My Grandmother – The Bridge Player
My grandmother died on September 22, 2010 in Los Angeles, CA. She was 107 years old. She was the most amazing person that I know, and perhaps will ever know. Now that she is gone, I have lots of thoughts about how my grandmother shaped my life and I also have lots of stuff on my computer about my grandmother.
This is the first installment. My grandmother was an avid bridge player. Furthermore, everyone in my family is an avid bridge player. In my family, there are three sons, and my parents. The highest level that a bridge player can achieve in competition is called Life Master. Both my parents and both of my brothers have achieved Life Master. I guess I am the black sheep of the family as far as bridge goes, although I know the basic rules so I can participate.
My grandmother loved to play bridge too. She never played bridge competitively but we would always play in every family gathering since there was never a shortage of players. My grandmother played well into her early hundreds. In her neighborhood, she organized a weekly bridge game when she was in her 90’s. When she was 101, she abruptly stopped playing because she said it would make her head explode.
For those that don’t know, bridge is a very difficult card game. It takes a good memory and a good grasp of numbers and of course the 52 card deck. My grandmother had all of those skills and it is truly a marvel that she could play bridge to such an advanced age.
I took this video in 2002 because I was excited about digital video. The video quality is only so so, but the mere fact that I can pull this video from my hard drive and upload it to YouTube is why I love digital technology. Check out my grandmother at 99 years old playing bridge with me and my two parents in Los Ángeles CA.
I refuse to give any airline good marks. They are all horrid. I’ve been flying since a big plane had two propellers. I’ve seen the days when every kid on the plane received a pair of wings and a trip to the cockpit. It used to be fun to fly. People felt good about flying. Meals were…..meals. There was service and stewardesses were actually helpful and had smiles. You know smiles. It’s where your mouth turns up at both ends. Now all we get are robotic, beat down humanoids that smirk.. People would actually visit, even play cards while flying. There were real magazines. They were on the plane and you could read them.
You can’t visit now because your actually too close to communicate without spitting on the passenger next to you.
There isn’t enough room for a magazine. At least not one that opens. An open magazine is wider than the seat. I measured with one of the ones I bought for $17.79 at the airport.
Of course there’s no room for legs, shoulders or arms either so I don’t know why I was shocked about the magazine.
Checking your bag was the norm. It wasn’t a problem because most of the time it was returned when you arrived. Also everything you packed was still in the bag. Imagine that. It got so bad that everyone started using cary on. It was the only way you could have anything arrive for sure.
Now they are making it so you can’t even do that. This time next year people will be wearing 5 changes of clothing just so they don’t have to have a bag. You can’t take toiletries anyway so what do we need a bag for.
Sometime mid 2012 all of the bag and luggage mfgrs will need a bailout because people aren’t using bags. Depending on whose president they may get it.
I’ll enjoy flying again when seats are as wide as my a–. Stews smile and bring me real food. Every airline employee acts like they understand that in order to stay afloat, they need to supply something someone wants.
Thanks for the space. It’s more than they give you on any plane.
I’m glad I found this website. I just got of THE WORST experience I’ve ever had with an airline (Delta). There were plane delays which I can’t hold against the airline, but the customer service was absoultely horrendous. Because of a plane delay I had 20 minutes to re-check my bags, get through security, and then sprint to the other side of the terminal. When the people at the Delta desk called the gate to tell them I was on my way they told me “pfft, good luck” getting there. They did not even PRETEND to have any sort of sympathy for me.
When I got to the gate, drenched in sweat, I was not greeted by a crew member with even a hello. She snatched my ticket and gestured to the plane. And I wasn’t even the last one on the flight, either so it wasn’t me holding things up.
My luggage, of course, did not make it on the plane although I was assured it “would be there before I would” which wouldn’t have upset me except for when it was delivered the next day (today) it was DESTROYED. I don’t know what they did to it to it, but it no longer stands upright, and the zippers at the bottom are literally melted shut.
This was upsetting in itself, but again, something that happens in travel. When I called the customer service line however, they told me I had to bring it in within 24 hours “or they would not help me”.
I have a job. The airport is 1.5 hours away. Can I get an extension? No. 24 hours is all I get. I asked to talk to a supervisor. There is no supervisor. Really? no supervisor? At all? You run the whole thing by yourself? No one is in charge?
I do not have any sort of faith that I will get any sort of compensation for my bag. I am positive that they will blame me from overpacking it and somehow magically welding the zippers together.
This doesn’t even cover the minor inconveniences
I paid $1500 to be treated like DIRT. The most frustrating part is I can complain to customer service all I want and it makes NO difference. They will keep treating people like they’re “guests in Delta’s home” rather than people who PAID FOR A SERVICE. Newsflash Delta Agent: If you didn’t have these “guests” you wouldn’t have a home.
Sadly, Delta has very few employees who care. I wish you had taken the airline to small claims court… I think you would have won and given them the worst publicity!! Their conduct is outrageous..but that is what you get when an airline is allowed to emerge from bankruptcy rewarded as the largest airline in the world. As far as I am concerned, you were the victim of bait and switch scamming.