On the Road Again

By Chris

Teresa is pretty insistent on updates from the road. So here goes the boring run down. First, who made this crazy itenerary for the week? What was I thinking? Tuesday a.m. to Charlotte N.C. Wednesday P.M. to Norfolk, VA (Home). Thursday A.M. to Savannah, GA (via Atlanta, of course). Friday P.M. to Norfolk, VA (Home). All is well, so far. Just had a minor run-in with a hard-to-understand cab driver, who complained about taking my fare by credit card, with what I thought was a generous tip. He corrected me. "I loose three bucks with this," he says. "They charge me extra for this credit car pay. That's why I usually say no to card. This cost me three bucks." I thought: "Charge more! I didn't make the stinkin' price up. You told me what to pay, and I added a tip!!" So, I gave him three bucks extra. I don't need the guilt of hungry cab driver's children on my conscious, after all. Which reminds me that perhaps the thing I hate most about traveling is dealing with the variety of tip-seeking service providers lurking around every turn. I know they rely on tips for a living. It's just that they can add up if you're not careful. Everyone wants to touch your bag . . . cab driver touches your bag . . . cha ching . . . Hotel Bell Hop beats you to the trunk and touches your bag . . . cha ching . . . Room's not ready, need to store the bag (with a bell hop touching your bag) cha ching. Room service (sure there's a delivery charge and 25% service fee, but still a line for "tip") . . . cha ching. I feel like getting a sign for my bag: "Owner is perfectly capable of carrying and storing this bag. Touch it if you like, but you will get nothing for beating owner to this position!"

Oh, well. Off to dinner meeting. Bye.