“The road to success is always under construction” – Arnold Palmer

Another early flight this morning out of Vegas heading to Dallas, TX.  Non-stop direct…always the best if you can get it.  Exit row too.  It doesn’t get better than that when flying Southwest.

Smooth, completely full flight.  Sitting next to an older Asian lady (in this case, Korean…because I asked) in the middle seat make for a comfortable trip.  In general, they are my favorite travelling companions.  I know… I generalized a large group of people by their ethnicity, but it is mostly true so I feel generally comfortable with the statement.  I am hopeful it does not offend.  Please feel free to let me know if it does, so I can evaluate your reasons and decide whether I’ll continue to think on things in that way.  It is each of our jobs to help edify one another in as constructive a way as possible for the better good.

We touch down at Love Field.  I get my Budget rental care and set on my excursion for C&F Foods Dallas location.  Only 26 miles away makes me smile inside.  That is until I get stuck in the over-and-over misguiding of my GPS application.  Turns out Dallas road authorities have decided to do construction in a big way on every road my GPS wants to use.  Take right turn to 183 East.  Rerouting.  Make U-turn ahead.  Rerouting.  Enter 12 North.  Rerouting.  I’m surprised my co-pilot lady (she’s from New Zealand…I like that accent) didn’t just tell me to pull over so she could scorn me about not listening.  To this I already have my defensive reply of “the roads and turns you want me to take do NOT exist in this construction destruction zone”.  I know, it’s useless to prepare to argue with your GPS, but I like to be ready just in case.

Finally, after completing several laps trying every possible turn and path available, I finally do get to 12 South and directly on my way to their location.

First, though, I have some time to get lunch.  Let’s see what’s around here.  Yelp gives my one lonely choice within 3 miles of where their located so I give it a go.  Guerreros Tacqueria.  I go with Guerreros Quesadilla.  It comes with Steak, Cheese, Mushrooms, Green Peppers, Tomatoes and Pineapple.  I’m not eating pineapple in my quesadilla, thank you very much.

Let’s take a moment to talk ‘pineapple”.  Something you need to know about me, I don’t like Pineapple in or on my food if it’s warm.  It’s not that I don’t like pineapple.  Quite to the contrary.  I love pineapple.  It’s one of my favorite fruits.  Just don’t go ruining my pizza, my burger or now my quesadilla with this fruit.  As a matter of interest, how do we even know pineapple wants to be on or in warm food?  Maybe we should ask pineapple just in case this is actually fruit-torture reigned on the pineapple by headstrong warm pineapple eaters.  I think the pineapple as fruit is more of a loner than friend to all food.  It’s a thought we should probably consider.

Anyways, after my pineapple free quesadilla comes, I add the sour cream, guacamole and specialty hot sauce and Whoa… this is an extremely delicious food choice.  Thank you Yelp for narrowing my search down to Guerreros today.  You know me well Yelp.  Fist bump to you.

Second to last meeting for C&F starts at 2:00pm.  All set up, we have a very good conversation about what has changed this year and how it really does improve and benefit each employee and their dependents.  A peaceful happiness exists as we close the meeting (and coinciding webinar for those who cannot attend our meeting locations).  After some fun conversation, we say good-bye to one another and I’m off to the airport.

Uh-oh, number one.

I’m leaving out of a different airport that I arrived in.  I flew into Love Field and I’m scheduled to leave on a Delta flight out of Dallas-Fort Worth Int’l airport.  Not a big deal, but my rental ar company is expecting their car to be delivered to whence I came.  I make a call, explain my inadequacies as a traveler, beg for their favorable adjustment to my reservation and avoid any additional charges.  More than not, service really is great when the provider listens.

Oops, number two.

I’ve flown Southwest so much that I’m used to no seat assignments.  Well, I didn’t request and get assigned a seat on my Delta flight until I got to the airport an hour before the flight is scheduled to take off.  No big deal, right?  Wrong!  This flight is extremely overbooked and I don’t have an assigned seat.  “Can you please make an exception?  I have a meeting tomorrow at a specific time in Twin Falls, Idaho and there just aren’t any other later options for me to get there if I’m not on this flight”, I ask.  “unfortunately not, sir.  We’re very sorry.  We can get you on the first flight tomorrow morning that will get you there at noon.  We’ll also put you in the Hilton hotel for the night.  We’re also happy to give you a voucher for the cost of your flight” she replies.  After a call to my contact at C&F, we get the meeting tomorrow rescheduled and I’m off to the hotel for an unplanned night in Dallas.

After a personal pizza and an attempt at drinking a glass of the local red (yes, Texas has wineries and this sample of their finest red is AWFULL and should only be used for cooking).  I switch
to a glass of Chloe 249 ( a red blend from Sonoma, California) and enjoy some college basketball on TV.

Once I finish up my meal and glass of wine, and realize that there is no way I am going to be able to stay up to watch my favorite local teams (it must be nearly impossible to watch west coast sports teams when you live on the east coast which is reason enough to live on the west coast),

I’m off to bed.  Getting up at 3:45am to be sure to get the 4:20am shuttle to the airport in time to get my seat assignment.

Good night y’all.

Super-Agent out.