At the Super 8 at Belle Fourche, I took stock of my quarters. Although a bit on the small side, they were exceptionally clean, featuring a queen size bed, bureau, desk with chair, in-room safe, fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and good-sized television. I spent a pleasant evening relaxing and listening to music from my CD player before retiring after having driven 451 miles today.
The continental breakfast here consisted for me of just doughnuts and coffee, after which I was bound for Mount Rushmore. Now began in episode of total fiasco. Before breakfast, I had taken my small bag and placed it in front of the passenger's seat in the car. During my travels for business and pleasure, I have probably rented cars more than 1200 times, always careful to keep track of the keys and having no problem. Today I broke that record: when ready to take to the road, I saw my keys there on the passenger seat inside the locked car.
Back in the Super 8 office I told the manager, Joan, of my dilemma. In the phone book she looked up the numbers of locksmiths until I happened to mention that I was a member of AAA. She then phoned of the local AAA office, and within fifteen minutes a man was there to open the car for me. Much relieved, I reached in from the driver's side to retrieve the keys and put my larger suitcase into the trunk. After signing the appropriate papers, the AAA agent departed and I was all set to go – except now I couldn't find the keys. After searching everywhere, I told Joan of my predicament, so she and her two assistants in turn (not leaving the office unattended) went over the car – as I had – with a fine tooth comb, feeling down between the seats, looking under the car, and so forth. It was to no avail although the three of them spent considerable time trying to help me out. During this time all four doors of the car were wide open to facilitate the search. After we had given up and Joan was about to call for a locksmith to fashion a duplicate key, I happen to remember that the only place I had not looked was the lock of the passenger's door which I opened after retrieving the key – and Eureka! – there it was. If any of us had walked completely around the car, we would have seen the key in the lock of the open door, but none of us had done so. Holding up the key triumphantly I raced back to the office so that Joan would not have a locksmith come out unnecessarily. Naturally I felt like an idiot, but cannot begin to express how grateful I was for all the efforts that the three Super 8 employees had made in my behalf.
- Super Eight Belle Fourche
- Belle Fourche Super Eight
- Belle Fourche Super 8
