SB56667 155 Posted July 14, 2011 So this is a longer, more personal story than I would ordinarily post on a forum, but I can't not tell you all about this. Two weeks ago, my wife and I tried to fly home from a visit to her family in Odessa. We only realized at the airport that her green card had expired. This was bad. Very bad. I flew home, and she went back to stay with her family. For two weeks, we were both wrecks while she looked for answers at the U.S. embassy in Kiev and I spent my days on calls with hotlines and immigration lawyers, then scrambled like a madman to get the right application in. I did, and the document that would let her re-enter the country came in record time. Now the question was how to get the document to her as quickly as possible so that she could fly back on Saturday. (She'd already pushed back the flight multiple times and paid hundreds of dollars in change fees -- nearly as much as I spent on reps to console myself while she was gone. ) FedEx would have cost about $300, so we decided to follow the old Soviet/post-Soviet tradition of trying to find someone at the airport here to take it with them on a flight to Odessa and hand it over to her at the airport. So yesterday I went to JFK and hung around the check-in line, but couldn't find anyone who was making the second leg of the flight to Odessa. Not good. I went back to JFK today, and now we were down to the wire. I had to find someone on this flight. I approached half a dozen people, and again, they were all flying the first leg to Kiev, but stopping there or continuing somewhere other than Odessa. I was getting desperate. The check-in attendants were eyeing me suspiciously. I approached a stewardess who proposed some complicated scheme where they'd bring the letter to Kiev and mention in a staff meeting that it needed to get to Odessa, though there would be no guarantee when it would get there, how to notify my wife, or whether it would work at all. I broke away to ask a Ukrainian couple in their 30s who'd checked in business class -- a sign they probably weren't going to Odessa. To my amazement, they were. "Thank God!" I said in Russian. "Don't thank God," the guy said, instantly suspicious. "We haven't agreed to anything." I explained the story in a nervous ramble, opened the letter and showed the doc. "We know what you're talking about because we went through the same thing," the woman said. They agreed. We exchanged info and I handed over the envelope and thanked them profusely. Then the guy stooped down to pick up his bags and I noticed...could it be? Well, what else could it be? "You wear a Panerai?" I said in disbelief. "I'm...a big fan." "Me too," he said. What more can I say? :notworthy: The only unfortunate part was that I was wearing my Vacheron! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flottiglia 0 Posted July 14, 2011 The Paneristi get everywhere....great story and a happy ending,now you have to explain all the parcels that will be arriving ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
czmilosz 0 Posted July 14, 2011 Fantastic story! I wish you and your wife many days of happiness. Together! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SB56667 155 Posted July 14, 2011 Thanks, guys! And flottiglia, I work from home, so I get to intercept the parcels...but I think she'll catch on pretty quickly when she comes home and sees the new 20-watch collector's case! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sonicd0012 0 Posted July 14, 2011 You got a happy ending in the end ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flottiglia 0 Posted July 14, 2011 Thanks, guys! And flottiglia, I work from home, so I get to intercept the parcels...but I think she'll catch on pretty quickly when she comes home and sees the new 20-watch collector's case! :P Ha ha,yes i also work from home and get to the parcels first... she always finds the packing materials though ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luthier 1 Posted July 14, 2011 Sooo... How to say "Thanks God" in Russian? :P I hope you visited "Krasniy" and "Gambrinus" there... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gB. 0 Posted July 14, 2011 :P Great story. The Paneristi gotta stick together. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gottahaverolex 0 Posted July 14, 2011 Nice story man! Glad it all worked out for you. Somebody was definitely looking out for you! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SB56667 155 Posted July 15, 2011 Thanks, everybody! Sure seems like somebody was looking out for us! А Лутеру, нет, в Гамбринус мы не успели, так как все вечера мы проводили то ли у свекора, то ли в огороде тети, под вишней, за столом накрытым вином, и водкой, и коняком...короче, сам знаешь! :P Насчет ресторанов там в районе Дерибасовской, мы предпочитаем Компот и Украину. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trailboss99 996 Posted July 15, 2011 Glad it worked out mate. Sometimes people come thru and I'm glad someone did for you. God Bless, Col. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
