Karma Has Another Little Nosh

When Farmer H and I travel to Norman to visit The Pony, we stay at a Holiday Inn Express. It's Hick's choice on his travels, when he HAS a choice. I don't think he can get one in Sweden. Anyhoo...my sister the ex-mayor's wife has made this Casinopalooza trip before, so has a preference for her lodging. It didn't really matter to me. Farmer H likes an indoor pool, and this place had one. Not that he got any time to use it, though.

Anyhoo...Sis was very concerned about us getting our room. She called me the day The Ex-Mayor was reserving theirs online, to see if I wanted her to go ahead and book our room, too. That was sweet of her. She didn't have to go to that trouble. Though I told her she must think we were paupers, since she kept warning me of the price. Which was less than we pay at the HIE. I assured her we could afford two nights at the going rate. She said she was just trying to save us money. Because The Ex-Mayor was booking on Travelocity, and could do ours at the same time, no problem, and save us a few dollars.

Then came the debate on how we would pay.

"If he does that, won't he need our credit card?"

"No. You don't have to pay until you check out."

"I'll look later when I go downstairs. I'm headed to town now."

"We can do it. It's no problem. Your rate would be $XXX a night. If you don't use Travelocity, it will be $YYY a night." [I can't remember the exact amounts. I'm not doing that to hide anything.]

"That's okay. It's still cheaper than we pay in Norman. Their rates change every weekend, depending on if there's a football game or something at the college. Sometimes it's twice as much. We don't go then if we can help it."

"It's no trouble. He's online right now getting ours."

"Okay. It will save me a google. Go ahead and book it."

"Wait! What? Oh. He says it wants a credit card. But if you want to tell me your number, he can get it. Just to hold the room. They won't charge it yet."

"That's okay. I'll reserve ours later this afternoon."

"We can go ahead and put it on our credit card for you."

"Then how would I pay you? I don't want to give you cash. That's my gambling money! And I'm pretty sure you're not set up to take my payment by credit card."

"No. I'm not. Okay. So let me know when you get your room."

"Okay. Later."

I DID get online later and reserve a room for us. In fact, I got a AAA Winter Discount Weekend Rate. That was a good deal I found online on the hotel's website. It's called Homewood Suites, I think, in Joplin. It's a Hilton property. Sis had told me how every room had a full kitchen with dishes and silverware and a full refrigerator. Not that we'd be in the room enough to use it. They just like staying there, and the rooms are nice.

Anyhoo...I didn't want to bother Sis that night to tell her. Then I forgot. And a couple days later she sent me a text asking if I got our room. I told her that I did, and that I got a good discount, which was $11.00 cheaper per night than her special rate. She was happy for me. Thinking I was a pauper and all. I guess she didn't tell The Ex-Mayor.

We got to Joplin around 3:10 on Friday. Farmer H and the Ex-Mayor parked us out front, and went inside to check in. When we met up around the building to take in our luggage, The Ex-Mayor was flabberghasted.

"HM, what site did you go to to reserve your room?"

"The website for Homewood Suites. I got the AAA Winter Discount Weekend Rate."

"Oh. Okay. I wondered how you did that."

As we put away our stuff, in our room three doors down from Sis and the Ex-Mayor, Farmer H said, "Ex-Mayor couldn't believe it when the lady told me how much. He said, 'Wait a minute! Why is his cheaper? I want that rate. The same as his.' And the lady said, 'You would have had to reserve it on our website. I can't give you that rate now.' He couldn't believe it."

I don't even know if Sis has AAA. But at least she can relax, knowing that I will be able to pay for my room with that lower rate.