Driver's Seat

October 19th 12:00pm from Norfolk VA to Lexington VA Flight #: non-existent

Well well well, a post from a different view.  Yep.  The driver's seat.

The travels I needed to make yesterday were 4 hours by car.  Therefore, I got to get educated on the topic of "Car Rentals."  Don't get me wrong....... I have had my fair share of being a driver of a rented car, that good 'ol Ford Flex aka John Wall.  But the reserving, picking up, taking back, and all of the other fun that comes with it was all a new experience. 

I reserved the car on October 13th, an entire 6 days before the need for rental. I got a confirmation number and everything!  First things first during my reserving efforts--- I asked one of my bosses if checking the little box that says "add a Garmin for $14.58" was out of the question, and he was all for it! (I mean, he wanted me to get to the chapter, and since I would not know North if I found the North Star, that was a good option).  So, as it seemed, everything was taken care of and my little 2 door vehicle was ready for me to be picked up!

I walk in to Budget in Norfolk exactly at noon (the time I reserved the vehicle for),and had seemed to walk into a deserted little building with one worker that totes gave me the stank face.  I happily smiled and said, "I am here to pick up a car!"  and in response I get, "Do you have the right address?"  Perfect.  This day is going to be FANTASTIC!!  She finally found my name, and reservation and tells me, "You're lucky.  We have ONE car left."  I'm lucky??? What does pre-reservation do?  Does this confirmation number mean nothing to you Budget??  Whatever.  Not only am I lucky there is a car, it was a larger family car, so I was charged an extra $8.  "Is that okay?"  Well---- I wasn't going to walk to Lexington.  So yes, it's fine.  Even though, again, I have this fancy confirmation number that means NOTHING.

I get in my fancy red leather seated car (that's all I know about it), and start typing in the GPS.  The address I have for the airport I'm taking this car to does NOT show up on the GPS.  After 20 minutes of trying different options, I see the town shows up, and "Airport Road" shows up.  Airport road looks good... I mean, I am looking for an airport.  So, here goes nothing.  Ready to take on the roads of Virginia like a real Virginian.

Have you ever parked in traffic.  Like... literally be on an interstate that has 6 lanes, and no ones break lights are on because they are all in park?  How about for an entire 48 minutes?  If so, then join my club.

So yes, I was already an hour late, but there is absolutely nothing I could have done about it.  The next hurtle I had to climb was driving in the mountains.  Beautiful!  Wait... did I say mountains?  I mean mountains, in a rain storm, with fog so thick I couldnt even see the hood of my car.  It was a fun little game guessing where and when cars would show up 2 ft away from mine!  Was I on Dora the Explorer?? "Traffic, Fog, Airport!!"

I get out of the traffic, rain, and fog, and apparently finally 40 minutes away.  Oh cool, look at those signs!  They say Lexington, Stauton, W&L... wait.  All THREE of those places are places I am supposed to be later that night.  Why I am driving to an airport in some "Weyers Cave" place?? The town ends in Cave, I should have known right away. 

Well, I got there, AND met the woman picking me up. PHEW.  When I turned at the sign that said "Airport," I drove at least 5 miles next to cows and abandoned planes, meaning no gas stations ANYWHERE.  I finally get to drop off my car and I said, "I'm sorry, I couldn't find a gas station.  Is there a flat fee I could pay for not filling up the car?"  The woman says, "For your sake...." (I thought this was good news!!) "... I'm going to tell you where to go because if we have to fill up the car it is $9 a gallon."  Jesus.  Yep.. went on a gas station journey, once I got there the pump KEPT BEEPING at me, and a nice country gentleman came up to me and said, "Your not from around these parts are you???"  Great.  This is how EVERY horror movie I have seen starts....... Luckily, he was harmless, and wished me better luck for the rest of my day.  Oh.. and stopped the gas from yelling at me. 

Get back to Budget, and had to go back out to the car like twice to get information that the lovely Norfolk lady did not inform me to look at 6 hours ago.  Oh well........ Got that all turned in, got in the car with a wonderful Pi Phi Adviser, and got some Starbucks.  Oh... and then I got a phone call.

"Hi maam.  You left your iPod in the car."

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Yep.  I sure did.  Except I didn't even USE my iPod.. so it literally must have been like, "hahah Ashley, your day sucks, so let me jump out and sit in this car and make you angry!"  I told the nice lady turning around was not really an option, as I was meeting with others to pick me up.  She told me someone would call this week, and they would try to ship it.  So far, I have left TWO messages on their machine.   Woof.

Moral of the story is... I'm walking next time.