Have Bus, Will Travel. Just Not There.

A few days ago at work, I was busy driving the airport shuttle. We had a lot of hotel guests who were meeting at our full service hotel but staying at one of our less expensive brands in the area. And so I knew that I was in for a day of shuttling people around between the two hotels.

Two good ol' boys ambled up to my bus as I was about to leave my hotel for the airport. Wearing ballcaps, comfortable bellies, and shit-eating grins, they clearly had been enjoying their early afternoon with more than a few nice beers. I was in a bit of a bad mood, but they were smiling so big that they won me over with their happiness. They looked like my town's physical equivalent of Buddhas. I assumed that they were going to our sister hotel but politely asked them where they were going anyway.

"Hello, Chief. Can you take us to the Purple Onion?" OK, these funny rednecks had me at hello. The Purple Onion is a local adult bookstore, not anywhere near the area of my route though. I played along with their joke.

"Sure thing. I was going there anyway!," I smiled.

"How about that? This is our lucky day," they answered as they boarded.

Now, as I pulled away from the main drive on the way to their hotel, I asked again just to make sure, "So, you're going to "Hotel B" right?"

A small but telling pause followed.

"Um, you mean you can't really take us to The Purple Onion?"

"Uh, sorry. I thought you guys were joking. I can only go to the airport and a couple of hotels."

"Hell, we're sorry man. No, we're staying at this hotel. We just wanted to get out for a bit. That's cool though. Just let us off and we'll catch a cab."

"OK, sorry again guys. Be cool."

And off they went. Two real men, going to the adult book store together on a Friday afternoon. The Brokeback Mountain reference was not lost on me.

They sure improved my mood for the day. I loved those guys.