Harrisburg Cab Driver aka A No Starbucks Day

After my appointment today, my cab driver did the usual, "so where are you going and where are you from" conversation. We talked about the weather a little in Denver and Harrisburg. I had just done all my talking for the day from 7:30am EST to 1:30pm EST and all withOUT Starbucks, and only "Bunn-o-Matic Bank Coffee" - you can imagine my mood!

So, to let him talk, all I did was ask my cab driver in Harrisburg, PA, that simple question, "so how is your day going"? And here's what I got: Not bad - it's a holiday you know. It's Eid ul-Adha, on which feasts are held to celebrate. It is after the end of the month of Ramadan. It changes every year with the difference in our calendars. We're doing alot of celebrating. My sister in Dallas and they have 10,000 people at their center in Dallas working on festivities.

I am from Kuwait and I'm a Palestinian - you know, the bad guys (he says with a smirk and a smile in the rearview mirror). I smile....(what else am I to do?) I asked, "what brought you to Harrisburg?" He says, "bad luck".... (oh boy, this is going nowhere fast, I think to myself.) He came to Texas originally as someone told him it would be good. He got there, and it was just like Kuwait as it was flat, hot, same climate all the time like the desert, beautiful people with money, boring. So he moved to Harrisburg on advice of another friend.

I ask how large is the celebration in Harrisburg for the holiday. Then he starts talking to me about getting the sheep prepared for sacrifice. He tells me the pilgrimage to Mecca is funny as Mecca is so small, and going to Mecca when you are too old then you get hurt instead of going when you are younger, and on and on....and finally, he asks - What airline today? :)

Wave bye! See ya later Harrisburg!Yes, the deicer guy was cute, the airplane is missing something and yes, is at the end of the runway as planes make the turn for takeoff :) Oh, and the plane goes right over the reactors, and yes, it's bumpy - confidence instilling!