Give me a break, this trip is taking 10 days and I’m running out of clean clothes. Being the end of the month, all reports need to be sent, including expense reports. How about giving me another week to finish up?
Unfortunately, the hotel where I was staying in Ontario was also catering to several high schools traveling for sports, so everywhere you happened to be, in the elevators, the restaurants, in the hallways, inside, outside, there were young people milling around and making noise. How about the end of the month reports? Could not concentrate enough to compile the information and write them down as positively as I could.
In the lobby it was pandemonium with bags, suitcases, fanny packs, lunch boxes, ice chests, blankets, pillows, sleeping bags, etc. Apparently they don’t know the hotel provides pillows and blankets, occasionally even a bed. Where to find a quiet place to sit down and complete this paper work? Ah, there is a corner on the second floor with tables, comfortable chairs and a plug for the computer. Thank you, I am on my way.
After a while, with the reports all completed, first, I must get all the papers together, put them in a box, and mail them to the main office so they’ll be there with plenty of time for payroll. I certainly don’t want to carry them with me any longer than necessary since I still have another week out in Chicago.
I called the reception desk to find where their business office was located and they sent me to the second floor of the hotel. I promptly gather all the items for mailing, sealed the box and directed my steps to the second floor. Little did I know that being Saturday, the offices were closed. I go back to the front desk for directions and they have no clue of what I need. The clerk says to give her my credit card number and for sure my box will be sent out on Monday. Fat chance, I don’t give my credit card number to anyone.
By this time, I’m really getting annoyed with the clerk, the noise, the lack of assistance and most of all the reports I need to send. Is there a Jiffy-Office near here? Oh, that’s right, there is. Go outside, take a right for 1 block, a left for three blocks and next to the supermarket you’ll find it. If you don’t want to walk that far, take a cab and the driver can take you there. $6.50 later, we arrive at the Jiffy-Office and I climbed happily out of the cab. Surprise, they close at noon on Saturdays and it’s now 1:30 p.m. The cab is gone and I’m hungry.
Let’s have some lunch and the day will go better after I eat something, I’m sure. Nothing to it, I still had the box with all the reports which will not be arriving at the main office until later, much later. $6.50 later I was back to square one with my box of reports. How do you write-off $13. in cab fares without an explanation? I surely don’t know.
To pass the time away from the hotel, luckily, there was a Jazz Festival in town and I was invited by the local contractors to attend as their guest. First time I heard Zydeco music and could not get enough. Had a fine time where I met nice people, we danced and carried on for the evening and next time in New Orleans, guess where I’m headed, whether I get the expenses refunded or not.