce over the PA system: “ladies and gentlemen, we would like to wish Bill a happy birthday” and then went on to stand in front of him and sing happy birthday, followed by a thunderous applause by most present in the terminal. Oh man! You could fry an egg on the color of his ears.

Danville, KY, 8:30 PM

The flight to Lexington and the ride home were thankfully uneventful. I don’t think I had the stomach today for any delays. After dinner I just relaxed watching Gloucester beating Leinster in a Heineken Cup match that was played earlier this evening in Britain.

Time to post and time for bed.

* From “This Is Not A Song It’s An Outburst: Or The Establishment Blues” from the album Cold Fact by Rodriguez. Also see The Sugarman site