TONY: Rats! They found me.

I have been dutifully checking my schedule in CCS every night at 9pm, as directed by my peers, for my "acknowledgements" from Crew Scheduling.  As of the 23rd of the month, I've received 3:  all the same, all re-confirming that I am Call-Out G and on duty the following day from 1100 until 1900.

It was always the same.  Until last night, that is.  Although I'm not a fan of the phrasing, 

"Sh!t just got real!'

Shortly after 2100, I realized that I hadn't yet checked for an acknowledgement coming from my 2 scheduled days off.  So, I picked up the ipad and signed on to CCS.  I couldn't believe my eyes!   "AAA/0555" (Airport Alert at 5:55am).  Was this some kind of cruel joke?  It seems a little unreal, in light of the way the month has gone thusfar.  How could I be assigned something so radically different and never even have to answer the phone?  (The last time I sat Reserve, in 1984, we had no computer, no cell phone and very few people had beepers.  The "mechanics" of reserve were totally different.)

Every duty day this month, I've had everything packed and ready "to go to work" at 1100:  clothes, food, toiletries, medications, etc.  Since we're approaching the end of the month, I suppose I'd been lulled into a false sense of security, a false "reality" that I wasn't going ANYWHERE in February.  When I saw my AAA assignment, the adrenalin went from "time for bed" to DEFCON 5 in an instant.

My "travel yogurt" expired on 2/17 (who knew?), my pill case had 2 days-worth of supply, the PB&J I'd packed (great shelf-life) before leaving to help Mom in Atlanta was, in a word, disgusting, my bedraggled beard needed a trim and the shaved parts of my face needed attention that would be perilous at 0330.  In short, all the things I normally accomplished in preparation for the 1100 start of my regular duty period had to be done ASAP and I had to get to bed...FAST.  Well, as adrenalin will tend to do, it aids in getting the job done but isn't very conducive to sleep.  I was in bed by 2205.  I was still WIDE AWAKE at 0008!

Of course, when the alarm sounded at 0340, I was just getting comfortable in my REM sleep, the deepest and most restful phase of the sleep cycle.  A not-so-friendly elbow to the ribs said that I was the only one NOT responding to the clock.  Here's what I remember:

0340 wake up, coffee, shower, dress, trip-over-the-dog-in-the-dark-so-as-not-to-disturb

0417 out the door (approaching the employee parking lot, a herd of 8 deer appear in the fog and mist, peacefully grazing between the road and lot.  Shouldn't I be grateful for the opportunity to appreciate this rare bit of natural serenity?)

0443 parking lot, where I call CS and talk to J who informs me that she's been on since 1400 yesterday  (I call on my cellphone from the lot because I don't want my fellow Reserves in the Crew Room to know what an AAA virgin I am)  When I ask about leaving the crew room to get something to eat, J says that once in the crew room, CS can release me to my cellphone.

0515  crew room:  Wow, there are Supervisors at the duty desk at this hour!  I sign a piece of paper and check in with CS on the "bat phone".  

"Thank you, Tony.  I'll release you to your cell phone now."

"Wow, thanks J.  Are you releasing me to get something to eat or for the whole 4 hours?"

"No.  You're released to your cell phone for your whole AAA assignment."

0641  The Osaka crew came and went.  Guess I'm also good to cover the Narita trip before I go off duty at 0955 (and probably some Latin America trips, as well).

I keep running into folks who want to stop and chat; some old friends, some new friends (nice to meet you, Jo Palmer!), some just curious about what I'm doing here.  As traumatic as my short night and early wake-up have been, it's just another cog in the wheel, another piece in the puzzle of my reserve experiement.  I wouldn't trade it for anything...(well maybe for a few more hours of sleep).

0810  Using my time wisely:  I spoke to Elizabeth H, my union Grievance Chairperson, about how my request to reinstate duty days to make-up for my EDNP was handled earlier this week.  After a phone call "downtown", we decided that a grievance is in order and the process has started (I should have been allowed to make-up for 2 of the 3 lost days per the contract and that's what I'm asking for as relief.)

0910  My friend Debrah Davis checks in for NRT and the crew room comes ALIVE!  Congratulations Debra on your 35th Anniversary with the company!  (As I took my turn to put my arm around her for a photo, I asked Debrah, "Girl, have you lost your mind flying a 6-day?" 

Without skipping a beat, she looked at me straight-faced and replied, "Chaser Baby!" (she's flying the 3-day "load" position). 

If my phone doesn't ring for another 45 minutes, or so, this will have been quite a fun little adventure.  I've seen faces that I haven't seen in years.  What an interesting place the IAH Crew Room can be.  

0955:02  "Scheduling, this is I."

"Hi, I.  This is XX93 Tango.  Can I go back to bed now?"

"Why would you want to do that?  You're already up now."

"You guys shanghaied me with this.  I wasn't prepared.  You aren't going to do it to me again, tomorrow.  Are you?"

"No.  I swear.  Go back to bed."

"Thanks I.  Laters..."

What are the chances that tomorrow's gooing to be like Groundhog Day (0555 AAA all over again)?