There's some comments on the site that help give a little more context to the story, like the law in California regarding work breaks, but even so, to have a chance to be with your mother during her final hours, and then to have that snatched away from you by bureaucracy, is insane.

Now, since apparently no one can be bothered to read the actual goddamn email, here is the bullet-point version:

1. A man gets a call from his girlfriend's father, telling him the girl's mother is dying, and that the girl should get to Portland as soon as possible.

2. He immediately leaves work, calls the United Premier reservation line on the drive home, and books a ticket. He's told to pick up the tickets at the counter.

3. He and the girlfriend get to the airport. There's a short line at the counter, and he explains to each person in line about the situation, and each agrees to let him pass.

4. He gets to the front of the line, gets to the counter, and is directed by the agent there to another counter.

5. He gets to the second counter, and speaks to a woman, the second agent. He hands her the reservation number, explains the situation. The woman hands back the number, saying that it's time for her break.

6. They proceed to argue for a few minutes, but in the end, the man and his girlfriend are forced to take a later flight. They arrive in Portland two and a half hours later than they had first hoped. The mother dies later that night.