My Journey.

Un-believable.
I had my coffee, dressed, and got out to the entrance at twenty of four to be picked up by Rosie's Taxi. It was pitch dark, of course, and nothing was stirring except the scavengers. Human ones, that is, who go through the bins for bottles, cans, and other re-salables. As it got closer and closer to 4:00, I got more and more nervous. Surely, the cab would show up. I had called a week ahead, then confirmed the day before, and was assured he'd be there.
He wasn't. When I called at 3:55, there was no answer and I was informed that voice mail had never been set up.  AAGH! What in the world could I do? I couldn't call Ellen to ask her to take me because she couldn't have driven over from Ojai in time; the shuttle left at 4:30 sharp. I just couldn't bring myself to ring Suzanne, as I doubted if she could dress in time to make i.
I finally did something that was, I admit, foolhardy.  One of the trash scavengers had a car and I asked if he's drive me to the Sheraton for twenty bucks. He agreed (it's only six miles away), I jumped in, he pulled away, and drove me to a deserted area, robbed me, murdered me, and his my bodies in the woods.
We got there fine, I paid him (Matt) the twenty, scuttle came soon, I chatted with a woman who taught at the exclusive prep school above Medication Mountain, got to LAX, checked in, had coffee and a bagel, then waited for three plus hours before we got in the air.
Uneventful flight, as they say, but it was a small plane and I was uneasy, as ever. I was met, we stopped for lunch, drove to Ruidoso, and here I am, and glad to be.