She Did WHAT On A Plane?

I am a sucky summer runner. I hate it. I love running. I hate running in the summer. So don't be surprised when I have less running posts and more nonsense (you know, because running is VERY serious?).

Valentine's Weekend, 2009. I was more than excited to go be going to Las Vegas for the first time since becoming a legal adult. The plan for the extended weekend was full. I was going with a co-worker and we were going to tear up the Strip! Phantom of the Opera. FreeZone to see the Queen's of Las Vegas. The Titanic exhibit at the Luxor. Drinking. Dancing. Shopping. Maybe some gambling. Maybe some wax figurines of celebrities.  There were new hotels I had yet to see: Bellagio, Paris, Venetian. I had never been in a club in Vegas. I wanted to dance! Studio 54 was calling my name ever since I was there during college as a 19-year-old with my grandparents. Now I was 30. I could drink, I could dance, I could make my own rules. Vegas was mine to be had!

And then came airline issues. As luck would have it, our flights down weren't as smooth as one would want. We made it from Portland to LAX and then it was a waiting game. Waiting to hear our names on the stand-by list. We just wanted to be called. We started out around #50 & #51 on the list. That's a lot of people trying to get to Vegas on Stand-By. For nearly 3 hours we sat in the terminal eye-balling everyone hoping they were NOT getting on "our" flight to Vegas. People watching at LAX is certainly unlike any other place I've been!

House of Blues @ Mandalay Bay ~ 2009

In walks the bachelor party. (This is pre-Hangover, FYI.) I couldn't help but laugh at this group of guys heading toward New York. They had that aura about them that they were the hot Los Angeles guys heading to New York for a crazy weekend of debauchery. We were happy they weren't going to Vegas. That was 5 less people in the area taking up seats on our flight. A gelled blond guy with perfect teeth walks up looking very confident - in black Chuck Taylors (love 'em!) and jeans. He says, "Hey guys, where ya going? If you're coming to Vegas with me, they moved our flight over here!" Dammit. Now they were a group of 6 and they were going to Vegas. So much for those seats.

The last flight of the night went out at 10pm. If we didn't get called we would have to wait until 6am for our "new" seats that we were assured we would get. I wanted to go at night! Who wants to "sleep" at LAX? Finally it was time for people to board. We stood up and stared at the screen that we had memorized. Eventually we started moving up. Soon we were around #40 instead of 50. This is promising? Perhaps? Hope dwindled as the terminal became emptier. Final call was being made and we were still standing there watching for FLU & PHI (our last names on the screen). (Are you now trying to figure out what kind of bizarre last name might start with an FLU? Crazy Germans!)

Please. Please call our names. We are so close now. What we started noticing was that they were calling names, but nobody was coming forward. Did these people give up? Did they get on an earlier plane? The woman with the almighty microphone was saying them faster and faster now. I was so nervous. I was willing her to say my name. What would we do if I was called and PHI wasn't? Do I go? Do I wait? We didn't even have time to ponder when I heard my last name completely butchered, followed immediately by my friend. I jumped in the air, yelled "I'M HERE!!" and ran to the counter. She flagged me to go on, handed me a slip of paper and I was on my way. Hallelujah!!!

Wouldn't you know it, FLU and PHI were the last two people to get on that plane! I was in the very back and quickly found my seat and let out a sigh of relief. Then I looked around. I was on the aisle. To my right? Blond hair, perfect teeth, Converse. Across the aisle to my left? The other five "bachelor party" guys. Of course. This would only happen to me! My friend was so far up in the plane, she had no idea the hell I figured I was in for.

The plane started moving instantly and we were heading for the runway. I barely had my seat belt buckled and the boys started talking to me. I was so happy to be on that plane I didn't care and talked back. They were actually pretty funny, as much as I hated to admit it. The oldest one, the "adult age" guy, was way too full of himself. He was showing me photos of his daughter's birthday party. He hired the Beach Boys to play and had some Cirque du Soleil performers come. He's friends with John Stamos you know. He had on designer shoes. He showed me his fancy cars. I guess he was the lead guy here, the boss of the company. The rest other 4 on that side were closer to my age and they worked for him. Todd next to me was also high up in the company and had just celebrated a birthday (early 40's if I recall). I decided then that this was a birthday party trip, not bachelor party.

On the runway before we even took off, it started. "Hey Todd (Converse guy)!" "Yeah?" "I can't help but notice you over there between two lovely ladies." "Yep! Lucky me, huh!" "Yeah, so aren't you dating either of them yet?" <everybody starts laughing while I feel myself trying not to blush> Soon enough Todd and I were a couple. At this point I was so elated to almost be taking off, I went along with it all. We were still flying over the Los Angeles area when it happened .... I got engaged on the plane. Yep! Todd and I were now the hot couple of the group and the wedding was to be had in Vegas!

My friend and I were even invited to party with the guys at their fancy suite at the top of the Bellagio. Dang it, I should have taken them up on the offer. When we landed I let out a "Woo!" and threw my arms up. I was in Fabulous Las Vegas! After getting off the plane I met up with my friend who had NO idea what had gone on. We hopped into that little monorail thing and she was so confused when she saw me talking with the "bachelor party" guys. At baggage claim we had hopes that they'd offer us a ride to New York, New York on their way to the Bellagio, but no. They had their stretch limo pick them up by scantily clad women with huge knockers .... and we went over to get a super shuttle. Poo. But we DID get to see the Strip at night and spotted our first prostitute of the trip right outside the Bellagio!

That was February 2009. It is now July 2011 .... guess who still talks on facebook (even just today!)?? Yeah, that would be R*nda and Todd!

Here, have a look at the happy couple moments after getting "engaged"!