An Opportunity Missed, or Not

This is an entirely true story...

As you know (if you've read my stories), I typically use real moments in my life to build my simple stories around... You may also remember that I once travelled a lot for business.

Depending on your point of view, it was one of the job's benefits or downsides.

For me, the best part of traveling was the people I met, and in some cases, still know. There were many amazing, lovely people along the way, but it all got old... Simply put, I grew to hate traveling.

First, let me take a moment to clarify what I mean by "a lot" of travel.

In my career, I flew around the world over 50 times on Pan Am's flights numbered 1 and 2. Flight 2 left from JFK in NY, making stops in Honolulu, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and, depending on the day, New Delhi, Karachi, Tehran, or Beirut, and then Istanbul, Frankfurt, and London... Flight 1 went the other way, stopping in London first.

Those were in addition to hundreds of "regional" trips within the United States, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

I visited and worked in dozens of countries, some good, some not, some truly awful, and some scary.

There were hurricanes, typhoons, monsoons, earthquakes, insurrections, war, and once, when I was shopping in a Bangkok street market, a water buffalo was running amok after escaping from a slaughterhouse down the road. Over twenty people were injured. I did what I could to help while trying not to get killed.

I got sick, was injured, and had countless close calls at a time when making a phone call home could take an hour, or more, to get an international line.

Considering all this, it's understandable why travel took on a different perspective for me... at least in my mind.

Most of my work was in and around airport projects, so I attended an aviation trade show on one trip. I don't remember exactly where it was, but I'm sure it was in Florida.

I arrived at the convention center and showed my badge. Nearby, I noticed an invitation to buy a raffle ticket. I don't usually gamble, even in a raffle, but it supported educational grants for the children of employees in the aviation industry.

I looked to see how they were doing, and there were maybe ten or fifteen tickets in the cylinder-shaped cage, but certainly no more than twenty. The tickets were only a dollar each, so I bought twenty for what I thought was a good cause.

Trade shows are always overwhelming, but I start at one end and snake up and down the aisles doing what people do... I go from booth to booth, trying to sell my services where they apply, and learning more about things I am interested in or might be able to use to grow my business.

The announcement came over the loudspeaker...

"The educational raffle drawing is going to start".

There was a pause, and they called my name. It seemed I had won a high-end leather briefcase. I made my way to the podium and picked up my prize. It was nice. I still have it in a closet somewhere.

As I was heading back to the booth, I left. They announced that I had won another prize! Two coach seats on American Airlines, for wherever they fly. I laughed and headed back to the podium.

After I picked up my voucher, I think they drew another one of my tickets, so they announced they would pause the drawing to allow more people to buy tickets. They must have removed the rest of my tickets, believing I had already won enough prizes. It's not ethical, but I was happy with what I had won.

One of the things I did with my kids was to give them each the opportunity to join me on one of my trips... It was their choice. I'd let them know where I was going and how long I'd be, and they could join me once.

My older son was a history major and chose England; my other son chose China. We had great trips with many memories, and they learned more about what I did.

I suggested that my daughter, a beach girl, might want to join me on a trip to the Caribbean. We would fly into San Juan using American tickets and then fly on Liat Airlines to various islands until my work was done.

Most people don't know of Liat, but I was a frequent flyer with them. They cover most of the Caribbean and have hubs in San Juan and Antigua. They fly mostly smaller planes to maybe twenty islands in the Caribbean.

On this trip, I only had to go to Barbados and Trinidad after San Juan, but I planned to stop in Bonaire for some shore diving to make it feel more like a vacation for both of us.

In case you're wondering why I didn't go someplace lovely with my wife... well... I had learned of her extramarital shenanigans, so going anywhere together, at that time, was out of the question.

When I think you've got a plan... my daughter tells me she has a better idea, she and her boyfriend, Jared, would use the tickets instead of us.

"You said it's my trip, and this is what I want."

Taken back, I asked,

"You want to go on 'our' trip with Jared instead of me?"

"Yes, we've talked about it and think it would be fun."

"Okay, but then that's 'our' trip, one and done."

"I understand, but I think we need this."

So they went to Puerto Rico.

Over the years, when the boys spoke about their trips with me, my daughter would say something like...

"We never got to go on our trip."

Without showing any emotion or change of expression, I would look at her and say,

"Yes, we did, you just decided to go with Jared instead of me."

A few years later, in a brief attempt to rekindle what was lost with my wife, I suggested she join me on an upcoming trip to Venice. Her response?

"Why don't we all go?"

I thought for a moment and said,

"Well, not to Venice, we'll be moving around for work in Italy, but they can join us when we get to London."

I made the plans, and we flew into Paris. I had a few meetings at the airport, but we had time to go to the National Museum of Modern Art, a must-see for me. We enjoyed the feel of Paris... lovely meals at sidewalk cafes and recommended restaurants, strolling around, and taking pictures.

From Paris, we flew to Venice. I attended a conference there, but when I wasn't working, we strolled the back streets, took gondolas everywhere we could, and relaxed.

