flight to rome

a friend asked how my flight went, for when i got back to rome, and here is my response:

• Here is something of how the adventure went in the airport:
  
  
  I got in line for security, and that moved pretty quickly, though they made me pass through the awful machine which photographs under the clothes.  Then I went back to my gate, no problem.  I sat there and prayed the rosary.  I heard people check in and try to rearrange seats, but the flight was full, so they were unsuccessful.  I listened as they lined people up to board by zone numbers--pre-boarding, first class, frequent flyer, etc.  I heard another passenger with a buddy pass ask if he might make it on the flight, and be told the chances were very slim.  I prayed some more and watched the sky.  It was cloudy, but seemed to refuse to rain.  Then I heard the gate attendant call some names, and ask that these passengers report immediately if in the gate area.  They didn't.  Then I heard my name called, so I went up and the lady gave me a boarding pass, and sent me on the plane.  I was very happy, even though I had a middle seat in the very back of the plane.  I settled in immediately, and was then asked to leave the plane as someone with more seniority was to take the seat.  Oh well.  I got off the plane and waited at the gate counter to see what would happen next.  They paged the last 7 passengers who were yet to board, and three of those arrived immediately.  They lined us standby passengers by rank to let us on as quickly as possible should the last four not arrive--I was to be the second.  At 4:30, when the plane was supposed to be leaving, they let the four of us on, and the other three had to go make alternate arrangements.  This time, I had a window seat in the same row where I had been first assigned!  But still I worried as long as we sat at the gate that they would come and ask me to leave the plane again.  We stayed a little later than I hoped, and finally after a few minutes, the plane started taxing down the runway.  We hadn't gone far, however, when the pilot came on the intercom to inform us we were returning to our gate for maintenance--the right engine would not turn on.  It shouldn't take more than a half hour to fix, and then we should be on our way.  After that time elapsed, it turned into another hour.  In the end, we took off three hours after our scheduled time, after a Delta official invited anyone who felt uneasy to leave the flight.
  
  
  Once in Rome, though, all went well.  I breezed through immigration, baggage claim and customs, on to the bus which took me about half a mile from my apartment, and walked on smooth sidewalks with my luggage.  The apartment was pretty clean, and I spent the rest of the day cleaning, resting, and unpacking.  When I unpacked the computer, I discovered that the internet was not working.  No fun.  Now I am e-mailing from the Angelicum library, which will close in about half an hour.  And it's time to find lunch.  My Japanese host mother will be here tomorrow.
   
   
  (ps, my host mother arrived yesterday, and today we went to St. Peter's bright and early, climbed the dome, and came to the Angelicum, where i write.)