I was trying to check in for my flight to Australia but having a very hard time of it because the young woman behind the counter could not manage the computer program to complete my electronic visa. She made several attempts but was getting no where. Frustrated, she called a help line, waited almost 10 minutes and learned she had a wrong number. All this time, she started checking in other passengers, being the only desk person at this small airport.

After 40 minutes, I still had no boarding pass and I could see the other passengers on their way to the plane. They were about to shut the door and I had not even passed through security.

I was caught in a service trap with no apparent exit until I remembered my cell phone, silenced up until now in order to give this woman my full attention. Since she had long since stopped giving me and my problem full attention, I called the airline's frequent flier desk, explained what was happening and was told she should put me on the plane and they would fix it at the "big" airport.

"Would you tell her please?" I asked, then handed her the cell phone.

"OK," she said, "I'll do it, but I was told . . ."

After I retrieved my phone, the young woman ran outside to hold the plane.

In just a few minutes, I was safely on my way to the "big" airport and Australia on a flight I would have missed if it were not for my cell phone and the helpful folks at the frequent flier desk.

Name of author withheld by request.

Submitted in April, 2001.

© JMcKenzie, all rights reserved. Some stories are true, some fiction.