Country Girl in the City

Sit right back...I have a Bekah story for you today.

I was raised in the country. Not on a farm, but in the country. And for the most part, I've stayed with country (or SMALL city) life. I'm not sophisticated, I'm not polished, I don't know what fork to use when multiple options are given, and I am okay with all these things.

So this past Monday, when I headed to my hotel room for the week, I sensed an "only-Bekah" story in the making. My room was reserved in the middle of downtown Fort Wayne. Now granted, comparitively speaking, downtown Fort Wayne is still pretty small. But for this girl, it was a lot of one-way-lanes to contend with. Thank goodness for Cal.

I pulled up in front of the hotel, parked in the loading zone and went inside. The nice lady behind the desk asked my name, and when I told her, she said, "Oh of course! Miss Freelan!" Ummmm - didn't realize you'd be expecting me!

She gave me the room card and also a card for the parking garage.

Okay people. Confession time. Only once in my adult life have I ever parked in a parking garage, and that was earlier this summer when Lynne and I had our pictures taken just around the corner from the hotel where I stayed last week. I made my way in and out only because I followed her. So while I realize this is a TOTALLY stupid thing to be worried, about...I was.

She gave me another card and said if I'd just pull to the end of the building, I could scan the card, and park anywhere on the first level. Then I could just follow the awnings into the building and find my room. It sounds simple, doesn't it?

Well check out how it REALLY happened. And oh how I wish I had footage of it. The hotel probably does. They're probably selling tickets to it right now, actually.

* Scanned the little card and got in the parking garage with no problem. Headed for the first level where EVERY SPACE had a reserved sign.

* Kept driving and got all the way to the end of the first level before I realized they were reserved FOR THE HOTEL GUESTS. Oh. That's me.

* Decided I didn't want to be the whole first level away from the hotel, so I pulled in a spot and debated about whether I was allowed to pull back out and go the way I just came or if this was one of those garages where I had to continue to the next section and somehow find my way back.

* Seeing no traffic, I decided to backtrack and hope that wasn't illegal (a.k.a. captured on film)

* Parked my car, grabbed all my work bags and dinner and headed for the awnings.

* They did not exist.

* Found signs that said "Hotel" and walked toward the door. It went outside. Surely there was a skywalk of some sort. Walked up the stairs to level two. No exit. Got in the elevator and rode right back down to the place I'd just been.

* Walked outside in search of non-existent awnings. Found a sign that said "Hotel entrance." Entered. No elevators at that end of the building. Walked upstairs and found my room. Took pictures (Duh!)

*Walked back toward the garage and went down one level too far. (No signs on the inside of the door to label it "street.") Rolled my eyes as I was sure the front desk was having a great time watching this on surveillance.

* Made my way back to the car. Hefted (and I do mean HEFTED) both suitcases out of the trunk and pushed/pulled them back the way I came.

* To get to an elevator, I'd have had to push them on the street to the front door. Not interested. Rolled them in the stairwell and ran them one half-flight at a time up the stairs.

* Disappeared inside my room and decided that HAD to count for half a workout.

What can I say? Country girl!