"You Were In Charge Of One Thing"

Okay...let me see, let me see. Where was I?

Oh! That's right. I was dying on a plane somewhere over the Atlantic. Lovely.

While I was holed up in a bathroom for three hours guess what happened? Cody was left to roam about the cabin. Unsupervised.

Now this wouldn't typically be a big deal. Cody is a smart guy. And right before we left I had a microchip implanted into his left hip just in case he ever got lost. I wasn't worried.

I also wasn't expecting the lovely stewardesses to give him any responsibility besides ordering a drink or two. Well, they did.

And let's just say...it didn't go so well.

While I was expelling every ounce of fluid left in my body, Cody was charged with the task of filling out some paperwork. Read: two 3X5 cards. These cards are the UK's way of shining the light in their many visitors faces and saying "Hey you...what's your business in our country??"

The 3X5 cards ask for some simple information about each person and they ask you to turn it in at customs. Here are some examples of questions that were asked on this little card:

1. Name
2. Occupation
3. Country of Origin
4. Passport Number
5. Reason for Visit

In conclusion, not rocket science.

Now things were going well for Cody...he knew why we were there, he had the passports handy, he knew his homeland by name and he even remembered how to spell Christina. Things were looking up!

But then, but then, Numero Dos hit. And it is a toughy. I mean after all, what do we do?

Well let's see if I remember correctly Cody had been working full time in a warehouse, I was working full time as a customer service representative and we are both full time students. Any of these answers would have been suitable but at this crazed time in our life the only constant thing seems to be our student status. Cody?? Hello? Pick Students! Students! Yes, you are a STUDENT!!

Apparently he didn't get my message, instead he brainstormed and chose his own answer:

N/A

(No I am not kidding).

Since I was busy (ick) I didn't bother checking the paperwork. I didn't care. I had planned the whole dang thing and he could handle this. Once we landed (yay) and boarded the bus to the terminal (are you kidding me?) I decided to hide in the bathroom for another bout of sickness. It was awful and I wasn't feeling any better now that we weren't moving. I actually felt so weak that I almost requested a wheelchair, that's right I am a baby. Finally, with Cody's wonderful words of encouragement (genuinely), I finally made up my mind to walk through customs and to the taxi.

We walk and walk and walk (Dang, Heathrow is BIG). Finally we approach customs and there isn't a line (hallelujah)! We waltz on up to the counter and Cody hands the guy our cards and passports. I smile at the man, I don't know what is coming.

(Insert super endearing British accent here)

Customs Man: "What is your occupation?"
Christina: "We're students."
Customs Man: "Oh, here it says N/A?"
Christina: (Glaring at Cody with the force of someone to be reckoned with) "I am sorry sir, I was really sick and I had him fill them out. I planned the whole trip you see."
Customs Man: "And where else are you going?"
Christina: "Spain, Granada, we leave on the 15th and we will stop through here again on our way back home on the 21st."
Customs Man: "And where is home?"
Christina: "San Francisco."
Customs Man: (sigh) "Look guys, I've got to tell you that this N/A thing is a huge red flag for us, we don't know how you got the money to come here, if you are run aways, what your true business is..."
Christina: "I am so sorry sir, I didn't check it after he filled it out, we are college students, university, I uh I um well I planned everything and he just umm I, I'm sorry."
Customs Man: "It's okay, you enjoy London."
Cody and Christina: (grab passports and being walking away)
Customs Man: (turns around) "Hey, guys, do me a favor?"
Christina: "Sure."
Customs Man: "Just, you know, write down your occupation when you get to Spain."
Christina: "Trust me, I will make sure of it."

Christina turns to Cody and says...

"Seriously Cody! You were in charge of ONE thing!"

Lesson learned.