A Strange Thing Happened in Dallas

This past weekend I traveled to Dallas, Texas to attend the Pro-Life Women’s Conference. Not being a great fan of flying, being nervous for three hours up yonder took its toll. I arrived at the hotel exhausted and ready to sleep. When I checked in the gal asked me if I wanted to keep the charges on my American Express card.  I thought it odd because I didn’t have an American Express but let it slide and gave her my Visa card.  Receiving the key, I took the elevator to the fourth floor of this expansive hotel, and I swear up and down my room was practically back in San Diego.  I got to the door and there was a “do not disturb sign” on it, and the key didn’t work.  I dreaded the walk back to the lobby (I also had a blister on my toe) so decided to call the front desk instead.  They apologized for the error and directed me to meet the bellman at a room on the twentieth floor.  I limped back to the elevator and once again that room was also practically in San Diego, but the key worked, and I was happy to settle in my home away from home. 

The time change messed up my already warped sleeping pattern, and I woke at 3:00 a.m.  I readied myself really early then ventured to the lobby where (thank God) they had a 24-hour coffee shop.  I enjoyed several cups of the life-saving nectar while reading from my Kindle, then decided to walk around and get acquainted with the area.  Before I knew it, it was time to check-in and get my registration packet.  After the room fiasco, you can imagine my response when told my packet had already been picked up.  I calmed myself down, thinking one of my Silent No More sisters secured it the night before.  I contacted them, and neither one had.  Hmmmm   The weekend was getting weird.  No one could figure out what happened but after I provided my registration verification I was issued another packet and went happily on my way to meet up with my friends, do some networking and listen to some outstanding scheduled speakers....trying to put the minor inconveniences aside. 

Due to lack of sleep the previous night, I was ready to turn in not too long after dinner.  All I could think of while going up the elevator was that comfortable bed.  I trudged the twenty miles (okay, maybe not that far) to my room and lo and behold, the key didn’t work.  I was a little miffed.  I called the front desk again, and they told me they PURPOSELY locked me out because there was some confusion as to who was supposed to be in that room.  They apologized and sent someone up to give me a new key.

Come to find out there was another Patti Smith registered, not just at the hotel but at the conference.  It was her room I originally went to; it must have been her American Express card (she’s grateful I was honest and didn’t leave my charges on her card – lol), and the conference staff thought one of the Patti Smiths must have been a duplicate.  Mystery solved.

With the number of attendees at the conference, I was not able to locate my “other self”, but strangely enough, she commented on a post on the conference Facebook page after she returned home.  I “friended” her and sent her a message, introducing myself.  She too had been locked out of her hotel room because of the confusion.  We chatted back and forth and then more strangeness.  We have spoken at the same type of pro-life functions (Knights of Columbus, Memorial for the Unborn, Defund Planned Parenthood) we both have Chihuahuas, she has family near where I grew up in Washington State, some of our past experiences were the same, and we are both writers and poets.  She also lives about seventy miles from me and will be at an upcoming conference in Pasadena (let’s see if we both get registered!). 

We are both dedicated to life but from different viewpoints.  I am post-abortive and speak out against abortion because of the pain and suffering I experienced afterward.  She is a child of rape whose mother courageously decided against abortion and gave her up for adoption.  Her story is amazing, and you will be touched when I share it in my next post. 

God works in mysterious ways, and obviously with a sense of humor by the manner He brought this new friend into my life.