In my jet lagged state I totally forgot to write about the show we witnessed at Pearson Airport.  So here it goes:

Because we had a 5 hour layover, we decided to see up camp at our terminal and read for a bit.  We were sharing the terminal with people who were flying to Lima, Peru, so the area was full of crunchy granola-type, dreadlocked individuals.  Lots of talk about the universe and how humans produce ENERGY that attracts OTHER HUMANS, etc etc.  So then the Peru people get their boarding call, line up and board.  OR SO WE THOUGHT.  My back was to the gate, so I couldn’t see who was coming or going, but I soon heard what I thought was soft laughter coming from the gate, but it soon got a bit louder, followed by a “please.  PLEASE.  You HAVE to let me on.  PLEASE!”.  So I turn around, and here is one of our blonde patchouli scented travellers, pleading with Air Canada staff.  The soft sobbing and begging escalated quickly into absolute HYSTERICS, probably more hysterical than anything I’ve heard on the phone at my job, and I get yelled at professionally.  She started raising her voice and crying even harder, “PLEASE.  I PAID SO MUCH MONEY FOR THIS FLIGHT.  YOU HAVE TO LET ME ON!  (SOB SOB) YOU HAVE TO LET ME ON!”  At this point Ma, Pa and I assumed that she had gotten there too late, which we thought was odd because we had seen here waiting there with everyone else.  She then started to almost scream “I HAVE BEEN TO 13 COUNTRIES.  WHYYY.  THERE MUST BE SOMETHING I CAN DO.  (SOB SOB, SIGH, SOB).”  I thought that security was going to have to come because it was getting out of hand, and the histrionics were making me feel pretty uncomfortable.  She then did that thing that some people do where they call someone and put them on speaker phone for all to hear, so as she’s marching out, screaming and crying, we hear her tell someone “THEY WONT LET ME ON BECAUSE MY PASSPORT HAS WATER DAMAGE!!  AH-BWAAHHHH HAWWW HAWW”.

So I supposed the lesson to be learned here is keep your passport in a cool dry place, as per the instructions within the passport (although, that may be the part that incurred the water damage so she couldn’t read it).