I really got some jollies this morning while at ILM’s claim to aeronautical fame…

The poor gal behind the counter couldn’t find Brasil. She found Morroco, Spain, Singapore, South Africa, but no Brasil. No matter how hard she tried, it just didn’t exist. She told me she could send my friend to a “San Pablo” in any of these places but she could send him to “San Pablo” in Brasil.

I told her to check “Sao Paulo.”

“Wow!” She exclaimed, “That must be new!”

I told her that it probably wasn’t. Airplanes have been flying there for more than 80 years.

“Really?” She was incredulous.

I knew we were in trouble because we had to make a connection in “San Pablo” for another city in Brasil. So, I volunteered to help.

“Oh! Please do!” She said, and had me step behind the counter.

It was at that point that my jollies kicked in. Me, international traveller that I am, was spitting out airport codes, airline codes, connection routes, time needed between connections. She was amazed.

Not only did I get to help ticket my buddy, I got to put the luggage tags on his bags and even take the bags from the scales to the conveyer belt — ALL behind the counter (passengers look different from the other side!).

At that point a lady walked up, distraught. She looked at me, behnind the counter, and wailed: “You’ve lost my dog! He wasn’t on my flight that I was on from Phoenix! Where is Fifi?!”

At that moment I stepped over the scales and back on to the passenger side, looked at the attendant that I had “attended” and said, authoritatively, “Ann, please find the lady’s dog!” Smiled, and left…