the Big D.

so when last we visited, Dan & i were in Deming, NM, with a broken-down truck filled to the rafters with electrical equipment, on our way to a convention in Dallas.

we even had to argue with the rental company to give us a new truck. they just wanted to repair what we had. but, Dan prevailed and after a day and a half delay, we were back on the road.

we drove straight through, barely stopping to eat, snoozing as we went. after all, we were on a timetable. and driving through the Southwest was, shall we say, interesting.

storms there alot y'know.

we got into Dallas late at night - it was raining. it was cold. butt cold. windy. we were tired. i, being the princess, was not reasonable. i was a tired, unreasonable, cold, pissy princess.

that's the worst kind.

and of course, since it was so late, the only place for us to park was in overflow parking for the hotel.
at the bottom of a San Francisco-type hill. y'know, steep.

and we walked up the hill. against the wind and rain and no matter which way i turned my face, the wind and rain were right there, kissing me all over.

just not feeling the love.
i started to cry. i was no longer the plucky heroine with her stalwart boyfriend. i was now reduced to my true self: a whining, childish, 'this isn't FAIR,' feet-stomping, tantrum throwing chick.

think of PMS on steroids. yep. not a good scene.

i sobbed the whole way up the hill, into the hotel lobby, up to the front desk, then into the elevator, up to the room.

Dan just kept rubbing my back.

when we got in the room, the first thing he did was head into the bathroom, not to commit suicide from the psycho girlfriend, but to start a hot bath. then, he pushed me in there and told me not to come out until i was ready to fall asleep and drown.

i'm still crying. heck, i don't even want my mommy at this point.

i wasn't going to get in the tub, i was too pouty. then, i thought of something and sputtered,
'i....c-c-c-can't...take.....a....bath (sob, sniffle, gasp)..i...don't have....clean....clothes.'

he just smiled that freaking killer smile he had that would always turn me to mush. and yes, it worked this time, too.

'no worries. i'll go down and get our stuff.'
'bbbbbbut....it's raining.' over emotional princess said.
he just smiled again.
'it's OK, honey. get in the tub.'

twenty minutes later, i felt like a new girl. i have no doubt he wasn't gone that long, because if i were him, i'da been in the hotel bar tossing back some stiff ones.

the next day was the convention. we got the supplies back to the convention center, all the guys started setting up, and i was given carte blanche to roam and explore. just come back by 5, when the show closes.

man. i am SO off to Six Flags!!

am i not the biggest dork ever? most chicks would be exploring the malls, finding cutie little shops. nope. not me. i'm off to an amusement park.

that i got lost to.
then i found it was closed during the week.
then i got lost going back to the convention center.

oh Lord, i prayed, tell me what i have done to anger You. i'm sorry for everything and anything, believe me, just please, Lord, let me live through this trip.
i seriously was beginning to think i was never going to make it out of Texas alive.

i made it back to the convention center in plenty of time. however, apparently out there, they have THUNDERSTORMS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. WITH HAIL. BIG HAIL.

and i of course have no umbrella. no hoodie. and i am stuck in the car, in the parking lot, needing to pee sooooooo bad, my skin is turning yellow and my blue eyes are now green. i cannot get out of the car, it's coming down too hard. and it isn't helping my bladder, either.

Gentle Reader, steel yourself. i am about to embarrass myself to you in a way i probably haven't up to this point.

i opened the car door as little as i could, tossed out what was left of my 32oz soda, climbed into the back of the truck, and yep...i let 'er loose.

and i cried again. because i am such a freaking baby at this point that i think my life is over because i've peed in a cup in a truck in a convention center parking lot. what.the.beep!

that was the worst day. the rest of the week was actually pretty fun. i hung out at the center and when i wasn't working the booth, i would go eat free Haagen Daas ice cream bars. play free games and win stuffed animals. (Christmas was a ton of fun that year, i can tell you) they even had free carnival rides you could try, but i was a little too chicken for that.

i have been to Dallas since. but a) for work and b) i flew. we had a hailstorm, but i was inside, and much, much less the whiny pouty princess i was. the Husband wants to take me for fun.

i'm just not sure i'm up to that, yet.