A League of Angels

MOM: "Everyone has a guardian angel looking after them. Do you pray to your guardian angel?"

JNET: "I don't have a guardian angel, Mom, I have a league of angels."

I didn't know that by the end of the weekend, God was going to tickle me again and prove that my league was looking out for me.

Should I go down to San Diego for my niece's birthday for a second consecutive weekend away from home? I called her and asked about her plans. Will she be too busy with her friend, I wondered. The question was easily cleared with a phone call to her. She wanted me to be there.

And so I purchased another set of train tickets and planned for a nice Friday evening ride staring at cars in traffic while I whisked by.

Friday night came but my 7:18pm train didn't. An incident up the track was delaying my train. It was a cold night and I hadn't prepared for sitting out in the evening cold. I made friends with my fellow popsicles and after a third call to Amtrak, we all decided to abandon hanging out for the train and sit indoors and weigh in our respective options. I put my bags in my car and called my brother.

R: "Maybe you can catch a 6am train to get here in the morning."

JNET: "Ahh, I still have to figure out who can drop me off at the station at that hour and I don't know if the subway is running that early in the morning. Let me go out and ask these folks here what they are planning."

A couple of guys decided they were going to hop in a cab and head downtown and hope they can fit into a 10pm train. I didn't think twice and ran to my car, retrieved my bags and got into the cab. We got to Union Station and saw a healthy line growing for the same train ride. But my new friends and I were confident to get a seat in business class and be able to relax. They generously paid my taxi fare.

When I got to the ticket booth I realized that I no longer had my ticket on me. I had lost them somewhere en route to Union Station. I ran out to check the street. A couple of security people asked around to help me out and I returned to the booth empty-handed. My traveling friends also went out to have a go at searching for my ticket.

Amtrak has a no-refund policy on lost tickets. You have to produce a ticket to get a refund. It doesn't matter IF you've just bought the ticket from them and they got swallowed by the hungry person next to you right in front of them. You HAVE to produce a ticket.

I decided that the evening was to only get better. People lose money all the time on their travels. People lose a lot more in Vegas in the name of FUN. If I was to consider my gamble for my niece than I figured that was a game worth claiming a win on.

And so I paid another 100 dollars and bought around round trip to San Diego and rolled in safely by 1am to enjoy lava cake and ice cream with my niece. I woke up by 7:30am the next morning and broadcasted my blogradio show by 9am.... and enjoyed the rest of the weekend celebrating with family.

And I was back on the a train Sunday afternoon at 4pm. I arrived back at Glendale and a man called my name when I got off the train.

Stranger: "Are you JNET?"

Being the only female around and being JNET, it was hard to ignore a direct question from a stranger.

JNET: "Yes, I am JNET."

Stranger: "Good, here's your tickets that you lost on the ground last Friday. I didn't know any way to contact you. I called Amtrak and couldn't get any info on you. Here." he handed the tickets to me. "You can call and get your refund."

JNET: "Thanks! Wow... thanks."

I shook his hand and was amazed to meet another rugged angel in Los Angeles. My hands were full and so I dashed off to my car and put my things away. I wasn't away for even two minutes that when I turned around to search for him, the stranger was not to be found.

Another angel, part of the league, disappeared into the evening... but definitely not without leaving quite a mark on my night. Again, hit by the weight of a feather.

JNET