One hiccup: I have a few allergies and got sick, so we didn't go to Florence. But it was kind of nice to stay in one place for a few days, even if I wasn't feeling well.

From Venice, we rented a car and drove to Monaco. The Amalfi Coast is supposed to be lovely, and I think what we saw was (although it's best viewed from a boat), but driving through it was nerve-racking. The roads are narrow, motor scooters weave in and out, pedestrians ignore signs and traffic lights (so do the drivers), and horns blare. Other than focusing on the road, I didn't get to see much.

Needless to say, I was relieved to pull into our hotel in Monaco. It's a lovely hotel, the staff are attentive, and as it was just outside the city center, it was nice and quiet at night. We stayed for a few days... No, we didn't go to "Casino Royale," but we walked past one evening... Fabulous people (at least they think so) with expensive cars and tourists, not my thing. I did mention I don't gamble, right?

The coastal road from Monaco to Marseille looked lovely, so I had planned to drive to Marseille, return the rental car at the train station, and catch a high-speed train to Paris.

The hotel manager suggested that taking the train from there would be much more relaxing. So I returned the car at the hotel, and they'd get back to Budget. They loaded the courtesy car and dropped us off at the train station.

I had assumed there would be porters to help us with our luggage. Nope. We had to carry, wheel, and drag our bags up long flights of stairs to the platform, then load them on the train. I remember throwing some of them into the train just as the doors closed.

In Paris, it was the same thing in reverse. Getting the bags off the train, down the stairs, and to the taxi stand is not in the tour books. Even though we were in the 'first class' car, there wasn't anyone around to help.

While the start was annoying, we had an enjoyable stay at our little but lovely hotel in Paris. We spent a few days there doing touristy things and just walking around the small streets, stopping whenever we felt like it.

I love Monet's work. My whole reason for going to Paris was to drive to his home, stroll the gardens, sit by the lily pond, and stand on the bridge. We got there early, and the place was empty. It was exactly what I wanted--to be alone, imagining him sitting there, painting all day... But there's a cafe just across the road from the entrance...

My wife insists,

"Let's have breakfast."

"No, I want to get in before it gets busy."

"There's no one here, we'll be quick."

Forty-five minutes later, we paid the bill and stepped outside. Instead of the quaint, quiet street that was there when we arrived, there were dozens of buses and hundreds of tourists standing in line to get in.

I looked and just said,

"No, let's go."

It was a quiet drive back into town.

Taking the Eurostar (bullet train) was a different experience. The porters helped with the bags, the seats were comfortable, and we zoomed across France to the "Chunnel" and were in London before we knew it.

I surprised my wife by not going to a hotel, but to a friend's live-aboard canal boat. We spent a few days cruising the canals that go through and under London, and then out into the countryside. The weather was perfect, and it was lovely.

I quickly learned that piloting a 65-foot canal boat is challenging and easy. It was hard because it was a new experience, but it was made easy by other, very kind boaters who were always ready and happy to help when I was in trouble.

We even arranged a meeting with friends at a pub where the highway and the canal cross. Seeing familiar faces in the middle of the English countryside was lovely.

The kids came a few days later, there were five altogether: my oldest son with his girlfriend (I don't remember her name), my daughter with Jared, and my youngest son. They met us at the dock, and we took them on a short ride to a pub for lunch. I asked the waitress,

"May I have an iced tea?"

She smiled and said,

"Sorry, sir, we don't have that."

"Okay, may I have three tea bags, a small pot of hot water, two glasses of ice, a wedge of lemon, and some sugar, please."

She brought it all on a tray and watched me make some iced tea...

She was shocked,

"Is that all it is?"

"Yep, just add lemon and sugar to taste."

After lunch, we returned to my friend's boat to clean it and lock the cabin. We loaded up the car and headed into London.

I was relieved to pull into the hotel's driveway and hear the bellman say...

"Leave all this to me, go check in, have a drink, and we'll sort it all quickly."

I tipped him well when he and two other guys rolled three luggage carts to us as we checked in. They stayed with us and helped until we were settled in our rooms.

My wife and I had a two-bedroom suite. Our youngest son stayed with us, and the couples got their rooms.

One thing that drove me crazy... every time I suggested something special for the two of us, my wife would say...

"Why don't we all go?"

So, an evening at the theater went from two to seven tickets. A quiet meal for two became an expensive feast for seven, and so on.

I had meetings, but American Express called me every few hours to confirm a purchase or expense.

Fortunately, business was good and my associates insisted on paying now and then, even when the whole crowd showed up.

One evening, Jared took me aside and thanked me for the trip and the thousand-dollar-plus cashmere sports coat my wife put on my Amex. I tried not to pass out and said, "Well, you can pay me back when you make it big."

We all flew home together, and no, I didn't upgrade everyone else to Business Class when my wife suggested it. I swear she either had no clue of the cost of all the "why don't we all go" outings and meals, or she was trying to spend everything I made to impress young adults who were happy just to have been invited.

