Column: Airport Bliss

by Woody

Another Happiest Place on Earth

Driving someone to the airport, especially when it’s for a departure flight, always brings to my mind the closing scene in “Casablanca” when Humphrey Bogart, playing Rick, famously bids goodbye in the fog of night to Ingrid Bergman:

Going to Burbank Bob Hope Airport reminds me of "Casablanca."

Going to Burbank Bob Hope Airport reminds me of “Casablanca.”

“Ilsa, I’m no good at being noble, but it doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Someday you’ll understand that. Now, now. Here’s looking at you, kid.”

An airport pick up, especially at Burbank Bob Hope, also reminds me of “Casablanca” because that is where the classic closing scene was filmed – or so legend had it.

Now, now that myth has been busted. Warner Bros. studio archives have been uncovered revealing the airport footage not shot on a sound stage was actually taken at Van Nuys Airport. This truth is almost as heartbreaking as Bogart sending off his great love.

I prefer the myth when I find myself at Burbank Bob Hope. TSA lines don’t mean a hill of beans compared to goodbye hugs and farewell waves.

Disneyland claims to be “The Happiest Place On Earth” but this is another Southern California myth because an airport arrival gate is even more so.

While I loathe waiting for red lights and store lines and doctor appointments that always seem hopelessly behind schedule, I like to arrive early at the airport to give myself time to wait – and watch.

Watch young couples reunited and old couples, too, because the joy exhibited by both is more contagious than the flu.

Watch children run into their parents’ embrace. And grandparents quicken their shuffle to get a hug from their grandchildren.

Watch men give flowers to their loved ones and women give balloons to theirs.

Watch soldiers in uniform lift a child in one heroic arm and a wife in the other, and also lift the spirits of everyone around because of their brave service.

Watch taciturn countenances, weary from waiting, finally glimpse a special face and light up with 100-watt smiles – and those arriving faces, weary from a long day of travel, beaming back.

I imagine my own face lit up a couple nights ago when the special face I was waiting for finally walked through the arrival doors at Bob Hope Airport; my daughter’s face in turn shined as golden as the bouquet of sunflowers I held for her.

Moments before our reunion I witnessed a scene worthy of Hollywood, a uniting that began with running squeals of delight and ended in a minute-long embrace. All eyes looked up from their smartphones/texts/emails to watch and smile and even tear up themselves.

The two girls, each in her early teens, appeared to be sisters who had been separated for many months or perhaps close childhood friends now living distantly. To be sure, they disproved Robert Louis Stevenson’s belief: “To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive.”

I was curious, but did not wish to intrude. As fortune would have it, however, the arriving girl had been on my daughter’s connecting flight and so as we all waited at the luggage carousel I asked her, “Are you sisters?”

“No, BFFs,” came the reply, teen girl talk of course for Best Friends Forever.

Then their story got even more wonderful, because the arriving girl did not mean “forever” as in the past but rather into the future. You see, this was the first time the two had actually met in person.

The arriving girl, despite being a casting director’s dream of a beach blonde “California girl,” was actually from Kansas City, Missouri, while the shorter redhead was from the Los Angeles area. They “met” and became BFFs in the 21st Century version of being pen pals via Facebook, Instagram and email.

Their itinerary over the upcoming two weeks, the L.A. redhead said, include all of the “Hollywood things” and the beach . . . and, of course, the blonde from Kansas City excitedly added, “Disneyland!”

“This is The Happiest Place on Earth,” I thought of the airport arrival area, though I did not say it. Instead, I wished the two BFFs a great time. Here’s looking at you, kids.

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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com.

Check out my new memoir WOODEN & ME: Life Lessons from My Two-Decade Friendship with the Legendary Coach and Humanitarian to Help “Make Each Day Your Masterpiece”