Happy New Year?

I've just about had it with airports and hotels at the moment. My family and I traveled up to Boston yesterday morning--after spending the previous night at an Atlanta airport hotel. As we checked in, I specifically asked the hotel clerk about the airport shuttle.

"What times does the shuttle run to the airport?" I asked.

"Whenever you want it to run," she replied. "Just call us about ten minutes before you are ready to go over."

I was impressed. Wow! A hotel shuttle that ran when you wanted it to run--what a novel concept.

I slept soundly, though briefly, as my son and I stayed up late to watch the University of Georgia Bulldogs absolutely ravish and destroy the University of Hawai'i.

I climbed out of bed when the wake-up call came at 4:30 a.m. I took a nice, slow shower. I woke my wife and children up at the proper time.

Then I called the front desk to tell them that I expected a shuttle to the airport in 10 minutes.

"The shuttle only runs on the hour," said the woman at the front desk. Of course, the woman I had chatted with the previous night was sleeping soundly at some location absolutely unknown to me.

I protested that I had been assured the previous night that the shuttle ran whenever I wanted it to run.

"I don't know why anyone here would tell you that," said the clerk.

"Well," I said. "I don't either--but I'd suggest you go crank your car and start warming it up so you can take me over to the airport."

She informed me that she didn't take people to the airport.

We rushed around like crazy people and packed in 10 minutes--putting the entire family in a great mood for the flight to Boston.

The shuttle driver threatened to leave us when we were a bit slower getting there.

As we exited the shuttle at the airport, he said, "Happy New Year, sir!"

I didn't return the greeting.