I have spent weeks not writing this entry because I already goddamn wrote it!

I realize that this happens to every journaller, but I did goddamn write it and the stupid thing was eaten by my mother's computer, which was taken to the shop and needed a new hard drive so my entry was gone with the wind.

Why don't I just skip it if I don't want to write it that much? Because if I skip it, the entry about my trip to LA, no-one will ever understand how I got there and my next month's worth of entries will be a mystery to all.

I'm only thinking of you.

So last night was the Oscars, which meant that I didn't get to bed until God o'clock, and though for once in my life I had an afternoon flight, I still hadn't bought the cat carrier and I had a million errands and all of my packing to do and so on, so I still got up only after a few hours of sleep.

I looked up a few pet stores online, found that the one near the old Worldwide opened at 8a and got myself there not long afterwards. I had seen cat carriers at the other pet shop nearer 42nd St. for $80-$100 and I really didn't want to pay that much.

I lucked out by immediately finding a solid, well-made carrier that had both a top and a side entrance and a shoulder strap and a lambskin-like pad for $50. And I made it back home by 10a! Woohoo!

I had to get to the airport no later than 3p, because the American Airlines site told me that I didn't have to make a reservation for the cat, and that only one animal was allowed in the cabin, so I figured that I had better get there early early so my poor boy won't have to be in the belly of the plane.

So getting to the airport by 3p meant that I had better leave the house by 1p.

I packed and packed, using my smallest and medium suitcases, having a big fight with my Mom on the phone about how dumb an idea that was, then swapping of my own accord smallest to the largest suitcase. How it pains me to admit that she was completely right. I just didn't want to lug too much crap along with the cat, but who am I kidding? Too much crap is me to a tee.

As it was getting closer to 1p, I started thinking about the cat tranquilizer. The vet told me both that I should give it to him half an hour before he was going to get excited, so if he was going to freak out about being put in the carrier, I should give it to him half an hour before then.

She also told me that the pill would last about 5-6 hours. If I gave it to him at around 12.30p, it would wear off barely into the flight. I certainly hoped that didn't mean that he would be yowling up a storm all throughout the other four hours of the flight.

So I caught the cat and flang a pill in the back of his throat, then stroked his throat for about five minutes. The pill did not make a re-appearance. Baldrick is clearly a rank amateur, when my little Monty was alive, he could spit a pill out up to half an hour after being given it. You don't mess with the master.

If the pill-popping hadn't worked, I would have had to grind it to a powder and sprinkle it on food, as I did with Monty, but I had taken away his food and water at midnight the night before, hoping that he wouldn't have to go while on the plane.

Before leaving the house I, on a whim, asked Cynthia if she could drive me into the city, since I was not looking forward to lugging all them suitcases and the cat onto the van, and she said sure. Hooray!

So I went downstairs and opened the side zipper into the carrier and tried to stuff the cat into it. He starfished himself and made his body far too pointy and wide to get in, so I decided to put him in the top instead. I unzipped the top, dropped him in, and he immediately fainted dead away.

It was hilarious! I swear I felt awful, but I laughed for five minutes anyway. He swooned like he was in a romance novel! A few minutes later, he came to and lay down in meatloaf position, still as a mouse, his eyes huge. And he didn't move again for about ten hours.

I got into the city over an hour before I wanted to be at the airport, and I had planned on taking a taxi, but since I had so much time, I decided to save the money and take the bus.

The bus was there, but it took a little while before we left and I ended up making it to the airport later than I liked, but still an hour and a half before takeoff. I got in the line and crossed my fingers that I'd be able to get him into the cabin.

When I got to the front, I mentioned that I had a cat, and he said, "You should have made a reservation for him!" "The website said I didn't have to!" "Let me check," and he wandered off and spoke to a lady a few desks away. When he came back he said, "You see, they only will allow around five animals on the plane, but there's only one dog so far, so it's okay. But," (lowering his voice), "you should have brought a health certificate." (Triumphantly) "I did!!"

So the American Airlines website said that I didn't need a reservation, that only one animal was allowed on the plane, and didn't mention the certificate at all. The American Airlines website is completely useless. It was right about it costing $60 to bring the cat on the plane, unfortunately.

The weird thing is that after paying that $60, nobody ever asked whether I had paid it or not. Not going through security (though they made me take him out of the carrier and walk him through the x-ray in my arms), not when I got on the plane, never even once! I must remember that the next time I travel with this cat.

From JFK, because maybe LAX will be different.

The flight was good, because the nice check-in guy saw that it was a sparse flight and moved me to a middle four seat row with no-one else in it, so Baldrick did end up having a seat after all.

The movie was School of Rock, which I had never seen and enjoyed thoroughly, they fed us an actual meal, something that I haven't experienced in years, and the headphones were free!

It was just fine. Quite civilized for an airline.

When I got off the plane, I was horrified to find it cold and rainy in LA. It was warm and sunny when I left NY. I hope that's not a bad portent for my trip.

One year ago today:
The ground is still frozen. Elvis died a week ago and the ground was still frozen yesterday. I really don't so much want him liquifying on my back step. Maybe today it will be diggable.

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