Dial 3 for breakdowns

After a so-so breakfast this a.m. I called Hertz. Took me a few times to get through, cuz dialing to Germany from Austria usually involves adding digits, subtracting digits and generally being a W.T.F. experience. Regardless, after a half dozen tries, a female answers…
Gookenspliel friedecane munchurass
I am broke down… can you help?
(Pause) yes… what is the license plate of the car?
I dunno… DN HN something er other
What is your contract number?
I dunno… the guy at the shop took it
You shouldn’t have given him that… it’s your contract.
Oh.
What is your name?
Shaw-va-tall… spelled C… H
(She interrupts) Oh yes… we know all about your car. It’s in Teisendorf. Do you need a replacement car?
No.
Ok then, be on your way.
Whoa, wait a minute, that’s all. I feel so stupid. You have no car. I did not live up to my end of the contract. I feel like an idiot.
It’s ok… it happens all the time. We will repair it. There is not problem.
Ok...Thank you.

So that was it. All of the grief, the second guessing, the what if’s (“If my aunt had balls, she’d be my uncle”), the “why wasn’t I paying attention”… you know the drill… it all vanished with one phone call. Oh yeah, I am sure I am going to get a bill, but at this point, I am just happy to be done with the situation. Feels like a large weight being lifted from my shoulders.
So, we hit the town of Salzburg. Stopped in a real coffee and had a cup of real joe. Then cross the river to old town, up the funiculare to the fortress on the hill. We toured the fort, enjoyed the magnificent view of the city, toured the museum and generally had fun. Wandered down, went to a cheap fish restaurant, on to Mirabell gardens and then we split up. I headed back towards the hotel… Ros and Dave went to Mozart’s house. I’m not a big fan (the cat hasn’t had a top 10 hit since before Elvis) so I skipped it.
We’re gonna take a siesta, then go out on the town.
It’s a great city… clean, historical… modern, yet dated. New, yet musty. You get the idea. Rained this a.m. so no pics today.
Anyway, it’s nice to be alive. Ciao