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- Denny's #7721
- San Juan Capistrano, California
- 20 October 2001
- 10:00am PDT
- 27142 Ortega Highway
- (949) 493-1848
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- Attendees: P7A77, Amie, Kim
- Wait-person(s): unknown
- What we ate: unknown ... probably a Moons Over My Hammy in there somewhere.
- We were down there for an exhibit that was showing one of Amie's photographs. Ironically, Amie lost the roll of film that contains the photos for this entry. Creepier still is that I can't find my notes from the visit. Something out there doesn't want anyone to know of this Denny's visit.
- It's probably Hertz car rental. They sucks a nut, I tell you what. We were all excited about our trip. Our airfare was paid for by the show, so we prepared to spend the extra few bucks and get a convertible sports car from the rental agency. We reserved it online with my check card and were all set. Then we got to the airport (on a delayed flight, even) and stood in line to pick up our car. I couldn't tell what was going on, but there seemed to be an issue with the guy in front of me. So the clerk was a bit snippy when it was my turn. I gave her our information and our confirmation numbers and all of that, and she told me I couldn't use a check card. But I reserved the card with the check card. She said it was against their policy. Well, heck, I don't have any credit cards. She pointed me to agencies that would take check cards, but they charged more. Hmm.
- I finally talked to a manager, who told me that it was against their policy to take check cards. I asked them to show me this policy. They couldn't do it. I asked why was I able to make the reservation with the check card. They said that you can reserve it, and you can pay for the rental with it, but you can't use it to sign out the car. They said it says this on the web site. I asked them to show me. They didn't have a computer capable of it. Then I noticed in the literature they handed me which they said proved I couldn't use a check card where it said I COULD use cash. I told them I'd like to reserve the car with cash. They said it was against their policy. I showed them that it wasn't against their policy. They said that it was against their policy and too bad for me. This went back and forth for a while.
- Amie knew that my discussions with the manager would not lead to a mutually satisfactory resolution, so stayed back in the lounge and watched the folks at the front counter. She said that immediately after I went off to talk to a manager, the slob of a woman at the counter rushed over to where she had a big ol' burger and fries waiting for her. Get the pesky customers out of the way quickly so I can BLAARRGHH GMMMOORRRFF GRUUUMMMP.
- We ended up getting a nice car (I forget what it was) from some other company (also forget what it was). But I do remember that the car had one of those keychains that allowed me to honk the horn or set off the alarm or unlock the doors or pop the trunk. I drive things like schoolbuses and Geo Metros. I'm not accustomed to these modern technological advances. I gotta say, it was quite nice. And a seat that adjusted along multiple axes with a switch! And automated internal temperature! I'm tellin' ya, the lap of luxury.
- So anyway, what we had planned on making a nice drive down the interstate with the top down on a warm autumn evening, stopping at all the Denny's along the way, turned into an angry, bitter, hungry, traffic jam of a nightmare in a sedan on a late Friday night in LA. So we didn't stop at any Denny's except for the one next to our hotel. We even got hotel vouchers for $5 off of each meal. About half-way through the meal, some strange woman came up and sat down next to us and started talking to Amie. I thought it was just some local loony finding an empty seat and making good use out of it. I even started looking forward for that opportunity. But it turned out to be a woman involved with organizing the show, and the woman who paid for our airfare and hotel room, so not such a random encounter after all.
- I lost the film so I used the wonder of images.google.com to recreate the experience. I searched for keywords and used the first image that came up. The Denny's was in San Juan Capistrano. When I was there I bought some Power Rings. Amie's friend Kim drove down from LA to hang out for a while. And we all had a grand ol' time.
- WAY: unknown
- Free Stuff: unknown
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