HONEY.... I'M HOME

Prodigal is still floating.  Ahhh the sweet smell of success!  It's 9pm and I'm going to bed.  I'm wiped out from all this driving.

SHORT VERSION:
Monday - leave Searcy, Ark. @ 2pm and drive till 6pm, stopping in Mississippi for the night.  (near Tupelo)
Tuesday - drive through Mississippi, Alabama, and down to Valdosta Georgia.  Choose a horrible hotel for the night and sleep fitfully.
Wednesday - get up early and flee the 'Bates Motel' driving down to Fort Lauderdale, Florida where I left my car October 30th when I flew to the Chesapeake to sail.  Drop off the rental at the airport and take the Tri-Rail shuttle train to the next station for my car, then drive home to the boat.

(I did some research and discovered you can leave your car in the 'Train' parking lot for free.  *except the lot at the airport.  So I left my car in the Amtrak lot closest to the Fort Lauderdale Intl Airport)

*Connect to the three major South Florida airports with Tri-Rail Tri-Rail is the easiest way to travel in South Florida for business or pleasure with direct and convenient bus connections to the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Miami International Airport and Palm Beach International Airport terminals. Fares as low as $2.50, onboard luggage racks on all trains and free parking at all train stations.

NOW IMAGINE MY ANXIETY.  I left it on October 30th and come back December 20th.  Will the car still be there?  (or towed?)  Will it have tires?  Will it start?  It's a bad-ass Rav4.  Who would mess with that?  It was Puurrrrfect.

NOW IT GETS WEIRD.  I drop the rental and go down the parking garage escalator, through the walkway across to the terminal, down to departing area, and outside.  'turn right and walk till you see the two black benches.'  (they could have said look for the Tri-Rail signs?)  I follow these careful directions and sit on the black bench.  Alone.  I watch numerous courtesy buses come and go.  I ask them all, "are you the Tri-Rail bus?"  (no 'you idiot' it says Tri-Rail on it)  After half an hour a lady in an airline outfit arrives pushing a luggage cart.  Natalie.  Nat is decked out in her flight suit.  Complete with pilots wings.  She flew for Southern air, from Baltimore.  But, she quit yesterday and now is going to work for American Airlines.  She sits down on the black bench.  "Hey" I say.  "Are YOU taking the Tri-Rail?  (imagine her big eyed scared look.) 'Yes.'  We visit and find out she's headed north on the train, same as me.  I explain i'm only going one stop and getting my car to drive home to Stuart.  she lives in Jupiter, on my way.  So - AS A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE - I give her a ride home and save her an hour and some cash.  Best of Luck Natalie in your new job and with all the paperwork.  (you know what I mean)

Natalie

Finally 6pm I get to the Marina.  No parking spaces.  No ride out to the boat.  (my dingy and outboard are up on deck - with tons of bird poo and spider webs)  But Matt the Marina dock master got me paperwork for parking and pulled out the marina skiff to give me a lift home.  A long day ends.     I hope you are sleeping in your favorite bed tonight and that I get some great rest.  Finally.       - Pirate Skip