No, not that Columbus Day! Mine! I was in Columbus for the last two days on business. Still battling the cold from Hell, though. Getting through the days on antihistamines and cough suppressants, and getting through the nights somehow.
Today I finished up really early, and got to the airport early. There I was reminded of the maxim: If The Deal Seems Too Good To Be True, It Is. That’s because all the money I saved booking flight, hotel, and car through the Southwest Airlines website seems to be a third party package seller working in cahoots with SWA.
So, even though I’m there at 11 AM, they can’t put me on the 1410 flight home, even if there were room on it. So sayeth the ticket counter. So sayeth the bloke at the 1-800 number. So sayeth the first person at the gate I talked to. But through all of that, the saving grace was it didn’t matter, the flight wasn’t just full, it was overbooked.
When the boarding of that flight was done, and I overheard that there were still three seats empty, I asked the gate person, “Really? You’ll fly three empty seats and not change my ticket?”
Really. My only option at that precise moment was to cancel the 1830 flight, and buy a one-way there at the gate. $200. Um, not gonna do that.
But that wasn’t the ONLY fun part of the trip, oh, no! I also learned that the cheapest rental car really was. Cheapest, that is. Thrifty appeared not to have maintained that particular Chevy Aveo much – it rattled and shook when I stepped gently on the gas, and threatened to cut out if I pressed harder. The wipers didn’t wipe much (and it was raining). The check engine light came on, during the drive back to the airport this morning. I’ll give it this – it didn’t break down (entirely), I was everyplace I needed to be, on time. And I didn’t have to change a tire on that car.
What? Oh, yeah. I get to BWI, hope the shuttle to the daily garage, hoof it over to my car … flat left front tire. Sigh. Sigh. One quick tire change later (the wheelbarrow undersize spare tire was in fine shape) and I was on my way home.
Now I’m here. Nice to see y’all! Ciao!
I resisted the stuff for years, but finally gave in and found that Vick’s Niquill (or generic equivalent) actually does let me breath through the night when afflicted. Of course you knew that you were supposed to stay home and rest, not go traipsing all over the country 🙂
Hey, Paul. Like I can choose when to traipse! Actually, this was a delayed trip while I helped Marcia through her surgery and initial weeks of recovery.
As a Columbus resident and longtime reader of your blog; I am very sorry for your problems here. The next time you’re going to travel this way, send me an email and we’ll try to make up for your misfortune(s). Keep up the good stuff!
Thanks, Doug! I’ll do my best to remember… but the fault lay with my cold virus and a couple of national transportation corporations, no reflection on Columbus at all! Be well…