A Failed Plan

People do not plan to fail, they fail to plan.

I am sure that like me you have heard this phrase from every insurance salesman you have ever met.

Well last week on a road trip to NW Iowa, Central Patti and I discovered that if you don’t plan you will fail.

First we did not look at any road reports as we departed Kansas City because if we had we would have known that the two main routes out of Kansas City were closed and saved us an extra half hour detour.

We then arrived in Council Bluffs and were really looking forward to staying at Harrah’s and having a few cocktails and dinner in the 360 Steakhouse overlooking the mighty Mississippi and the Omaha Skyline.

We got out of the car, parking the in self serve lot opting to not use valet. Grabbing our luggage and I a couple of shirts and a pair of slacks we headed for the lobby. As we walked (about a block) Central Patti said, “I wonder if we should have checked to see if there are any rooms?” I scoffed at this suggestion thinking how full could this huge hotel be?

 

As Patti was inquiring at the desk I was looking through the lobby and the casino becoming high in anticipation of all the fun we would be having in a short while after a quick shower and change of clothes. 

As I approached the desk I heard the clerk say, “I can call another hotel for you.”

Well that did not make me happy. Patti looked at me and said out loud , “you have got to be shitting me!”

The clerk was very professional and did find us about the only room left in the area. The last thing the clerk said was “it is a really nice place.”

As we walked the longest mile back to the car I was fuming and when my pants dropped off the hanger on the hot parking lot that was the last straw. My suite case flew out of my hands and slid across the parking lot stopping as it hit the tire of our car. 

I called the Ameristar and again found no room at the in. The accommodation the clerk procured for us was at the “beautiful” Comfort Inn. Not to be confused with the Comfort Inn and Suites as this inn had no suites and I was just excited when it had a bed and a shower. We were officially slumming and did I mention that we had a room with a smell (no extra charge)

I was prepared to walk next door to the gas station and get a pizza and a six pack and eat in the room. Not a bad plan except after arriving at the station we discovered they were out of pizza and the kitchen was closed.

Yes, I was pissed again.

Central Patti talked me in to getting back in the car and would drive us to a place to grab a bite. First stop was packed, second stop again packed, finally we found a Hooters which had plenty of parking (should have been a sign, you think?) and as we were very hungry we entered what could have been the worst Hooters in the country.

 

The waitresses, while cute were very  young (or I am just getting to old to enjoy this type of outing anymore) the establishment did not look and was not all that clean and probably had not been renovated since it was built. Menus were faded and worn and a little soggy and our table was filthy.

At this point I had almost had enough, but needed a drink so we stayed. Cindy waited on us and was the best of the lot with a nice “set” bulging from her top so I had the going for me.

The meal was really quite good so things started to pick up. After few cocktails we paid our tab and drove out of the parking lot in search of a liquor store. We found one after only a short couple of block search and knew at this point our luck had indeed change.

 

Picking up a couple of bottles, a mixer and two cigars we headed back to our place of lodging spending fifty on dinner and drinks and another ninety at on booze and cigars.

 The Bar du Jour

Back at the Inn we found there was a gazebo out the side door and moved the bar, my Bluetooth phone and speaker and of course our bar to the great outdoors. Finally after a few cocktails and a cigar I could relax which would set the state for the rest of the weekend turning the “Failed Plan” into a really enjoyable evening.

CheersThe Professor