Waiting for T.O.

You’ve seen the video on News 4 of Terrell Owens’ thunderous welcome Sunday night at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.  I happened to see it quite by accident.  It was one of the times when your personal life clashes with your professional life and leaves your head spinning!

I spent last weekend in Virginia attending events related to my eldest son’s graduation from college. (Go Matt!)  I was pretty well cut off from internet use and news from home – which is very unusual for me.  It poured rain during the commencement on Sunday and everyone was drenched.  By the time my flight touched down at BNIA at 11:45 Sunday night, I was exhausted, looked like a drowned rat, and was anxious to pick up my suitcase at baggage claim and head home.

I walked through a quiet, deserted concourse (even the lights in the ladies room were turned off!) and turned the corner to run smack into news cameras from all local stations.  My first thought was that a local soldier was returning home from duty overseas and everyone wanted to record his welcome.  I spotted News 4 Videographer Chris Broadbent who told me T.O. was expected momentarily on a flight from Cincinnati.

I decided to run downstairs to baggage claim to pick up my suitcase (I’ve lost a suitcase before…and didn’t want to go through that hassle again!) and gamble that I had enough time to run back upstairs to help Chris with interviews.  What a mistake!

I didn’t know that I’d be descending on the escalator and wading straight into a cheering crowd of a couple hundred pumped up Bills’ fans, jumping Jills, and roaming characters.  Someone spotted me and started chanting: “Jacquie, Jacquie, Jacquie!”  What a scene!

I’m sure folks thought I was there to cover T.O.’s arrival – but I was just another weary traveler looking for my luggage.

As it turned out there was a big delay and mix-up in the baggage area – and T.O. and his entourage descended the escalator to a roar from the crowd, signed a few autographs, answered a couple of questions, and quickly exited the terminal.

Everybody left.  Everybody, except a few of us who spent about 40 anxious minutes roaming the baggage claim area searching for any sign of our belongings.  Finally, about 12:30 I discovered my suitcase on a distant carousel, wrestled it to the floor, and headed for the door.

I never got a good look at T.O….but, I sure got a sample of his traveling road show.

Get the shot!

Waiting for luggage