9:45 AM [Gusty downpour] I awoke in the backseat of the car in the midst of traffic. We were able to retrieve the gift jewelry and were now heading back to the airport. I looked out the window and was unable to see more than a hundred feet in either direction. Both the rain and wind have increased. Pellets of rain raced horizontally in the air due to the high winds. Sudden gusts made thumping sounds against the window as they passed. The distant jet engines of a plane overhead, clued me in on two things-one, we were near the airport and two, they have not prematurely interrupting flight activities.
I was very tempted to pull out my cellular phone to check on the flight, but refrained. Instead, alike my parents, I grew superstitious, and believed that if I had checked the status of the flight at any time, or in any sense confirmed that we were actually flying out of New York, it would have "jinxed" everything. I had notified Elizabeth earlier that we were *scheduled* to arrive in New Orleans later, but also noted the possibility of canceled travel plans; just in case the "jinx genie" was listening.
We pulled into the airport, and I sauntered up to the departure monitor display-sauntered, not ran, for that would have noted my anxiousness and therefore, also would have jinxed things. The monitor was mixed with flights. Some were delayed. Some were on time. Most of the flights had been canceled. My eyes tuned down the departing times column and I traversed the row of our flight information and saw the status was…on time. Relieved, we walked onward toward the gate.
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