Friday, November 12, 2010

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles minus the Planes and Trains

If you've ever seen the movie Planes, Trains, and Automobiles then you can sort of understand what it's like to travel with a stranger. One of my all time favorite movies by the way.

Ok so let me tell you a little bit about my trip. I realized that you kind of get to know a person when you spend 12 hours in a car with them. Look I'm sure this guy that went with me is a nice guy and all, but let me just give you some insight as to how my trip went.

First let me just say, I am not a big fan of listening to people eat. I realize we're in a car, and you get hungry and want to snack and that's ok. I mean after all it's not my car so I don't care if you drop something in between the seats, but I'd rather not have to listen to you scarf down that sticky bun first thing in the morning. Here's another thing. I can not stand for anyone to lick their fingers after they eat. I mean really? Really? You have to lick your fingers to get the last bit of goo off of them? Is that not the grosses thing ever? Use a napkin for crying out loud. Heck use your shirt for all I care I just don't want to see or hear you licking your fingers to get that last bit of honey bun.  

Ok so we've made it past the initial awkward beginning. We've made small talk about family, clowns and careers. We're now pushing toward mid-morning and finally lunch time. Let's just grab something quick so we can speed along and get to our destination. Do you have a preference? "Nothing fast-food". What? Nothing fast-food? Are you kidding me? That's the only "food" I know on the road. Grab a quick burger and let's move on, after all this is a business trip, you're not vacationing with the fam. here?

Ok ok so I cave, we have lunch. We sit down, we get waited on, we order, we get our food we eat. Then, all of a sudden he gets a napkin and starts blowing his nose right in the middle of lunch. Are you kidding me, hellllooooo trying to eat over here! Is it just me or is that not rude and gross? I mean it's one thing to feel a twitch or to have a hanger you gotta get, but to use a couple napkins to clean the pipes right there at the table is ridiculous.

So finally our work day is complete. We casually ask the locals for recommendations on places to eat for dinner near the hotel. One of them mentions that there really is not much around the area but if we travel up the road another 40 minutes there are all kinds of places. There is  big shopping center and lots of restaurants up there.  "Great" he says, "I need to look for a birthday gift for my daughter anyway". Now at this point I wanted to stick a sharp object in my eye. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs NOOOOOO. I mean really all I wanted to do was go find some dinner, and go back to the hotel, take my shoes off and relax watching t.v. until time for bed. Surely he wasn't serious. He wants to go shopping? No way dude.

Four stores later we finally got some dinner.

Now my DW asked me why didn't I just give him the keys and let him go by himself? Well I guess I didn't want to be a jerk or anything. So I sort of went with the "grin and bare it" attitude. Sometimes I guess it's just easier that way. And besides who knows, maybe he's blogging right now about the guy he went on a trip with.


J-Tony


 

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