Car Please!

It's not mine but I'll take it!

The other morning I stood out in front of our hotel waiting for a friend to arrive for a lunch date. It was a busy time of day at a busy hotel-- a popular lunch meeting spot. The valets were running coming and going and the cars were arriving and departing with carousel-like frequency.

Then, off to one side, I noticed a couple of valets who were not moving with any haste. Quite the opposite: They were fixed trying to explain to a rather upset woman what they were going to do about her car. It seems they had brought the car up and had it waiting when another customer, who drove the same type and color vehicle, hopped in, said thank you, handed over a tip, and drove off in the wrong car. I found the whole chapter entertaining as well as educational. I doubt I'll ever drive off in the wrong car.

When my friend arrived I related the story which he found amusing and unbelievable. But then he tells me how, a few months ago, while at a terrifically boring function he and his companion decided to slip out a side entrance, get their car, and get the heck out of Dodge. He said he made it about four blocks before he noticed he was in the wrong Prius! Geez! I guess this does happen.

After a casual lunch I walked my friend back up front to claim his car and get on his way. As he drove off I heard the sound of a distressed woman yelling at someone. It was the poor woman whose car had been hijacked. She was yelling at the lady who had only then returned the car-- like 3 hours later! As frustrated as I would be in the same circumstance, I had to think two things: First, this episode will be funny some day. Some day she will have tears rolling down her cheeks as she tells her friends about her lunch at that hotel. Second: She's obviously not a writer. That event and the time it took to recover the car should have been more than enough time to outline an entire 90 minutes of action or comedy, writer's choice.