As was related in the previous
chapter, our travel plans had gone somewhat awry.
Not only were our tickets of no use on the originally intended flight,
it having departed
somewhat ahead of schedule, they were also of no value to United Airlines,
who therefor
refused us passage upon their aircraft.
Both distraught and dismayed,
we began hurriedly to await the arrival of some
brilliant alternate plan of action. Possibilities assailed us
from several directions; we
could alter completely our destination - perhaps Brussels was now within
our grasp - but,
alas, we had no passports; perhaps Albuquerque beckoned us with an
answer - but, sadly, our rental car voucher was worthless anywhere but
Santa Fe.
One by one, our options
resolutely failed to be practicable,
Eventually, having exhausted
those alternate solutions which had to us presented
themselves, we made our weary way back to the Continental counter.
"You were not in time,"
the attendant asked, "for the United flight to Denver?"
Sadly, I explained, "The
matter was not one of time, but of finances. We most easily were arrived
at the counter in advance of the flight's departure. The tickets
we essayed to use were, however, of an unacceptable nature to those in
the position to accept or reject.
"Aspersions were cast upon
the Continental name as a result of its Chapter 11 status and its alleged
non-payment of debts to United. Thus, we were denied access to seating
on the flight in question until after it had departed the gate."
"Falsely, falsely I say,"
said she, "falsely were these charges made! Oh, would that I had known
this to have been awaiting you at that accursed United counter!
"Alas, we can but do such
little as we may, now, to attempt to repair that portion of the injury
you have suffered remediable by us. There is a later flight to Denver,
the which arrives too late, I fear, to connect you to your final goal of
Santa Fe, but, early after sunrise on the morrow, you may avail yourselves
of our then scheduled flight to Santa Fe."
And so, dear reader, we found
ourselves Denver-bound at last, yet not totally satisfied in that we were
to be unable to reach Santa Fe before the end of the day. The next
chapter shall detail our stay in Denver, and those adventures which there
met us. |