Reno: 550 Miles

I'm home again, and I was so grateful to find myself driving down the Wasatch Front that I almost cried. I couldn't really cry, of course, 'cause I was driving that big-ass truck and I needed to keep my eyes on the road. I allowed them to prickle a little.

Guess what? All the usual bullshit of my personal American cul-de-sac hell was waiting for me, right where I had left it. Simon bought a big-screen TV with Blue-Ray (and no, I didn't want a TV - he went and bought it anyway) and now he can't get it configured to our wireless. This resulted in a ranting spouse who wonders why he can't ever get anything to work, EVER. I make soothing noises and help him pore over the instruction manual, all the time thinking, I rushed home for this!?

Since it is Presidents' Day weekend, Simon is busy and stressed. He managed to get off work a little early today, though, so we could take the moving van to its drop-off point. I called a couple of times to check on their hours, but got no answer. Finally, I called Budget HQ and asked about the designated location. Were they open? No problem, said the nice lady. Even if they aren't, you can leave the truck, put the key in the drop-box and they'll take it from there.

So, smack me when we arrived at the drop-off point to find that it is no longer in business. Boarded up. Rusty chain across the driveway. I thought Budget HQ might like to know. So I told them. While parked awkwardly in the adjacent forecourt of a used car dealer. Much to the amusement of the salesmen, who gathered at the front window to watch me give that nice lady hell. I'm afraid I didn't hold back. "No worries," she says, "I'll find you another place to drop it off." I don't want another drop off point. I want to be finished with this and go to Baskin Robbins before it closes to pick up Nate's birthday cake for tonight. After a few minutes on hold, she is back to tell me that all of the other Budget drop-off points in Salt Lake are closed for the day (it was 3:30 PM), so I would need to make the 70-mile round-trip to Budget in American Fork.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Not. I told her that she was going to extend my drop-off deadline. She isn't able to do that. She is very sorry, but solving problems is not in her job description. And I can't talk to a supervisor because there isn't one. She sngle-handedly runs Budget truck rentals out of a trailer in Paducah, Kentucky. She doesn't, really; but I asked her if she did.

The truck is due back at 8 AM on Monday, and of course nothing will be open tomorrow. So there's no way I can get it back on time; first, I have to call around and find a Budget place that will accept the vehicle before I can take it anywhere. Screw it if it is a few hours late. They won't be able to add charges to the account, 'cause as soon as we got home, Simon cancelled the credit card.

I've been home for 24 hours,and I need to get outta here. Reno is sounding good to me right now. Anyone need anything hauled? I've got a truck...