* Readers, yes, I know today is ADHD week, but my Wednesday ADHD blog is enough on its own to count for Monday AND Wednesday. Trust me … and enjoy more lessons learned the hard way, below, courtesy of moi. *
Life Lesson in Business Travel #3,268
My phone rang as I pulled into the return line at Alamo Car Rental in Huntsville, Alabama. I squinted at the caller ID on my iPhone. I sort of recognized the number. I knew better than to answer it right then, but sometimes I do inexplicable things, like answer the phone when I am returning a rental car and juggling iPhone, keys, handbag, suitcase, and laptop bag.
So I pressed Accept.
The universe must have been channeling positive energy to me when I wavered between accept or decline, because I was rewarded with a client and some new business on the other end of the line. The client engaged me for a raunchy sexual harassment investigation, on the spot. I get these types of calls regularly, and I am paid to discuss words and topics that aren’t fit for Sunday School. And, yes, I’m a lot of fun at a party!
Caught up in the moment — and excited to be able to stave off the bill collector for another few days — I lost track of my surroundings…until I looked up into the gaping mouth and wide eyes of the blushing Alamo attendant, who, bless his heart, was raised WAY better than that.
Oops.
I handed him the keys and left him standing there perplexed, as he struggled to make sense of a normal looking 40-something woman talking like that. His Mama sure never talked that way!
Lesson learned: There is no safe place to do what I do, and certainly not the Alamo checkout line. Hide and whisper when on the phone, Pamela!
p.s. I discovered at a young age that I can’t fix these awkward moments — as a college-age waiter I spilled a glass of water in a gentleman’s lap, then tried to wipe it up for him (yikes). I just block out the trail of hapless “Alamo attendants” left in my wake.
//
//
You probably mde the attendant’s day- gave him/her something to talk aboput for days!!
Wish I could’ve been a fly on the wall 😉
ROTFLMAO!!! Thanks, Pamela, for a good start to the week.