As we were checking out of our hotel yesterday morning, we hit a snag in saying goodbye to the Windy City. While I waited with our luggage cart and Mira, asleep in her carseat, Aaron took Cordy to go get the car, which was parked in a garage across the street. However, he soon returned without the car.
“I can’t get to the car. They won’t let anyone cross the street.”
Sure enough, the street was blocked off by Chicago police, with a few construction workers wandering the deserted street. They were moving steel beams by helicopter, and although I could hear the helicopter, never once did I see it pass over the street.
We waited patiently at first, hoping it would only take a few minutes. During that time, I got to say goodbye to several bloggers as they passed through the lobby, as well as chat with Lisa Stone about the need for a BlogHer Mommy conference (seriously, we need one!). Cordy ran around the lobby, tripping up men in business suits and closing off the revolving door by laying in the entrance of it.
But soon I joined Cordy in a lack of patience. We had been waiting for 45 minutes, and the street was still closed off. Cordy began to meltdown, crying because we wouldn’t let her run in between people’s legs. Mira woke up around this time and started to fuss, too.
Then it happened. Cordy had finally had enough, prompting her to lay down in the middle of the lobby floor and wail. Something in me snapped, and like flipping a light switch, I went from an understanding, accommodating softy to a pissed off mom who wasn’t going to stand for this anymore. I asked Aaron to wait with Mira, while I scooped up my screaming, thrashing toddler and marched outside to the cops.
“How much longer is this going to take?” I yelled over the helicopter noise to one of Chicago’s finest.
“Uh, I don’t know. We thought they’d be done by now. But no one can cross until they’re done.”
Cordy continued her tantrum, wailing right in his ear while I held her tight. I added a little more force to my voice. “No. We’ve been waiting for nearly an hour and I’m not waiting anymore. Our car is over there and we need to get to it. She needs lunch, we have things to do. I don’t have time to be held hostage so someone can move steel beams all day!”
The cop looked a little surprised. His voice softened a bit. “Well, you know… I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t go up that ramp to get your car. After all, uh, they’re not even flying directly over the street…” He walked towards a construction worker and I walked quickly behind him, with Cordy still screaming. After a short conversation, the construction worker gave me a thumbs up sign.
I walked back into the hotel lobby, still carrying the crying toddler, and said to Aaron, “OK, go get the car.”
“But…how did you…”
“Doesn’t matter, just get the car.”
We were on the road within 15 minutes.
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And I want to add a quick apology to everyone I was going to party with on Saturday night after the cocktail party. I went back to the hotel to nurse Mira to sleep, and fell asleep myself. Sheesh, I’m old. When I woke at 3am, I figured it was too late to call. (Besides, you want to be careful falling asleep around other bloggers…)
More BlogHer tales to come…
Good for you.
It was great meeting you. Next time we’ll party our asses off.
Too bad we didn’t know. You were certainly on our get her while she’s sleeping list. Damn.
Liz – I guess there’s always next year, right?
OMG…I think I love you.
Good on ya.
I held up a shoot for the movie ‘The Sentinel,’ telling some poor a/d, ‘My hungry baby could care less about you getting this shot.’
I can’t resist leaving this cheesy comment…
You go girl! (picture me waving my arm and snapping.)
Can’t wait to hear your stories.
Good for you! I’m glad you told the cops what you felt!
Yeah, I’ve seen the pictures. If I ever go to BlogHer I am NEVER SLEEPING.
Anyway, good for you. Sometimes I think I let myself get pushed around all the time too. that’s why I usually have hubby handle it. He’s a hard ass and he never fails to get us stuff for free when others screw up. We didn’t pay for cable for half the year last year because of one of their screw ups. He gets mad, then tells them what they need to do to make up for it. And they usually cave….it’s pretty impressive!
I am having so much fun reading everyone’s BlogHer stories! I hope to attend next year!
Good for you!
(And it’s lie not lay.)
THIS STORY WAS AWESOME..YOU KICK ASS!!!
Way to go! I would have been so pissed, but I probably would have just sat around and bitched about it.
Hope you had fun. Can’t wait to hear more stories!
Ha! I call her my “Inner Bitch.” She is a beautiful thing when you need her.
Excellent! Glad you got out of there. And great speaking with you this year.
You rock. Seriously.
So glad to have met you and your beautiful family.
Good for you for standing up for your kids. I often want to but usually lose the nerve or get told not to by my husband. Way to take action!
You go, girl (as they say)! That freakin’ rocks.
I have thought of hooking up a PA system to our bedroom so that when loud neighbors party all night and wake up the kids, I can broadcast the cries toward the party that’s causing them.
Problem is, my kids can sleep through almost everything. So can my husband. It’s just me who’s awake and pissed off.
Wow – remind me never to mess with you!
It was great meeting you at BlogHer, and thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I’ve been to this blog once or twice before, but now it HAS to be one of my regular reads…
dw
I love this story. I told it to a bunch of people already. The thought of you standing next to a cop with Cordy wailing is just hilarious.