I can't believe it's been 30 years since this happened:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/03/30/a ... =allsearchI was interviewing with IBM in Poughkeepsie, NY that day. I was in my sixth interview of the day, this one with the MVS operating system development manager who had invited me up there, when the news of the shooting came over the PA. Everybody milled about in the hall for a minute or two, and then they all took off, including my host. After about 20 minutes I gave up waiting for her to return and headed down the lobby to call a cab to Dutchess County Airport, since I was scheduled to fly home that night.
I should mention that UNC was playing Indiana in the NCAA championship game that night. I had tried to reschedule my interview trip to no avail, so I decided to make the best of it -- if my 3-flight trip home went exactly according to schedule, I'd arrive at RDU at halftime, and I had a bunch of quarters ready to feed the little black and white pay TVs in the lobby.
Needless to say, the quarters were safe. After a really rough commuter flight through a nasty thunderstorm, we were eventually diverted from JFK to East Islip, which led to a lengthy airport limo ride on the Long Island Freeway back to JFK. Our driver slowed to about 15 mph each time an update on the President's condition came over the radio. When we arrived, my Pan Am flight to National was long gone. I ended up booking a morning flight from LaGuardia, then caught the hotel shuttle to a (very kind description follows) absolute dump called the Travelers Motel. Had to pay $60 more than they quoted on the phone, but at least I got a room, unlike the 50+ people sitting on their luggage in the lobby. Got into my filthy room about halfway through the 2nd half, tried my best to tune in the game on the broken down B&W TV, but only one of the rabbit ears was still attached, and I was on the ground floor.. so I could get audio but only snow for the picture. Sam Perkins had just fouled out. After the game was over, I realized I was hungry. A sticker on the mirror said the "Pink Pussycat Lounge" served meals 24 hrs/day. I went downstairs to check it out --- then got some nabs and a Coke from the vending machine and went back to my room. Threw my raincoat on the bed and slept in my suit. Didn't want to see what was under the covers. The 6:15 AM airport shuttle could not come too soon.
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