A few hours later, we descended from the clouds to unveil the great city of Chicago. I again kept my amazed eyes glued to my window as we slowly descended. I was amazed of the vastness and sheer size of Chicago. As I flew over the downtown core I thought of Elliot Ness and Al Capone, The Chicago Cubs and White Socks, The Chicago Blackhawks, and the great gray and blue cloud of pollution hanging over the city.
My first landing was met with ripples of fear and anticipation as my adrenalin started pumping like a dose of ice-cold water to the veins. We descended with great speed and since I was unsure of the process involved with landing an aircraft, I was frightened beyond all belief. It was like the first time I had the pleasure to ride a really good roller coaster with an intimidating drop of several hundred feet. I held my breath, grasp the arms of my seat and prayed to the gods for a favorable outcome. As the wheels hit the runway I knew I was finally safe, but only relinquished my grasp on my seat only after the plane came to a complete stop.
I was happy now. I had escaped death and I had shaved two hours off my twenty-four hour trip. I entered the Chicago O’Hare airport with great amazement. This facility was instantly five or six times the size of Ottawa’s flight facility. I was a visitor in the country, a visitor from a foreign land and I was instantly treated a second-class citizen. You have to love the Americans.
I lined up to enter customs. There I waited and waited. I was like everyone else in line, waiting for the only two customs agents to finish their conversation and acknowledge the 21 travel weary travelers who had just arrived from Canada. Naturally, I had to wait because the cover of Vogue magazine was more interesting them us. (Mind you it was another fashion magazine I just failed to obtain the name so I guess Vogue is a good enough substitute) Finally one of our traveling companions decided to play the “clearing of the throat game” and finally the customs agents (with great distain for being forced to do their jobs) conceded to reality and allowed us to finally enter the country.
The woman glanced at my passport and then at me. She then instantly handed my passport back to me and waved me through. Not one word was spoken between us. This is what I call top security. American tax dollars at work. I later realized that my baggage was being transferred for me and I was worry free about obtaining my baggage until Los Angeles. I was so happy, less complications is equal to less stress, this country boy has had enough excitement.
I now had to wait another hour and I again would be boarding a plane destined to the west coast of the United States. Los Angeles, here I come.
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