UA2294 BOS SFO 0835 1247 752 26A
was UA1251 BOS ORD 1016 1158 739
and 810 ORD SFO 1255 1532 753

As I was early to the airport I decided to catch the nonstop
so I could visit the Centurion lounge, which I had previously
enjoyed under Lilli's aegis, but which I am now entitled to
on my own. Five minutes before boarding I appeared at the
desk and the agent typed a bit and gave me a seat in economy
minus, this being on a full flight. I sort of sighed and
figured on 6 hours of discomfort.

It turned out to have a couple more inches than the
waywayback and was actually kind of okay. Unfortunately, the
brat next to me was all elbows and big feet and kept kicking
and elbowing me and cut some of the most Limburger-like farts
I've ever had the displeasure to encounter. To give him his
due, he was probably entering an early adolescence and had
impossibly football-player broad shoulders and enormous feet
and probably didn't know what to do with these newly grown
body parts. In our few interactions, he actually seemed
reasonably behaved and polite. But every time he moved, he
managed to hit me or jiggle my computer plug out of its
outlet; once I got down to 79% before noticing.

It turns out he was part of a separated group of 4, all
consigned by the miracle of United computers to four middle
seats. I figure he was either a nonrev standby or a victim of
his parents' cheapness and in basic economy group 5, which
doesn't get the luxury of checked or unchecked baggage or
advance seat assignments (all available for an exorbitant fee
that vitiates the entire idea of basic economy).

When we landed, bumiply, there floated above us a tiny child's
voice that said "awesome." It turned out to be a toddler girl,
probably not yet three. Amusing.

We'd been scheduled to pull into gate 74, right across the
corridor from the Centurion. We ended up at gate 87A,
several blocks away. Okay, I admit I need the exercise.

Though less crowded than it used to be, the Centurion is also
less appealing (Lilli's absence may make a difference, too).
Lunch was really ugly-looking - chicken crusted with fennel,
hot pepper, and cumin or tofu vegetable stew. Both turned out
to be surprisingly spicy and tasty, as was the accompanying
buttered jasmine rice.

I had a large (500) Stella with this.

When I arrived, there were brownies. At my dessert time these
were all gone, but there were softish tastyish commercial
chocolate chip cookies by way of consolation.

The friendly bartender suggested I try the Pierre Ferrand 1er
Cru Cognac instead of the Remy VSOP. It too was surprisingly
excellent, caramelly, nutty, pruney, a touch of sweetness, very
smooth, with a long almost chocolate finish.

UA1094 SFO ANC 1652 2038 739 21F

My upgrade didn't come through, but I had the exit row with an
elderly couple going to Seward to catch their Inland Passage
cruise back to Vancouver. They were amusing, but I doubted
United's wisdom in putting three senior citizens in one of the
primary emergency exits of the airplane.

We landed quite early, and there wasn't a gate for us, so we
sat there for a while. When I finally got out, it was easy
enough finding Swisher, and off to Geezer Gardens where my
fold-up bed awaited me. On the way we stopped at the Brown Jug
for Milwaukee's Best for him and Shiner Bock for me. A 30 of
the former cost about what a 12 of the latter does, and Heinie
was on sale for about the same for an 18. I did a quick
assessment and decided I'd get more enjoyment out of 12 Shiners
than the other choices.

There wasn't much to snack on, so I discovered that Hershey's
Kisses improve with age - there are still some left over from
a year, maybe two, years ago, and they'd lost some of that
cheesy taste and acquired more of a gjetosty aspect. During the
week I ate the whole bowl of them.
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