Day Six

Today was really a dreadful day -- woke up to hard rain and gray skies. I worried that I wouldn't be able to drive over the field where cars are parked. I also needed gas -- the light had been on for a while so my first stop was a gas station. I have a bad habit (well, now I know it's a bad habit) when I'm filling up of taking only my credit card with me, leaving the driver's door open, and then when I've swiped my card, I put it in my bra while I'm pumping gas.

That was evidently what I did this morning, and worrying about being late, worrying about the rain, worrying about everything else, I forgot about the card. Tonight as I was finally ripping my own clothes off that were damp from the rain, I'm standing there just about nekkid, and I realize there is a gold American Express card affixed to one of my bossoms.  It made me laugh, and I guess I should be grateful for the damp weather so it stayed stuck there all day. I was oblivious.

I didn't take any photos today due to the weather.

I had to print out this single page document that I have to bring to my media breakfast tomorrow really early (6:45), and I had asked the hotel if they have a computer to print it out and they said yes. In case you aren't traveling, many hotels have a computer with a printer attached either in the lobby or else in a little room off the lobby which they magnaminously call their "business center."

So I'm tired, hungry, and spent some time formatting this document, getting it correctly on a USB stick and then my plan was to get it printed and then go find some dinner. By this time, it was 8:30. I go to the lobby where the front desk man told me that they can't do printing since the General Manager has gone home and it would be his computer.

I said, "This is a business hotel, and this is your busiest week of the year." I put on a brave, aggressive front, but I just wanted to cry -- really -- like "does everything have to be a battle?" I pointed out that 8:30 is a reasonable time so finally I gave up, vowing in my mind to write a nasty comment on line about this. He suggested Staples, but added they close at 9 and they were at the next exit.

So of course I'm feeling quite the martyr, pissed at myself that once again I'm schlepping instead of relaxing while also knowing full well that this document is likely not even going to be used, despite their request for it.

I believe there are small wireless printers, and I wonder if it's worth buying one.


In any event, I find Staples, and it was like a miracle. Just as I pulled up, a car in the best parking space, first spot, directly by the door, NOT handicapped pulled out and so I got a good space. I walk into this massive Staples and ask in this really crabby voice, "Can you print a document off a USB stick?" and with all her corn-fed perkiness, the clerk said "Oh yeah" and I said "Where?" and she said, "We can do it for 'ya [imagine a sarah palin-like accent] in Staples Print and Copy Center."

"Where's that?" I said sighing and crabby.

"Right behind ya," she chirped.

I turn around and there is this massive sign PRINT AND COPY CENTER. In two steps, I was there; the woman printed it instantly; I checked it over, and paid the quite reasonable sum of 58 cents. She even put these five sheets in a box for me rather than a bag so they wouldn't get wrinkled. I left the box in my car so I wouldn't leave it in my hotel room in the morning! If I had a stop watch, I'd guess I was in and out in under two minutes. The universe must have been feeling sorry for me.

So then it was on to dinner. The road Staples is on is one of those all-American areas with every fast food franchise in existence, and I just did Taco Bell. Nachos bel Grande, three beef tacos (hard) and a lime cooler which is like lime juice and seltzer.

I promise pictures tomorrow, and I might have to go sample the Dusty Road sundae. Stephanie: Have you seen malted milk powder in our neighborhood?