P.S.        The flight back has been ever more a continuation of the blessings of the past week.  On the flight out of Keflavik, the guy sitting across the aisle from me and up a row mentioned something to the stewardess about Chattanooga.  I talked to him a bit and found out he is moving to Chatty to get his Masters in Physical Therapy at UTC.  Once in JFK I managed to avoid the long layover in JFK and Atlanta.  I asked the ticket desk if I could get on any other flights heading directly to the vicinity of Louisville (I was hoping for Cincinnati or Nashville).  When talking to the desk, I heard the intercom mention a delay in boarding for the next outbound flight to Louisville.

                “Is Louisville your final location?”

                “Yessir.”

                “Okay- why don’t I put you on the direct flight?”  Arriving in Louisville 18 hours early is infinitely nice.

                And there’s even icing for the cake.  After going through customs at JFK, I was trying to find out where I needed to go to go again through security.  I was moving one way, when two gentlemen in red shirts holding large instruments were hurrying by in the other direction.  The shorter man looked familiar.  I decided impulse may be the best option at this point- before they disappeared.

                “Steven Sharp Nelson?”

                The man stopped dead in his tracks and turned around, a little confused.  I’m sure my jaw dropped a little bit.  I walked over, introduced myself, let him know that I really enjoyed his music, I love the videos, and that I even listen to his Christmas album in the summer.  He introduced the other gentleman traveling with him- also a cellist- but I was not familiar with him, and have since forgotten his name (sorry);  he must be one of his accompanying cellists that I will look up once I get a chance.  I asked if I could get a picture.

                “Is that a ukulele?” he asked as I set my backpack down to pull out my camera.

                “Yup.”  But what else do I say?  I don’t play very well…

                An attendant hurried by, there to take their oversized luggage.  So the cellists took care of their business that I had accosted them from…  and after the interruption, we took a picture- and they needed to go their way.  Unfortunately, they were taking flights out of the set of gates on the other side of the airport.  I told him thank you for his time- and the picture- and apologized for accosting him.  He apologized for having to run- I fear they were running a little late for their flight.  I would have talked to him about where he had just performed and where he was heading next!

                And if you need any proof, look up the Piano Guys on YouTube and check out any of the videos that he and Jon Schmidt have done together.  Great style and imagination.