Two months after the trip, I got an American Express bill for $30,000 above what I had already paid... There was also a notice... they were terminating my account.

I called...

"Cancelling my account? Wha's going on? What's this $30,000 charge?"

"It's for the stolen car."

"What? What stolen car?"

"The rental car company confirms that you never returned the BMW you rented in Venice."

"That's ridiculous, the hotel in Monaco is an authorized agent for Budget, they gave me a receipt and final bill..."

"We know that's not true, our investigators are looking into this, and criminal charges will be filed if the car is not returned or paid for in full."

"Please call the hotel. Better yet, let's get them on the phone right now. This is all just a misunderstanding... You have my charges. We took the train. You can track my movements. You know where I went, where I stayed, and what I did the entire time I was in Europe. What could I have done with a car? Please call the hotel in Monaco."

"Once our investigation has been concluded, you must either pay the bill or be arrested. In any case, your account has been flagged and will be closed. The rental company will get our report, and it's up to them to press charges. Assuming they do, you will be arrested and have to appear in court in Paris."

"Hang on, I'm going to a conference in the hotel."

"No, it's too late for that. You've been notified, so pay the bill to avoid further action. Your account is, in any case, closed."

After she hung up, I called the hotel. They were very sorry, but they couldn't find the car. They promised to contact Amex and Budget to inform them that the vehicle had been left with them. Ultimately, the hotel's making calls to confirm my story didn't matter.

While Budget believed me and dropped the charges, Amex canceled my account when I didn't pay their ridiculous bill.

Three months later, the hotel manager called me...

"Mr. Roberts, this is Oscar from the hotel in Monaco. Good news: We found the car. It was tucked into a corner of our garage with the long-term storage vehicles of guests who only come occasionally. We are so sorry for any inconvenience. Of course, we contacted Amex and Budget immediately."

"Wow, I'm so glad you found it, but I haven't heard anything from Amex since Budget dropped the charges."

"It all happened yesterday. Over the last few months, I have called Amex a dozen times, assuring them that the car was here, and given Budget the same information. I am so sorry... Please come again anytime and let us make it up to you."

"Thank you. I promise to come and see you if I find myself in Monaco."

The following month, I received a check from Budget in Europe for $36,280. Of course, I called them immediately. They were very apologetic for doubting my word and questioning my integrity. Amex had paid the whole amount, so they sent me the check, assuming I had paid Amex.

Naturally, I did the right thing; I called Amex and said I'd like to speak to someone about my account.

After the usual questions, she says,

"I'm sorry, sir, but that account has been closed."

"I know that, but as I said before, it was all a misunderstanding. The car has been found, and Budget sent me a refund check. I want to pay the balance, this is your money."

"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't do anything once an account is closed."

"Please let me speak to your supervisor."

"Please hold."

"This is Mr. Edwards. How can I help you?"

"Hi, a few months ago, a mix-up made it seem like I had stolen a car. Well, the hotel found the car and returned it to Budget. In return, Budget sent me a check. I want to pay my account balance, or at least send you the money I received."

"I'm sorry, but once an account has been flagged and cancelled, it's written off and deleted. I do show that our investigators confirmed that you had stolen a car, but Budget had chosen not to press charges. You should be grateful and let this go."

"I didn't steal the car; they found and returned it, so Budget refunded your money to me."

"I'm sorry, sir, there's nothing we can do, good day."

He hung up. I couldn't believe it.

I did what any honest person would do: I wrote them a check and sent it to Amex with my account number on the notation line. Ten days later, a letter came saying the account had been closed. My check was enclosed and stamped 'VOID'.

I felt bad for about five minutes and then laughed.

I didn't tell my wife, but looked at it as a bonus and decided to find an investment; I bought stock...

Jared, through my daughter, suggested I buy Bitcoin at just about this time. He said he was making money and assured me it would become the next big thing.

It sold for less than a dollar, but continued to go up. I can look back on this now and know how foolish this sounds, but at the time, I thought...

"I paid for a trip to the Caribbean, I paid for a trip to Europe and paid for that fucking suede sports coat, now you have something that's making money, and you're asking me for more money... put some money in for me and let me know how it goes."

Looking back, of course is hindsight and while I hope he and his wife are somewhere below the radar, living the fabulous life of a new crypto billionaire, at the time, I was pissed and certainly not going to give him more money to gamble on some hair brain fake money scheme...

Oh well, you can't win them all... but it would be nice to win one now and then... I keep trying.

Now, you might think I am bitter about losing a fortune, but I'm not.

Unless I lied or hid it, the bitcoin would have gone in the divorce, just like everything else. Or I would have become fabulously wealthy and moved to a tax haven, maybe Monaco?

In either case, I wouldn't have sat at the bar for ten years, and I might not have met my amazing wife, whom we all know is way too good for me... or had an adorable son at my 72 years old.

While some might disagree, I wouldn't change a thing... although, Jared, if you read this, maybe you can send me a coin or two... ; )