A Horrible, Fabulous Night

Last night was fantastic! A six-hour layover, an airport without a car, and a hotel without a room.

After landing in Oklahoma City at 11:30pm, Enterprise Rental Car sent me to National. I had a reservation, but all National had for me was an apology. The man behind the counter said I could probably get a car from Avis, and he would reimburse me. National said to come back to his counter to finish paperwork once I got a car.

Off I went to Avis. Half an hour later Avis handed me the keys to a Budget car . . . for twice the price that Enterprise had contracted. National had closed by then. So I drove away.

At 12:30 I walked into La Quinta Inn. Two cordial attendants told me they had no room for me. I had a reservation, but they had no room. Questions yielded a change. If I would wait until they finished some reports, they would have a room for me within half an hour. I waited. Eventually they handed me a card key. I trudged to the room and unlocked the door. This non-smoking room smelled like an ashtray.

Back to the front desk. Their solution: If I drove to the other side of Oklahoma City, I could have a room at another La Quinta. At 1:30 I checked into the other La Quinta.

Then it was time to go to work on the day’s email and get ready for a sales presentation in the morning.

Physically, I was spent.

It was a great night!

Before Oklahoma City, I had a six-hour layover in Dallas. The airline ticket required the layover.

What the airline didn’t know was that my brother and sister-in-law live in Dallas, along with their son and his bride whom I had never met.

A six-hour layover meant four hours at Cracker Barrel with people odd just the way I am. An extra long layover allowed me to hang out with my nephew and his wife! My brother and sister-in-law were my chauffeurs.

Hospitality in Oklahoma City was horrible.

The evening was marvelous . . . because people matter!