Flying High: Lift Off (Part Two)

Preface:  Read this only after you’ve read ‘Flying High’ (my last post).  This is truly a Part Two.  I didn’t just throw it in the title for any ol’ reason.  

What I thought wasn’t going to happen until July happened in March. 

When I published ‘Flying High’ on March 1^st I never thought this story would have a ‘Part Two’ a couple of weeks later.  Yep.  It all happened that fast.    

I just spent three days in wine country in Sonoma {California} with the pilot’s son.  Up until the day I published ‘Flying High,’ I didn’t actually think I’d ever call him.  As I finished writing the post, however, I realized I had no choice but to call him.  What good would this story be if I never even gave it a chance?  So that’s what I did.

I gave it a chance... because life is worth taking risks.  

To my surprise, the pilot had already told his son about me.  I believe his words were, “If a girl from San Diego calls you, answer your phone.”  The son obliged. 

The next week flew by filled with flirty text messages and lengthy chats on the phone.  At the end of the unforeseen week, I realized fate had blessed me with three days off in a row on the horizon (in the hotel/restaurant industry, this is a very rare occurrence).  We saw it as a sign and decided to meet.

It was a whirlwind trip from start to finish.  From the potentially awkward first encounter to the embrace of the goodbye, it was an adventure never to be forgotten. 

No matter where you’re from, friends, strangers and men and women of all ages love a great story of how two people meet.   On the beautiful day we decided to wine taste our way through the vineyards of Sonoma, we couldn’t help ourselves but to share our serendipitous story with others we encountered.  At each winery, the wine tasting room staff always asks guests where they are from (just as I do waiting tables in my popular tourist city).  Of course, after I said San Diego and he said Sonoma, the inevitable follow-up question arose, “How did you two meet?”  We shared our intriguing story of envy to everyone who poured us wine that day (and possibly a few others eavesdropped with a smile).  

View from Viansa Winery.  Sonoma, CA

March 13, 2014

‘Serving Humanity’ isn’t the appropriate blog to dig into the details of last week’s adventure with the pilot’s son.  But if I could actually fill in all of the details of my journey this past week, it would be a story with Pulitzer prize-winning potential.  

And until I decide to publish the details elsewhere, only the pilot’s son and myself will embrace the details of that privileged information… and what’s to come.   ~ HK ~

Flying High

I waited on a pilot and his lover who’d been drinking a decent amount of wine before they arrived at my last open table of the evening.  I use the word “decent” amount of wine because they told me they already enjoyed two bottles before they came in.  I’d say that’s pretty decent.  And I use the word “lover” for two reasons.  First, they were adorably cute together and very touchy feely.  Second, the pilot kept mentioning his son, not their son.  Perhaps they were married but I don’t recall seeing a wedding ring on either of them. 

Nonetheless, within the first minute of introducing myself, the gentleman told me he was a pilot and had been flying back and forth to Mexico the past few weeks.  He told me he was leaving the next day back to Mexico, yet again, and invited me on the spot.  I love when strangers just throw themselves out there with complete trust.  There I was, a total unknown, and he had zero hesitation inviting me on a trip out of the country… not that Mexico is far, but still.  I’m not sure if he was actually flying commercially or for pleasure, but either way, if I could have taken a few days off, I would have in a heartbeat (assuming he was actually asking me, not the bottle of wine). 

The pilot then informed me he was from Sonoma {California}.  My eyes lit up.  “Wine country!  I love it up there!”  I told them how I fell in love with wine while living in Chile and studied wine immediately after I moved back to California.  He told me he knew several winemakers in Sonoma.  I responded, “I could easily see myself working in wine country.  It’s definitely been one of my dreams for a while.”  

I glanced at my other tables, making sure everyone was taken care of before I enthusiastically continued.  “I actually have a really good friend who’s from Sonoma.  In fact, she is getting married at the end of June and her wedding is there.”   His reaction was spectacular.  “Oh really?!  Well, we’d love to take you to dinner when you’re there!”  I smiled.  Of course he would.  I mean he already invited me to Mexico.

His eyes then popped and he flashed a curious grin to his lady.   She giggled, rolled her eyes and then lightly slapped his hand a bit.  He looked at her innocently, “What?”  She looked up at me and smiled.  The pilot explained, “My son lives in Sonoma as well.  He’s very handsome.  Isn’t he dear?”  She obligatorily agreed.  Or perhaps he truly is handsome.  The pilot immediately told me to take his son’s email and phone number.   He said I HAD to meet up with him for lunch while I was there.  So, with wishful thinking, and hoping he truly is handsome, I did.

I can’t help but to wonder…  Was it because the pilot was flying high on wine that he invited me to Mexico and was handing out lunch dates with his son?   Or was he simply that outgoing, welcoming and trusting?   

Since he’s long gone now, I guess there is only one way to find out.  I mean, I do have his son’s phone number.  Perhaps I should schedule a lunch date in late June to investigate further.   

And perhaps I’ll have a killer follow up to ‘Flying High’ around early July. 

Once again, serving humanity (a.k.a. waiting tables) provides much more entertainment than the average person might assume.   ~ HK ~