Finding Peace in the City I Loathe

I like to consider myself a very laid back guy. I enjoy the simple things and I tend to laugh off things that are completely out of my control. I guess my two pet peeves would be traffic and driving in traffic and not knowing where to go. Other than that I don’t really get too frustrated at things unless people get under my skin. I’m sure I reflect things off on people that view me in a certain way but those two things are what get me going. That doesn’t count me as a worrier. That’s different.

I woke up at 4am this morning hoping to get a head start by going into the office and get some work done. I start by making maps for my schools. I start searching for the school’s address and check if the teacher puts down an address in the email. I rarely do the latter but I sensed something fishy. The school in the subject line didn’t match the teacher’s address that she puts down in the email. After going through all this I find that two schools were inconsistent. I finally lock down the right address by emailing the teachers this morning and lucky for me they wrote back quick. Based on the previous addresses I booked my hotels based on that location so now I find myself thirty miles away from all the schools. Now with that new system with (I’m not going to swear) Expedia I can’t change my hotels like I could have with the old system. So now I just have to wake up a bit earlier.

I jumped into my car and made my way to the airport. Everything was going perfectly well. My American Airline flight was on time, I help others at the kiosk (I’ve learned nobody can figure those out) and zipped right through security. FYI, people had their toiletries in a zip lock bag in hand and ready.

The flight was comfortable. American Airlines have spacious legroom and horrible monitors for TV’s but they showed classic episodes of Cheers and Frasier so that made the flight go by pretty fast. I waited at baggage claim and my bag was one of the first to come out. So things were looking good in the city I loathe the city I have come to hate, the city of DALLAS.

Now don’t get me wrong, I do like Texas. It’s an interesting state. Beautiful cities like San Antonio with the river walk downtown. Austin with its amazing film and music culture. Big Bend National Park that has so much beauty it sucks you in especially at sunset. I just had a bad experience in Dallas last time I was here. My mother told me to find one thing about Dallas to like, so that will be my mission. My mission is to come to peace with Dallas.

I hopped on the bus to the rental car place and over heard a lady say she would not drive on any road with George W. Bush’s name on it. It’s funny; the biggest toll road in Dallas is named after our president. I walked into the Enterprise rental car and waited in this long line. An employee was going down the line taking names and saw that I was an Enterprise member. So he let me cut in line, I guess that’s one of the perks. Everything was ready to go so I handed over my credit card. Swipe. Nothing. Swipe. Nothing. The employee goes to the back for a moment and comes back. Eric says, “I’ve never had a corporate card get denied.” I just nodded and smiled and then started to laugh. I stepped out of line and made a couple phone calls to my boss and to Amex. We tried different things but Enterprises policy wouldn’t let me use my boss’s number over the phone. Finally, after my boss got a hold of the person at Full Sail that takes care of that stuff called Amex and upped my account 2,500 dollars. After 45mins, I was able to get my car. Eric had a few customers who were pissy with him before me and was relieved that I was nice about all of it. So when I got to my car I was upgraded from a midsize to an SUV. I’ve named him Big Boy. I climbed into Big Boy and headed off. To my amazement it was 4 miles just to get off the airport property. Driving into Dallas I ran into my number 1 pet peeve…traffic. Dallas drivers compare to Los Angeles drivers. Dallas is considered the fourth largest city according to the locals here, which makes sense because of the traffic. Then not knowing where to go adds to that. I’m starting to get used to it now that I do this everyday. Finally I arrive at the hotel. The Hilton Garden Inn/Allen TX. It’s kinda like a Holiday Inn Express but nicer. It has a microwave, fridge, big size room that overlooks the pool. So I was quite pleased with it. I jumped into the shower and cleaned up for dinner.

Next door is a restaurant named Two Rows Grill; it’s a restaurant/bar like any other Bennigan’s or whatever. I forget you can still smoke at the bar so that’s where I placed myself. I ordered garlic mushroom steak, garlic mashed potatoes, pasta salad and an Iced-Tea. Two 50something Texans sat down next to me after their long day of work. I’ve noticed they were regulars since well, everybody knew them and the guy at the end of the bar buys them a round of beers. My food arrives and I dig in. This was the most amazing meal I’ve had at a restaurant in a long time. The steak was tender, the potatoes fresh it was good. The older Texan next to me asks, “How’s your vittles?” In my head I’m laughing at ‘vittles.” I tell them it’s amazing. Before I know it I’m in a conversation with these gentlemen. Stuart, 50’s dressed in slacks and a blue button up shirt. Tim 50 dressed in jeans and scruffy shirt. They look rugged but they are good people. They remind me of my North Carolina Uncles. I find out they have been friends since the 7th grade and love to go fishing. They admit they are the worst fishermen on earth but their love for just being out in the open water intrigues me. I finish my meal and they offer to by me a drink, of course I except. We talk about where I’m from, what I do and what I’ve done. As the conversation goes on we decide to make a fishing show together. A light bulb goes off in my head and I think it’s the most brilliant idea.

The Pitch:
These two good ole’ boy, bad fishermen with probably the most remarkable looks and personalities takes celebrities or whoever out fishing and drinking for a day all over the country.

I can’t explain it but these guys were awesome. These guys are full of life, love and wisdom as well as being absolutely hilarious. I would film them fishing anytime and never get bored. They offered me a place and whatever if that’s something I wanted to film. They bought me a couple rounds and we just talked it up. They introduced me to the manager of the restaurant, the sweet bartender Becca and we just hung out. It was like hanging out with family. Tim’s wife calls and she’s making fish for dinner. I’m invited but I gratefully decline. As the gentlemen leave to go back to their families these two hilarious long time friends and barflies invite me back to Allen TX anytime and I will be taken care of. Now that’s good ole’ hospitality. I have their card for when I’m ready to make this amazing fishing show. And now I know what house I can go to when I need an Elk Burger.

I know the day started out rocky then smoothed out then became rocky again. But what if the addresses were correct, what if my card did work what would have happened then? I don’t think a nicer evening after a long day of traveling could have been without those rocks in the road.

Dallas, are you growing on me? We’ll see in four more days…