Something I've written.....

"Can I get some food?" he said in his eastern American accent. "I'm very sorry, but once you have passed security you cannot go back, sir", I replyed with my new work voice. Americans have a habit of giving you looks that make you feel small, and it was with one of these looks that prompted me to explain, "There's nothing I can do sir, I'm afraid there is no possibility that you can go back passed security". Another look, and a "Grumph" noise.
This wasn't the beginning, nor was it the end, but the middle of the longest day in my life.

"I'm sorry, are you the Wonda-Travel Holiday Rep?", she said with hope. "No, do I look like a blooody travel rep??". Of course I didnt say that, but i wanted to. I mean, I was wearing a high-visibily yellow jacket and I bore a pass clearly stating that I was in fact a "British Midland Customer Services Agent". The look of hope turned to dissapointment immediatly, and I wandered off in persuit of the elusive Mr Jones, requiring assitance. It was only after the incident that i realised that he was actually travelling to Cardiff, not Liverpool. No wonder he was so bloody elusive. I had put out a call for a Mr Jones travelling to Liverpool to come forward, obviously there was no flight to Liverpool that whole day, so nobody turned up.

Bang, "Sorry!". Push, shove, "Whoops, excuse me madam, thank you". There were over 4000 people in the building, and i was sent to find a Mr Jones. Can you believe that? They might have well sent me to China to find a Mr Chang who is a communist. I gave up and returned to the office for some brief respite from the baying crowds.

I thought it was over by 10:35pm. Alas i was mistaken. I had actually signed out when another doddery old fool approached me telling me that she had some disabled kids in wheelchairs in the corner, and she hadn't been listening to the announcer. "Why not you dumb-ass? I mean, jeez, you are in a sodding airport waiting for a flight and you aren't listening to the announcer?", is what I was thinking. "Follow me and I'll show you what to do" is what i said, with a smile that must have been as fixed as model car kit.

It's not the fact that it was about 30 degrees centigrade outside, or the fact that passengers thought it was MY own fault that there had been a air traffic-control computer failure that made it the most frustrating day. At 7:45pm that evening, England beat Germany in a comptetion for the first time in 30 years, and I wasn't there to say, "I saw that". It may well be another 30 years before I get a chance to say those words about a game of football between England and Germany.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check where on my work clothes it says "Wonda-Travel Holiday Rep".