I should be happy, but dammit...

The BBQ Pit
#1

My mother works for a decent company. To celebrate a recent successful project release, she (and the others on her team) are being given a 4-day trip for two to the Atlantis Hotel (the nice one with the water slide that goes through the aquarium).

She makes the offer for one of us to join her. I’m not much of a beach guy (really, the pale, pasty skin is so SEXY on me), and I figured it would be nice for the ‘girls’ to have a trip together, so I tell the missus to go and have a blast.

They are to leave on Sunday. My mother has asked me to watch her dogs while she is gone (I say yes to two of them, the third, not well trained can stay with someone else), which means I alone will be taking care of five (we have three ourselves). This in itself is not a big deal, she has done the same for us in the past. But then, she calls and and wants to drop them off a day early, which too is fine since they need to head to the airport at around 8:30 am. Then she says she wants me to take Llamaette and her to the airport, being up and ready to drive them 2 hours round trip (weekend mornings and I do not mix). Of course, if I do that, then she will want me to pick them up from the airport on Wednesday, in AFTERNOON RUSH HOUR (for Atlanta folks, I would be driving to the airport from pretty far north up 400). I snapped, and though I didn’t say ‘no’, a pretty heavy sigh had her inquire what the daily rates were at the park and ride by the airport.

Pisses me off because I was hoping to ENJOY a bit of the bachelor time, and now I’m feeling guilty for not playing chauffeur. Am I an asshole (obligatory pit language) or what?

#2

I live in Atlanta - so I know what you are talking about with 400. I live right next to the north springs marta station, and I always take the marta to the airport - it takes about an hour because this is the northern most point on the marta and the airport is at the southern-most part of the marta, but it is worth it. Especially if they are flying Delta, there is a small check in counter right there when you step off of the train. I would offer to take them to the marta and they can enjoy their ride from there. Traffic in atlanta is too unpredictable. Just remember that if you do suggest it, when coming home, they need to listen to the speaker at the Lindburg station - it splits off and some times you have to change trains there to get to north springs, cause if you dont, you will end up in doraville - been there done that - it sucks. Anyway, I hope that helps!!!

PS, the marta is only .75 each way (I think).

#3

I might do that, or the missus will just park at N. Springs and pay the daily parking there ($6/day). The fare is $1.50 one-way on MARTA nowadays (or maybe $1.75… haven’t been since the Festival of Trees).

I’m just pissed that my mother kept asking me favor after favor after favor, while at the same time jealous because of this perk her company is giving her. We just celebrated a release, and our account is buying us paper plates/cups/plastic sporks so that we can bring in our own food for a potluck… wheeeee…