Getting on a Plane, For real...I think...

Tuesday, October 09, 2018
Santa Barbara, California, United States
So - no passport, but I have a plan.  I fly to SFO, GET the passport from the Fedex office (8 minutes away I googled it) and make it back in time to fly to Frankfurt. Still high anxiety but I have a plan. If for some reason it doesn't work, at least I'm in San Francisco and can get another flight out. Somehow it's almost noon and time to go. Drew and David see me off and I get a ride to the tiny Santa Barbara airport. I get out with my very light carry on bag. (I am ashamed to admit that it crossed my mind that I was flying into Milan, one of the most fashionable cities in the world with random Santa Barbara vacation clothing) and hurry to check in. My driver is super cool and we discover we share a birthday. IT'S A GOOD SIGN!!!
Huge sign of relief as I walk up to check in. There is no line it's so simple here. This is happening. But she looks up my confirmation number, frowns, and begins clicking away on her machine. Hmmm, she says, you're final destination is Milan? Yes I say. Then she says, "Can I have your passport please?" 
PANIC!
I don't have it I say. I'm only flying to SF, and I am going to get it once I'm there. This leg isn't international so it doesn't matter right? Wrong. The record is an international one or something. She consults a colleague, they put their heads together, it's not looking good, they make a phone call. Mm hmm. Uh huh. Ohhhkay. All right. Oh.. Yes. Okay.
"I'm really sorry but we need your passport to check you in."
Look, I say, I'll just buy another ticket up to SFO. How's that?  The agents discuss and agree that that might be the only way to make it work. They tell me it's faster if I buy it online. My brain hurts. I look at them. I say, "Can't you sell me the ticket?" No they say, it's just faster to go online. There's good wifi at the cafe around the corner.
I go around the corner. I find a table, I whip open my laptop. I have no power. I find a plug. I power up. I go to buy the ticket. I am THIS close to clicking PURCHASE when she comes running around the corner. "Don't buy it! We figured it out!" she says. I close my laptop. I follow her. She gives me my boarding pass. I want to cry. I thank her and her buddy profusely. I tell them I love them I think. I go to the gate and I catch the flight to San Francisco. 
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