Four children, $468 parking and a copperhead -- jcarolek

Saturday was another busy one for me. I wrapped up my work in southern CA, did just a wee bit of sightseeing and then made my way to the San Diego airport. As things happen in my life, so it was Saturday. I did not check my flight schedule before packing up my computer, confident that my memory was reliable for the information stored more than two weeks ago. In my mind, my flight was a USAir flight leaving San Diego for Dulles at 11:00 PM PDT. So, I set out with plenty of time to return my rental car, grab the shuttle to the terminal, check my single bag (my overstuffed backpack), make my way through the security checkpoint and get to the gate with time to relax, and maybe even check in on the blogs......

INSTEAD.....

I forgot to fill the gas tank until I was already at the rental return, so off I went in an unfamiliar city at 9:00 PM, hunting a filling station....thanks to the GPS, found one and filled up.
Returned to the rental lot and as I was unloading my baggage, the guy checking the car in asked if I wanted them to fill it up...huh?? I just filled it up..."well, it's not reading full"...OK, well I don't know how to respond to that. Here is the receipt from my fill-up 10 minutes ago...the thing cut off so I presumed it was full...I was in a hurry....(he did not charge me further)
Got on the shuttle to go to the terminal..."which airline?" the driver asked...."United, I think, my ticket says, "USAir operated by United"....he decided I should go to USAir...Terminal 2....I had my doubts....
The driver stopped first at Terminal 1 but insisted I stay put until Terminal 2.....
When I got to the ticket counter for USAir...I was informed that "operated by United" meant I have to go to the United ticket counter...Terminal 1....8 minutes walk, or I could catch the RedLine bus that came every five minutes....
7 minutes later....at 9:50 I was finally at the United ticket counter, checking my bag...when I noticed the screen behind the ticket agent displayed the flight information for my flight...on-time departure at 10:20!!! WHAT???? GEEZ...Ok, the ticket guy told me not to worry, I'd make it there in plenty of time.
Security checkpoint at San Diego was a DREAM compared to Dulles two weeks earlier, and I WAS indeed at my gate, just as they called my zone for seating.

I made my way to the back of the plane...well, close to the back, placed my carry-on with the computers in the overhead bin, shoved my "other" carry-on under the seat in front of me and buckled myself in, as the flight attendants were making last minute announcements.....
I was already chilly, so I grabbed my warm and snuggly gray hoodie out of my carry-on, turned off the blower that was directed with ill-intent at me, and prepared to take a nice 4 hour and 50 minute nap....WHEN.....
A family of six made their way down the aisle...coming toward me....a young mother, her father and the young woman's four children...two so young they did not require ticketed seats and two just barely old enough to require their own seats....and OF COURSE, these folks had booked the seats directly behind me....
Let's just say this about that.....two screaming, unhappy babies, two restless toddlers, kicking the back of my seat....two adults trying the SHUSH their loud brood.....OK, I even overcame my general disgust at placing the "community headphones" on my ears, in an attempt to change the noise I was being subjected to, but that really did not work either. I did not get much sleep.
I was happy to see we landed ahead of schedule and I made my way to baggage claim, hoisted my overstuffed backpack and secured it on my back....and headed to the machines to pay my parking fees before catching the shuttle to the "economy" parking lot.....I was SHOCKED when the machine told me I owed $468 in parking fees... I canceled and tried another time...with the same results...thinking I had no other option, I paid, but I was NOT a happy camper...
I caught the shuttle to the parking lot, wandered around a bit until I found my car, and then headed to the exit gate....
At the exit gate, I handed the attendant my credit card, ticket and receipt and asked that she correct the obvious error by refunding the payment and recharging the correct amount of $108....several others in line were asking for similar treatment, and I watched with disbelief as I saw them handing these folks envelopes with which to file their claims....I was NOT about to do that....I held my ground...I wanted this thing corrected BEFORE I left their world...
An hour later, and after some less than kind words to those who "were doing the best they could" I drove away, still with no refund but with an "assurance" that the supervisor would contact me tomorrow and issue the refund...(sure, I trust you....) UGH!
OK, I still had a 3 1/2 hour drive back to Gloucester...I was now over-tired, totally irritated, and just wanted to get home...so I headed on my way. Thank goodness for Sunday traffic....
As I got out of my car in my garage, I heard my dog, Killian, going ballistic in her characteristic, "I've cornered an intruder" mode....so I went to see....sure enough, there was a copperhead that was coiled and hissing and around which Killian was dancing in frenzied circles.....I took care of the copperhead with a 1 X 6 I had nearby and calmed Killian down.....
And then I came in a took a LONG nap.....Guess I'll be up the rest of the night! LOL Well, I have to prepare for my next trip...to Florida this time...leaving on Tuesday...(better check my flight schedule, eh?)