Road Update . . . Again

By Chris
Made it to Atlanta this a.m. Early! I beat the Avis guys to the lot to return my car this morning in Charlotte before 5, to catch the 6:00 to Atlanta. MARTA (the train in Atlanta) was behind schedule, which I have found is not unusual. And when it's like that, it gets packed, especially during commuting time. Every stop, even when you think that not even one more person could possibly fit in, 10 more people get on, while only two get off. You can imagine at that rate what happens. Touching strangers. My favorite! I have learned to give the train cars a sniff test before entering, selecting one that doesn't have the familiar MARTA smell. I used to see other people doing this, and couldn't figure out what they were up to, sticking their heads in one set of doors, then moving on to another car. Until, one day, I got on one of the clean cars by chance! Most of them smell like . . . well . . . someone couldn't make it to the bathroom . . . uhh, you get the picture (or scent, I guess). But, it only costs $1.50, so I guess you can't ask for much. Even after the train finally arrived, the stupid thing kept stopping on the track for no apparent reason. So, the MARTA ride across town took longer than the time it took to get from Charlotte to Atlanta. Stop. Go. Stop. Stop. Go. Dramamine was still working though. The darn thing stopped so much, that I lost all sense of where I was, and got consumed in reading my new book (Andrea Mitchell's memoir . . . which is great if you like news and politics). So, I missed my stop and had to backtrack a couple of stops.

Good news tonight, though. Better luck on the hotel than last night, at my regular Residence Inn. PJ, the night guy at the desk, is a real friend now. He's not as pretty as Teresa, but he is always happy to see me and gives me some type of food at check-in. This time it was Cheese-Its (which I didn't eat) and bottled water. Usually gives me an upgrade too, to the two bedroom suite (which he did tonight). At the Residence, there is free breakfast and dinner everyday. But, you get what they cook. No choices. I gave PJ a hard time because tonight they cooked up: Macaroni & Cheese and Meatballs. That's it. I told him that's what my ten-year-old would cook for dinner. He referred me to a Chinese Delivery service and knocked some money off my room rate (another learning: always ask the guy who checks you in at any hotel if that's the best rate he can select on the computer. Usually, there is something better they can give you since every room has a bunch of rate options that anyone working the front desk can select). One more day in Atlanta. I'll be home tomorrow night. I miss everyone!