Flashback Friday: Meeting the Captain
In July of 2011, I was sent to San Diego on a TDY trip (business trip). On my return trip, I had a layover in the Phoenix Airport. I found my gate, and sat down near the terminal.
A few minutes later, a man sat next to me. I didn't want to stare, so I took a couple of sly pictures with my phone and studied those pictures to make sure the person I thought it was really was sitting next to me.
The people on the other side of me looked at me VERY STRANGELY wondering why I was taking pictures of a random man. Haha!
Let me pause here to tell you about my complete obsession. I am COMPLETELY 100% obsessed with The Deadliest Catch. I own every season on DVD and I watch it religiously when the new TV seasons start. I also follow the boats on blogs to make sure everyone returned home safely after their fishing season. This obsession is so weird for me because I am completely opposite from these crab fishermen. But the stories are so compelling and the danger is so real, that I cannot get enough of this show!
Now the rest of the story...
I texted Kelli that she would NEVER believe who I was sitting next to at the PHOENIX airport! Johnathan Hillstrand! She was like "NO WAY!" I can't find our text conversation, or I would transcribe it for you, but it was pretty funny.
Then my flight began boarding and I knew it was now or never for me to talk to him. I was SO NERVOUS!! I could barely breath and my hands were shaking SO HARD! I felt like I was going to faint, but I somehow got up the nerve to ask:
Me: In a very weak voice because for some reason I couldn't talk louder than that, I was so nervous, "Are you Johnathan Hillstrand?"
Him: Very politely, "No..."
Me: I almost passed out from embarrassment
Him: "... I'm his brother Andy."
Me: Wide eyed and embarrassed..."Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry I mixed up your names. I am such a huge fan of the show, though it probably doesn't show because I called you your brother's name. I just love the Time Bandit and all the fun you guys have."
When I mentioned his boat, his eyes lit up and he finally knew I was a fan of the show. I asked if I could take a picture with him and he seemed very pleased to do so. I gave my camera to a guy sitting across from us, and he took a picture, but it seemed like he was having trouble. After a little while, he gave the camera back to me to see if he got a picture. I saw on the little screen what seemed to be a picture, so I thanked the picture taker, and I thanked Captain Andy, said goodbye and boarded my plane.
It took me HOURS to calm down from that experience. My heart would NOT slow down. And I felt very light headed. I still think it's weird I reacted to that experience the way I did. So funny. So odd.
Many months later I finally took the pictures off my camera and the picture with Captain Andy and I was NOT ON MY CAMERA! I was so upset! Then I realized, it is possible that the man was struggling to take the picture because he was actually taking a video instead.
Yep, that's what happened! Here is my very own Harry Potter-style photo with Captain Andy:
