October 31, 2021

Atlanta, Georgia

Sitting in the Food Court in the international terminal at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport with a bit of time to kill.  It's very noisy here.  It's been quite a while since I was in this airport and my memories are of a busy, frantic and not very nice place, but I think they have made many improvements and it actually seems pretty like a pretty nice airport.  It's not Tucson, which is a great airport, in my opinion, but surprisingly clean with a lot of food choices and without the constant overhead PA announcements that I remember from previous visits.  

After a sleepless night, Gina dropped me off at Tucson International and, as usual, I was way ridiculously early. What the hell Dan. Checking in was uneventful, but I'm glad I put effort into PCR testing because the two customers ahead of me both had problems at the counter with results, though I noticed both of them eventually got into the terminal. While waiting in the terminal, I could not help but notice the number of people mis-wearing their masks.  Making a show of having a mask somewhere on their face, but clearly intending to make a statement about non-compliance.  I also noticed that, without exception, they were large white dudes of a certain age, and it strikes me that this is merely an extension of white privilege. It's the idea that no one should have the authority to tell them what to do. It's the idea that they should not have to endure even the mildest inconvenience for the common good. It's the idea that they're their own sovereigns. The world could do with fewer sovereigns.

Boarding was smooth. And I have to say that unlike my last Delta flight, where the flight attendants made zero effort to enforce mask-wearing during the flight, these flight attendants were on it and actually threatened to remove a passenger after several warnings. A big white dude, surprisingly.  The rule follower in me, the public health functionary in me, muttered "Hell yes", under my breath. And I guess the guy realized that you don't fuck with a middle-aged flight attendant on her plane, because no further protests were made.  Hell yes.

And now a sax player is playing in the Food Court and everyone's mood seems lighter.

Walking through the concourse I came across a small display of Martin Luther King, Jr. artifacts.  I wasn't expecting that.  And, awesome....

Nobel Peace Prize Medal

Some personal artifacts

And, now, make my way to the gate....