The adventure of Hurricane Matthew continues…
I’m a Gen-Xer. A former latchkey kid. Raised to be independent and to get what I’m willing to settle for. A grown woman who is used to fending for herself. A feminist who doesn’t need help from a man. A professional who takes care of business.
And I don’t mind admitting that it felt awesome when my Uncle Greg of Ft. Lauderdale stepped into my world and saved me.
I was a child the last time somebody acted on my behalf to swoop down and do something for me that I wasn’t able to accomplish for myself.
See, I was scheduled to fly out of Orlando and away from Hurricane Matthew today (Friday) then tomorrow, then my flight was pushed back yet again to Sunday. I’ve been on the phone with Delta multiple times a day, navigating customer service both very good and very awful.
But when I tried to extend my hotel stay this afternoon at the Buena Vista Hotel and Spa in Disney Springs I was met with a sheepish grin and a “maybe.”
“Maybe?” I asked. “You mean you’re full for Saturday night?”
“Yes,” she replied. “We have new guests coming in. If some of them cancel you can stay. Otherwise you’ll have to leave. We’ll let you know Saturday morning.”
I did what is in my nature to do, I didn’t fight her. I fell back on my network. My cousin John, who lives in Chicago, texted me when he heard I was here for the duration and said if I needed anything I should call him as he has business partners in Orlando. I gave him a ring and said I might need a place to stay. Might. Status uncertain. Nothing like a little more uncertainty to assist the generalized anxiety of a hurricane. He reached out, found someone in less than an hour, and told me I was all good. All I had to do was make a phone call Saturday morning when I learned one way or the other about my status.
I went back to my room and made the rounds of texting/bugging friends, more phone calls with Delta, work email, blogging, and setting up a date with Hubby to co-watch Longmire at 7 pm on our respective devices with a phone line open between us.
Then a Facebook Message came in from my Uncle Greg. He and his partner Nikki live down here and he was checking in on me. I told him I was in limbo with the hotel.
He was appalled.
WHAT? He texted. THEY CAN’T THROW YOU OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A HURRICANE. What room are you in? I’m calling them right now.
Are you serious? I asked.
I was tired of feeling buffeted by factors beyond my control and willing to let someone else take over.
He promptly called the hotel, read them the riot act, got me an upgrade, and put it on his credit card. (I’m going to make sure he doesn’t actually end up paying, that’s too much). All of this was accomplished between him and me over Facebook Messenger. It took him about 10 minutes and all of my anxiety was swooped away.
It’s not just that I’m no longer faced with uncertainty and possibly staying with a stranger in a strange land, however much “in-network” she may be. A family member who loves me came to my rescue and advocated for me and got me what I wanted most: to stay where I was in midst of chaos until I could get the hell out of dodge and back to my Hubby and my cats and my own home.
Uncle Greg, you are the bestest ever and you can save me anytime. Knights in shining armor are highly under-rated.
Plum Librarian LLC 