Because we are incredibly unique people with rarefied tastes, my fiancee and I are making the shocking decision to honeymoon in Europe. I know, I just freaked everyone out, but we are. Go ahead, Mr. and Mrs. Joe American, have your tired old Qatar, your played-out Liberia, your faux-frisky Laos! Fuck that, we’re funky! It’s crazy Europe for us!
Specifically, we’re planning on going to Belgium, but I haven’t yet secured the tickets, but only because the airline industry is a rat-chewed bunch of malevolent crotch-kickers whose sole aim in life is to make planning air travel an incomprehensible, tedious, life-destroying debacle that makes Prometheus look like a contemptible loafer sunning himself on a fucking rock all day with his adorable pet cockatoos and his nonstop triple martinis, because fuck you, regenerating liver! At least he was heroic; he gave us fire. What does Expedia give me? Nine hundred dollar fare quotes and a deep, abiding despair, that’s what. Any of the services–they’re all identical–are basically like experiencing Kafka as interpreted by Disney. Baffling, vicious bureaucracy methodically meting out cruel punishments served up with straight-faced outrageous gall in a world where nothing makes sense and the only real assurance one can count on is the simple feeling of pain, but in a cute way. Sound familiar? Yes, exactly, standing in line for the “It’s A Small World” ride, and buying plane tickets off the net.
Because of course travel agents don’t exist any more, and you can’t even get into the airport any more without tickets, ID, and a wholly subdued sense of moral outrage. “Can I see your ID?” “Sure.” “All right. We’ll need to scan your luggage.” “Okay.” “Now eat this dog turd.” “WHAT?” “I want you to eat this dog turd before I let you go sit desolately to wait for your late, crowded plane.” “Why? Why are you doing this to me?” “New rules.”
You examine the little horror. It’s wrapped in foil, which you notice is embossed. It says “EXPEDIA!” Down the hatch.