Where's Shackleton When You Need Him?

Bob: Thanks for sitting down with us for this chat.

Toby: No prob Bob.

Bob: You’ve had sort of a tough run the last two days, what with the flight, the shopping, the BBQ, the Mets game. Can you tell us what it’s been like?

Toby: Sure Bob. The flight really wasn’t so bad. I booked the flight online, and it was good and cheap, about $100 Midway to Islip/MacArthur. It’s a route I’ve taken before, so there aren’t many surprises, but when I got to the terminal they announced, “now boarding for flight 682, non-stop service to Baltimore, with continuing service to Islip.”

Bob: That must have been quite a shock.

Toby: It was Bob, it was. But the flight was fine, only about an hour longer to get to New York than otherwise, but ok in the end. The screaming kids on the second leg left something to be desired, but the worst consequence of the flight was to make me feel like an idiot.

Bob: We’ve all been there.

Toby: We sure have Bob, we sure have.

Bob: And after all that, what did you come home to?

Toby: Shopping Bob, shopping. Now I wouldn’t say that Costco is Hell. But I would say it’s Purgatory. It’s a bunch of spoiled Long Islanders bitterly jockeying for cheese the way people in India fight for access to the water truck.

Bob: Not a pretty sight.

Toby: No Bob, not a pretty sight at all.

Bob: And while you were there you got some bad news, didn’t you?

Toby: I sure did Bob, I sure did.

Bob: Tell us about it.

Toby: Well Bob, I found out there was a miscommunication about the BBQ I wanted my friend to have, and the BBQ is planned for Saturday.

Bob: What’s wrong with that? Saturday’s a great day, the weekend, should be nice weather.

Toby: What’s wrong with that Bob? Well, Saturday is the day of my mother’s 60^th birthday party, that’s what’s wrong with that.

Bob: Oh dear, that won’t work at all, will it?

Toby: No Bob, it sure won’t.

Bob: Mothers don’t like to be disappointed, do they.

Toby: They sure don’t Bob, they sure don’t.

Bob: But at least you had the Mets game to go to, as a sort of consolation prize.

Toby: That was the plan Bob, but the game was rained out. And the word is, they’re going to wait to the end of the season to make a decision about the make-up, and only make-up the game if it’s necessary to either team. Even if they play the game, I probably won’t be able to come back to New York then, so it doesn’t work out too well for me.

Bob: That sure does sound like trouble.

Toby: Trouble indeed Bob. Trouble indeed.

Bob: Well Toby, I hope the rest of your trip goes a little better.

Toby: Thanks, Bob, I do too.

Bob: Thanks for talking with us.

Toby: Thank you Bob, my pleasure.