How to Get a Hummer - No Extra Charge

This is a true story. Not exaggerated. At all. For Real.

My Dad thought it would be fun to go to Arizona in February to enjoy some sun. (Not that we are getting much sun yet.) A few of us kids, along with a couple friends, Julia & Tony and Kenton & Cheryl Spratt thought it would be fun to join in for the week.

Kenton and Cheryl landed around 9:30pm after a delayed flight. Dad and myself had arried around 8:30pm to meet Kara and Winston. Winston and Dad took the half hour shuttle ride to see about getting the mini-van that Dad had reserved.

A long time later they arrive back at the airport and Dad has some information for us. Apparently on the levels of evils in this world, the devil is at the bottom. Only barely above that, and sometimes undistinguishable, are car rental companies. They had just spent half an hour in line. Someone in front of them asked another which customer service agent they hoped to get to help them. The answer was something along the lines of "I don't know because they all seem to suck really bad."

The end of their half hour line up ended with the person telling them they could not take the mini van because Kenton was going to be the primary driver and nothing could be done until he was there personally. Even after Dad explained that it was his credit card information they had, and his airmiles that had paid for this car, they would not allow him to switch himself to be the primary driver. Not even after speaking to a couple different managers.

So they came back to the airport to meet us and decided the best course of action would be for Dad to take us girls home in the previously rented car while Winston and Kenton went to the car rental place to get the car.

Off on the shuttle Winston and Kenton went. They waited yet another half hour in line only to find that they did not even have the mini van. I kid you not. They had an SUV though? So they step aside to call Dad to make sure that this is doable. It is we decide, let's just get the car already. So they go back to get the SUV. Guess what? They had just given it away. So a five seater it is. It could work if it had to so whatever. It's getting late and this is ridiculous. Finally they give us a five seater car.

But this is not the end. Not even close.

They get to the parking lot only to find out that Kenton's license has expired. Yup - I promise I'm not making this up. Back they go yet again. Winston turns 25 in two weeks. After a bit of pleading, they agree to rent the car to Winston.

Don't get excited, the end is still not here.

Winston puts the key in the ignition and the key breaks in his hand. Yup. Break right in his hand. Somehow or other (don't ask me how) the key is fixed awhile later, but the car still won't start. What now?

This is when somebody (we're guessing a top dog in the car rental company since they were so accomadating) shows up. That's when he tells Winston and Kenton tojust go ahead and take the Hummer. Just sign this piece of paper, you don't even have to go back to the office for the millionith time, just drive away with this Hummer.

They arrived at the rented vacation house at 1:30 in the morning.

And now we are driving a Hummer around.

True Story.