My plans were just to take a taxi. I learned there were a few others who were going to the airport about the same time, so we decided to ride together and share a cab. In the last meeting of the day, our small group was offered a ride from another airport bound traveler.
The rental Nissan Altima was the ride for 5 grown adults, all with briefcases, laptop or messenger bags. The humor started when no one could figure out how to open the trunk. No biggie, it was less than 30 minutes to the airport, so we'd just carry our bags on our laps.
Everyone had traveled very light, as it was a day trip for most of the people. We all piled in and the three of us in the back were packed in tightly. At this point, the punchiness really started to show through.
"You're in the safest spot, you've got fully deployed airbags all around you!"
"Yeah, you guys are full of hot air."
Another Nissan Altima drove by and the guy in the middle seat said, "Hey, those people in that car are wondering why all those guys are carrying their bags on their laps."
"When we get the airport, its gonna be like a clown car dumping every body out."
Our driver started to take some windy way to the airport, through a light industrial area. Our CIO said, "I've never been to the airport this way. Are you sure you're taking us to the airport?" At this point, we started to wonder why we couldn't get into the trunk. "Who is in the trunk?"
Stuffed full with 5 grown adults, the little car started to get hot. Two windows were opened, but with my messenger bag on my lap, I could only flail my arms in the direction of the window switch. I was told, "Don't worry about it, you might open the door and we'll all fall out."
Conversation turned to when was everyone's flight. The one who was driving had to return the rental car and had the earliest flight at 6:09. Commenting that it was a strange time for a flight, the front seat passenger looked for the clock. "We need to hurry since your flight is soon. Its 540." Turns out the display he was looking at said 540 AM, but it was late in the afternoon and the display was the radio! So much for easy to read displays in that car.
We drove into the airport and our CIO offered to return the car for the guy driving, so he could make his flight. They guy driving declined and drove us all to the curbside drop off! It was quite nice of him, especially since he was on a tight time frame. He could have taken us with him to return the rental car.
The humor, though, doesn't end here. The backseat passengers all tried to get out of the car, hurrying so that he wouldn't miss his flight, but we couldn't open the doors. We try the lock buttons, the driver tries his lock button, but no luck. It turns out, the child locks were activated! The front seat passenger let us out and we all fell out of the car, laughing out loud.
All in all, we saved the company some taxi fares and had a fun drive to the airport. Early plane flights and all day meetings make people quite punchy! How much fun!
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