Friends of friends

You'll all learn as you read my postings that I really think adding a bit of spice to stories is a great way to keep life interesting.  It also keeps the attention of those to whom I'm telling the story.  In other words, I have a tendency to exaggerate.  Sometimes.  Just a bit.

What I'm about to share with you contains no exaggeration, embellishing, modifying or spicing up.  This is the real deal.  I have a healthy imagination and use it often but this one would be difficult for me to make up.

Let me back up just a bit.  Before the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan earlier this month, I had two business trips planned.  One was to Dubai and another was to Tokyo.  Once I decided to make myself available to go to Japan and got put on multiple standby lists I called both clients and canceled these trips. 

Now, I knew when I bought the tickets these were non-refundable tickets.  I knew if I had to cancel the flights for any reason, I had to eat a $250 (per ticket) change fee.  The tickets were both on United Airlines.   I decided to call United and beg for mercy.  If I'm going to Japan for two months and giving up salary, family, friends and make up then United can eat several thousand dollars.  This was my argument.  I would say it nicely, of course. 

I put out a mass e-mail to anyone who might have contacts at United.  I knew after the first call to United they were sympathetic and supportive but "sorry, we can't change our policy" was what I would continue to hear.  I needed to talk to someone who would actually take on my situation personally.  I needed friends to hit up their friends for a contact at United.

This is where it gets interesting.  I get a call on my cell phone from a number I don't recognize and take it because, well, after I've told people I'm going to Japan I've been getting calls from all over the place.  I take the call and hear this "Hi!" and proceed to "meet" Amy from Washington who's best friend works at United.  Of course she does.  We end the call with "I'll put you in touch with her!"  We exchange e-mails and next thing you know Lili from United is on board.  I'm still a bit confused as to who Amy is and how she found me but I let it go.  These kinds of things have been happening the last several days and I'm just trying to be grateful for the support I'm getting and not necessarily ask delving questions as to who they are.

I'm sharing this story with Miki saying I'm so totally impressed and touched and truly humbled by the support people are showing me and she stops me and says,
"Amy is Jo's friend."  I pause for a minute and say
"Okay, sweetheart.  This means nothing to me." 
"Amy is my Frontierville neighbor.  From Facebook.  Jo's my friend.  Amy's Jo's friend. Lili, the one helping you, is Amy's friend. I don't know Lili and the only reason I know Amy is through Frontierville.  We both needed neighbors and so we connected.  Jo must have contacted Amy after she saw my Facebook posting about you needing a contact at United."

Okay.  I'm not a woman of few words.  I like to talk.  This means I'm very seldom at a loss for words.  When Miki tells me a friend of a friend from a Facebook game got in touch with me to put me in touch with yet another friend to help me--it takes awhile to sink in.  People are good.  (Not everyone, of course.  I'll have a posting on one such person later.)

This is the kind of thing that's been happening for the past 72 hours.  People from all over are calling, writing, and sending things.  I'll write more about the list of things I've gotten and am getting sent to me.  I swear.  I can't make this up.