Good Morning Baltimore!

I got into Baltimore very very early this morning. So early that I think most people would consider it "last night" but whatever. It was morning. The plane ride was fine - despite the fact that I'm pretty sure the seat I was in was as old as aviation itself (it kind of rocked like it wasn't completely bolted to the plane and was so threadbare that I'm fairly certain I was just sitting on a wooden plank with a piece of old blue cloth on top) and I got a whiff of the man next to me every time he moved and the smell was unpleasant. Overall though...not a terrible trip.

Riding the shuttle from the airport to my hotel was interesting. My coworkers had warned me that I was in a high-crime area of Baltimore (why not, what better place to hold a legal conference, right?) but I didn't see any crime last night. Sure I was only in the van for less than 10 minutes once we got into the city and we had to stop seven, yes seven, different times to let cops or firemen or ambulances pass with their sirens wailing, but still. I didn't personally witness any crimes.

Admittedly it would be hard to see any crimes from my middle seat in the van squished between an older woman whose eyebrows moved up and down with every word she spoke and a twitchy guy who seemed annoyed that anyone else even got in the shuttle he was in, but I still thought "high crime area? Hm. I'll probably see something." But no. Saw nothing. Except a couple different random make-out sessions of middle aged folks on the street. What the-?

Oh shuttle rides. How I love thee. Let me count the reasons.
1. The driver who I'm convinced was taught that when you drive you have to push the pedal all the way to the floor. All the time. Whichever pedal you're pushing.
2. I was the last one in the van (well...for a time) and when I got to the door and looked in the two back rows were full and there was just the front row with one guy sitting closest to the exit with his bag protectively saving the last open seat next to him. I stood there for a minute debating whether I should ask the second row of women to scoot over thinking "there has to be room for all of us on here, right?" and asking the guy if there was a reason he hadn't moved all the way in on the seat to make room for any other passengers (hello inconsiderate) when finally I opened my mouth to say "hey man, is someone sitting there?" (while pointing past him) and he looked at me and said "oh, do you want to sit here?" Um yes. I do. What tipped you off? My confused standing here like "how are there no more seats?"
3. Right before we left a shuttle worker came up and asked if the driver could take one more. He said sure. I thought "oh, I guess that person will sit in the front passenger seat." Turns out that one more was two more people. A bigger guy who sat in the passenger seat and an older woman who sat next to me (on the shortest bench mind you) which forced the guy who didn't want to share the bench in the first place to remove his computer bag barrier and get used to the fact that our legs may end up touching.
4. Once the older lady was in she looked at me and then put on her rain jacket and pulled the hood down over her head holding it tight like she was afraid I might touch her and infest her with something. I was tempted to put my arm around her shoulder but in the end decided to pretend I didn't notice what she was doing.
5. Once we let the guy next to me off the shuttle I was climbing back in when the older woman asked me if I didn't mind if her husband sat next to her. Hm. It's not a totally out there request really but it was kind of odd. I mean, why are we playing musical chairs more than we have to? This is ridiculous. You really don't want to sit by me that much, eh?
6. Switching seats with husband meant I was in the front passenger seat. With our crazy driver the term "death seat" never seemed so apt. ...I think it was while I was in this seat that I saw the public canoodlers.

What a morning! I expect it will only get better from here. Can't wait.