Well, see, there ya go - - we can't even remember the ATIS code, how are we supposed to remember something important like a runway requirement?!?!?
As busy as you are it may difficult to believe how hard it seems to be to gather all the information to make that silly radio call.
OK, what's my callsign this time, where did we write that down? Ok, umm, this is spot 6, no, it was Spot 6 last night, umm, is this 4 or 5? They're so close, I never can remember which is which. Does it even matter? I need to hurry up so the Captain won't have to stop taxiing before we get to the spot - - I'm sure he'll yell at me if we don't get to keep rolling here. Oh, shoot, I'll just say 5. <Keys microphone> Memphis Ground, good after, ummm, good morning, FedEx, uh, 3456, Spot (oh crud, I forgot what the ATIS code was and the lighting is too dim for me to read the Takeoff Data card from here, maybe I can talk and reach over ther) <microphone unkeys as he reaches for card> <grabs card, holds it up to dim light and reads a H,> (no wait, is that a K? NO, it looks like a C that has a D scribbled over it. Oh, yeah, I remember now, the ATIS was updated after the card was done, it's definitely D.) <microphone keys> Spot 6 (is that what I decided it was? oh well, I already said it now) with Delta. (Whew, I got it)
FedEx 3456, Runway 18 Right
(dang, I meant to tell him we need the Center, now I'm still gonna have the Captain breathing down my neck, what a great way to start the trip) Cross blah blah blah, give way to blah blah blah, follow the blahh blah blah blah... (oh wait, I said Spot 6, didn't I - - I think we're at 5, ummm)
We'll try to do better.
- The truth only hurts if it should -