The Fever for the Flavor

I’ve been trying for three days, NOT to write this post, but I feel like I just have to get it out.  I encountered a situation while returning from ATL this past Sunday.  I’m still shaking my head and wondering how others would have reacted.  Little MrTDJ and I were leaving the Atlanta airport and ya girl was tired.  Note to self – Never, ever, travel alone with a small child. I’m a child of the 80’s dammit!  Nancy Reagan taught me how to “Just Say NO!”, but I didn’t heed the message.

Anyway, as I struggled to carry a large diaper bag on one shoulder, steer Little MrTDJ’s stroller with one hand, while pulling a huge roller bag with a smaller tote perched precariously on top, I stumbled and almost met the smooth tile floor with my pearly whites.  Mama and Papa TDJ paid good ole Dr. Kletter a pretty penny back in the day for these babies, and I saw their destruction flash before my eyes.  As I struggled to not flip the little man out of his stroller and take an ungraceful tumble in the main terminal, a big strong, brown arm clenched my shoulder as one would palm a basketball and rooted me to the spot I was in.

I was saved from disaster by a handsome stranger.  (Sounds like a movie, no? *lol*) I noticed he was good looking cause I’m married, not blind, ya heard?    After thanking him and turning to continue my awkward trollop, he offered to handle my suitcase and tote for me.  Ya’ll, I was so dang tired from the entire trip, that I didn’t even think twice about it.  Little MrTDJ and I were both anxious to get home to MrTDJ.  Normally, I’d have given old boy the serious side eye.  But hell, I had the most important package (Little MrTDJ), so if homey had decided to run off with my two bags full of our clothes, toys, diapers and other baby stuff, I wouldn’t have chased him.   I was relieved for the assistance because no good Samaritans had stepped up during our trip from DC to ATL.

I told him that we were going to AirTran and he nodded, saying he was going there as well.  As he took my suitcase, I noticed that there was another brother walking by his side; taller and just as good looking.  Ah, I thought, I am in the ATL, so I assumed they were a couple.  Didn’t matter to me, but I did make the assumption and note that they were an attractive couple.  He smiled and I smiled back.  The second brother said, “Are you headed to DC too?”  I confirmed that I was, and he said, “Oh good, so is Douglas.  He can help you once ya’ll land too.”  Cool, I thought.   We made small talk about Little MrTDJ, the NBA Finals and the hot ass Atlanta weekend while walking to the counter to get our bags checked in.  The duo walked with us to the Security checkpoint.  Once there, they kissed and embraced, before Vince (the taller one) said bye and headed toward the exit.  Doug stayed with us all the way onto the plane and was seated a few rows away.  He told me to wait and he’d help us off the plane and help get our luggage from baggage claim.

OK, flight delays and such get us into DC at 12:30am instead of 11:45pm.  The terminal is deserted except for the passengers from our flight.  We’re all virtually silent as we wait for the baggage claim carousel to start spitting our luggage out.  From nowhere, a high pitched shriek pierced the silence and a woman hoisted herself into Doug’s arms.  Between hot and heavy kisses, I heard, “Dougie! Baby, I missed you so much!!  Did you have a good time with your cousins?”

“Dougie” was squirming and looking all kinds of uncomfortable. Others probably thought it was the PDA in general, but I knew the real deal.  She looked up at me with “that” expression and I made sure to extend my left hand so that my rings would twinkle, when we shook hands.   After she saw them, she relaxed a little and made sure that I saw her engagement ring.  It was very pretty and I could feel sending me a “touche” through the air.  I wanted to scream, Don’t trip on me, girlfriend.  You’ve got a real serious problem, but it damn sure ain’t me!

Doug grabbed all our bags when they came around, then they walked me and the sleeping Little MrTDJ out to meet MrTDJ.  From the moment she had entered the terminal, do ya’ll know that man could not, or rather WOULD not make eye contact with me?  I said thanks and goodbye, he mumbled something like no problem, but I had already tuned him out.  In my mind, I had praised him for being a nice guy, a good Samaritan (which he was), but now I was cussing him left and right for being a lying ass, no count knee grow.  I hope she figures it all out, but it wasn’t my place to tell her.

I’m curious – what would ya’ll have done?