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In reply to the discussion: Anyone having Thanksgiving in a restaurant? [View all]PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,853 posts)Hooray! It should be grand fun.
In my formative years (ages 20-30) I was an airline ticket agent at National Airport in Washington, DC. Meaning I worked almost all holidays. One year I worked Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, and Thursday, Thanksgiving day itself. I was scheduled for a turnaround, meaning the night before and the next morning.
That day flights not only ran late, but one flight, the one from DCA to Elmira, Ithaca, and Utica, cancelled because the inbound flight didn't arrive. Weather problems, I think, but this was a very long time ago so I don't recall all of the specifics. Anyway, the night flight to Elmira, Ithaca, and Utica, was rescheduled for the next day. Meanwhile, the agent working with me that night was off the next day. Another girl (and oh, yes, we were girls. This was 1970, maybe 1971) was scheduled the next day. I was working turnaround, as mentioned above. So I had to be there the next morning at 6:30 am. While I didn't live too far from the airport, I knew that going home (no car, I took the bus which was really very good at least back then and I hope it is as good today) would take up enough time that I'd be lucky to get four hours of sleep. We had a back room with a cot. I asked a friend who worked an overnight shift at one of the rental car agencies to please wake me up at 6am. He did so, with a cup of coffee in hand. Bless him.
I pulled myself together and went to work. The passengers who had seen me the night before were all astonished to see me the next morning and almost universally asked, "Did you spend the night at the airport?" in obvious horror. I cheerfully lied and said no. But I must have looked like I spent the night there.
My point is that I've worked Thanksgiving, and am highly appreciative that I no longer do so. And yes, the casino thing this year should be giant fun.