From the Mind of Meegs

If you haven't already read the first part, you can do so here. This probably won't make much sense until you've read the first part, and you'll ruin the suspense anyway.

Our story continues in Adel, Iowa, population: now increased by about 33% due to our presence. As we sit, I get a flash of brilliance. The car's engine is notably dead, but that doesn't necessarily mean the battery is dead. I pull out my car charger for my cell phone, plug it in and, with a prayer, turn the key. Beep! The cell phone begins to charge. Jackpot. Perhaps this will begin a run of good luck. And sure enough, that good luck seems to continue when the rental representative arrives a few minutes early, and turns out to be a major cutie to boot. What do we want to rent? The cheapest car possible, please. The last cheap one on the lot turns out to be an allegedly red car that both my sister and I agree appears rather orange, but we'll take it.

Now, can we drop this rental off at a location in Omaha, perhaps even in Chicago, if it comes to that? Omaha, yes. That's in the same service region. Chicago, not so much. Oh, and we'll have to pay $40 extra for the privilege of dropping the car off in Omaha. Clearly, this rental car company--whose identity shall be protected, though the name rhymes with "Renterplize"--isn't big on convenience. But they're our only option. And, if my car can be fixed by some miracle, then we might even bring the car back to this very location on our way home. Again, we'll take it. In our new rental, we begin to head back toward my car. It is now completely dark, and we are heading back to a roadside location unknown even to locals, but we agree that we can find it again, having spent an hour or so sitting there.

After several minutes of "Have we gone far enough?" alternating with "Have we gone too far?" panic sets in. Perhaps the unhelpful cop returned and, seeing the car now abandoned, arranged for a tow himself? Surely, it can't be our tow that came by. I was specifically told they would not tow until I was there to sign off on it. And I never did get that contact information, despite my phone now being semi-juiced. And now...the phone rings. The extremely helpful tow dispatch lady has called us to guide us to the car repair facility our car is being towed to. She stays on the line with me for over 10 minutes, patiently allowing me to read off a series of random rural signs and directing us where we need to go.

It turns out that the part about not towing without me there to sign was a falsehood. It also turns out that the lone repair shop is already closed, having rolled up their welcome mat at 5:30 PM. Doing our city folk best to understand this concept, my sister and I agree that we should leave my car there, with the key under the mat. I will leave a message explaining my situation and then leave my car at their mercy. The helpful tow truck driver happens to have the number of the repair shop stored on his phone. And the tow costs a miraculous $37. He also helpfully tells me that the problem with my car "sounds like the battery." I point out that I am now sitting in my car with my dome light on. I point out my charged cell phone, which would be hard to do with a dead battery. But, despite mounting evidence to the contrary, "sounds like the battery." Because I am a girl and thus, I clearly know nothing about cars.

Over a very late dinner, my sister and I agree that our best option is to head to Omaha that night, where we have a hotel room waiting for us. Once we reach Omaha safely, we can turn our attention to the wedding and to getting back to Chicago safely, then to figuring out what the hell I'm going to do with my car. After returning to the repair shop to clean out my car, just in case I never see it again, we make it to Omaha without incident. Morning arrives. A new day and, hopefully, a new start. First things first. I call the repair shop to make sure they received our message. The helpful manager informs me that they have, but two people called in sick that day and they may not look at it until Monday. Monday, the day I am supposed to be back in Chicago, working and teaching. But I'm running low on other options, which seems to be a recurring theme. So I thank her for their help and set about securing a method of return travel. My goal is to settle it before the rehearsal dinner that night.

First idea: one-way plane tickets. Last-last minute flights are an arm and a leg, but perhaps a day or two before last minute might yield a good deal. Thank goodness I've brought my laptop. Thank goodness the hotel has free wifi. Omaha-Chicago: $150 per person. OK. That's stomachable if it really does turn out to be the best option. But I am certainly going to look very hard at all my other options. I'm willing to drive the rental a little bit for a better flight, provided I can still drop the car off in that service region. I'm willing to fly into Milwaukee, and bribe someone to drive up and pick us up. I try out various combinations. The only feasible one that improves on the $150 cost is Kansas City-Chicago for $130 a pop. But $20 each in savings is not enough to justify driving upwards of 2.5 hours.

So, Omaha Podunk Airport, here we come. But then that gives me an idea. Omaha Podunk Airport here we come indeed...but maybe not for a flight. I could return my Renterplize car at the airport location, then rent another car from one of the other companies that maintains a location at that same airport. Now all that remains is to see if I can find one that will allow me to take the car to Chicago and not charge me a king's ransom in one-way rental fees. After a few false starts, I find one that will, like the rest, charge me top dollar for weekend rental fees, but this one will give me the one-way option for free. Even after we pay for gas on top of it, we'll easily save $75-$100 over the cost of two plane tickets. Sold!

I now have a way to make to the rehearsal dinner that night and way to make it home to Chicago safely. After the dinner, I talk to the bride. Would we like to come over to her house in Lincoln, Nebraska, for a few hours? Enjoy part of her last night as a single gal together? Sure, why not! I've got an unfettered rental car at my disposal. The world is my oyster! I'm off to my hotel to change, and then I'll be on my way. Things are looking up, finally.

to be continued...