Leaving Las Vegas

photo of motel in vegas... this story is not about a holiday

I had a heck of a day yesterday... and someone told me that I really need to write it down, so here it goes.

I thought I was going home yesterday. I get up and leisurely get ready, and head off to McCarran airport. After my flight still had not started boarding at departure time and there was seemingly no delays, USAir announced that the flight was canceled. Luckily, I knew my mom was landing within 30 minutes of when I was supposed to depart. So... I called her and got to see her for a few minutes.

After my bags were collected and I got a new flight I decided to go back up to the showroom in a cab. I get a cab and of course there is crazy bumper to bumper traffic on the freeway. I suggested that we take the side road, industrial which was smooth sailing until there was construction. So what was supposed to be a 15 minute drive had turned to 45 min.
I see the beacon of the World Market Center ahead. We get to the stop light in front of the WMC and the cab starts to turn the opposite direction. So I speak up
"where are you going?!?!?! the WMC is right there you are going the wrong direction."
he says, "oh, i see"
Then he starts to try to pull a U-turn... at a red light... nearly getting us hit by 3 cars. Next thing I know we are being pulled over by a cop on a bike... yes my friends a bike.
Now normally I would have just hopped out and walked over to the WMC but I had all my bags and I was wearing heels and it was the middle of the day in Vegas and I needed to look semi presentable. We sit there about 15 more minutes while he is writing the ticket, When I saw another cop pull up in an actual car I thought "sweet this is my chance!"
I hop out of the cab and say,
"I am really sorry but I have a meeting in a few minutes and I am just going right over there (pointing to the WMC), would you be so kind as to take me over there since this is taking so long?"
Of course they say no ma'am we are sorry for the inconvenience but it will only be a couple more minutes. I get back in the cab and the driver looks at me like I was trying to get him in more trouble.
Finally, we are on our way accross the street and he pulls up to let me out. I whip out my amex and he says, "oh no, we do not take credit cards"
"but I have no cash"
"then call someone and ask them to bring it to you"
"I don't even really think I should be paying you anything after what I have been through!"
"but ma'am I will get in so much trouble i will take you to an ATM" then he starts to pull away, so I grab the door and say "no way, this is ridiculous, get your boss on the phone and I will either give him my cc# or tell him what I have been through"
Meanwhile he is still pulling out of the parking lot and cuts off another cop that starts honking at him to move on. By this time we are back on the street, circling the building, I am frantically calling people in the showroom and no one is sanswering.
Then I remember saint Sharon should be rolling in about now. I call her and say "where are you" "jumping out of a cab" she says. So I tell her that I need $40 and I will be there in 2 seconds, and to wait for me. She graciously complies and waits.

So the moral of the story... Mom saves the day!