(#30) Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver – Part 1 (Oops! Early Morning Airport Surprise)

September 22, 2012

My flight from L.A. got in at 12:50am. I hung out at the airport until about 5, when it was time to start moseying down to the race. As I stepped onto the bus, the driver said, “That’ll be nine dollars.” Huh, a little steep for a normal city bus, perhaps? But okay. Let me just get out my –

Uh oh. My wallet is nowhere to be found. I start emptying out all the contents of my backpack. It must be in here somewhere… Nope. I go into security and let them know what’s up. The guard calls someone on his walkie talkie. The person on the walkie answered back. “By any chance, was she on American Airlines?” The security guard looks at me. “Yes, yes I was.” “Was she on the flight that got in at 12:50?” “Yes! Yes, that’s me!”

The security guard sent me with a different security guard up to the American Airlines counter. How lucky this is all working out so quickly. Except not. Once we get up there, we learn that there happened to be someone else on the same flight who also lost his wallet and it had already been returned to him. Then the American Airlines person told me that if they found my wallet, it would be in the special lost and found for valuables which doesn’t open until 7:30.

Okay, so now I’m alone in Denver, where I don’t know anyone. I have no money in any form on me. I have no definitive answer on whether my wallet actually has been found or not. All I really know is that I’m going to need to figure out a way to get downtown without it, ‘cause I’ve got to get to this race! (The race started at 7:15.)

I go back out to the buses. (That first one is long gone by this point.) And I tell the driver of the one that’s out there, “I’m so sorry to have this story. And I know everyone is always saying they ‘lost their wallet,’ but seriously. I have this race today. It’s number 30 of 52 in the year…”

He ends up completely saving my butt, letting me ride for free. Not only does he let me get on for free, he gives me a transfer so I can make it all the way down town without any problems.

We talked the whole way toward town about his family and my races. We bonded over heart stuff. He was a really lovely man. As I was getting off the bus, he handed me a ticket and said, “This’ll get you back to the airport after the race.” Sweet business. Thank you so much, kind sir.

And this is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.

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