My consolation was short lived, however, as we circled ever higher in the packed garage without seeing even a hint of an open space.
When we arrived at the garage, I was relieved not to see the dreaded “lot full” sign. “Long Term Parking Garage,” I replied as I tried to conceal my apprehension. People had been flying in and out of the airport all summer (and even before that many braved the air during the height of the pandemic). Public transportation had been back in full operation for months. The thought that this lot would still be closed never occurred to me. It was unsettling as we drove by the vast empty economy lot while circling back to the airport. Much to our chagrin, we found that the economy lot was closed. “We should have no problem finding a spot in the economy lot,” I replied. “Where are we going to park?,” my wife asked.
We quickly packed a couple of carry-on bags, hopped in the car and headed to Philadelphia International Airport. We found competitive airfare that same evening. In mid-September my wife and I woke up one morning and made an impromptu decision to visit our son who is living in the Tampa area. Why is the economy lot still closed? When will it re-open? Is anyone in a position of responsibility and authority even attempting to address this problem? People were once again moving about, getting on with their lives, and striving to get back to normal. After some discussion, we once again felt comfortable to come and go as we pleased. We were relieved and grateful as we watched our country slowly and carefully emerge from the cocoon of Covid hibernation. Our joy was tempered, however, by the horrendous loss of life and the terrible economic and psychological toll that the pandemic had inflicted on the world and in our region. Nearly one year later, in February 2021, we were appreciative to receive the first of our Covid vaccinations and quickly received the second shot the following month. Like much of the rest of the planet, we hunkered down and patiently waited for Operation Warp Speed to provide the world with a vaccine. We were able to take full advantage of our newly-found retirement perk until March of 2020 when the pandemic hit. After 45 years of struggling to squeeze vacation time into a hectic and busy work schedule, the ability to come and go as we please was a welcome respite from our previously congested calendar. My wife and I agree that a major benefit of retirement is the ability to make last minute impulse travel decisions.
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