The Road Trip Not Planned

Last month, we headed back to Los Angeles for Daniel’s surgery. Friday before our Sunday 5:30 a.m. flight, Daniel had a runny nose and scratchy throat. So, to be confident we would not infect the entire plane, we tested for COVID-19 at home and were both negative.

We forged ahead with our plans after arriving in L.A., starting with dinner at a beautiful Japanese restaurant downtown. We stopped at our friends to unload luggage and say “hi” before dinner. We were off to a good start with good food, good friends, and a pool.

Then the insanity began! I drove Daniel to the hospital the following day, again at 5:30 a.m. Approximately two hours after I left him, the doctor called. He had tested positive for COVID-19, and surgery needed to be rescheduled.

First, I had to tell my friends that we possibly shared COVID-19 with them. Even though we all had been vaccinated and boosted, it was still unnerving and guilt-inducing. I then raced to the hospital to pick Daniel up and prepare for the trek home.

With a positive test, flying home was not an option. So, it was off to the car rental agency to change our contract. We needed to change our ten-day, local rental to allow us to drive out of state and drop the car off in Walla Walla.

Managing those transactions in a crowded Enterprise Rental Car office, with a trainee assisted by three different associates, was head spinning. Daniel had to wait in the car and avoid human contact. We finally left with the car after I had to spell Walla Walla three times to three different people. I asked to have the contract emailed to save some time. Unfortunately, I didn’t look at the emailed contract, which still had us returning the car where we picked it up in Los Angeles.

Next, we packed the car and filled a cooler with ice, water, soda, and picnic supplies. With the car packed and gassed up, we hit the road. Driving the small, underpowered, four-cylinder, economy car over the California grapevine was brutal. It felt like I was driving a go-cart. Trucks and beat-up jalopies passed us as I was sure the engine would overheat, stranding us in the desert.

Daniel decided we could make it to Weed in Northern California to spend the night. Looking online for someplace to stay, I could only find one available hotel which looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since the early 1900s. We gave up a little distance and stopped at a less rustic Quality Inn in Redding.

To be efficient, I scheduled to take a COVID-19 test at the Walla Walla Rite Aid, timed with our ETA into town. We made it on time for the appointment but found the pharmacy was closed; the pharmacist was out sick.

Almost home, we drove to the airport, parked the little rental, and dropped the keys in the return box. Then it hit me, we rented the car from Enterprise, and I had just dropped the keys in a locked box at Budget/Avis.

The following day, I called the local Enterprise office, which is not located at the airport, to explain what happened. The associate was so gracious, responding, “You have no idea how often this happens, so no problem, we will pick up the car and close out the contract.” I also explained the drop-off location error still on the emailed contract to which she was unfazed.

Fortunately, I never got COVID-19, and Daniel had mild symptoms. A new surgery date for Daniel was set. We made it back to L.A. this week and hope to make use of the roundtrip tickets this time.