Switching Brains

I am the anal, obsessive-compulsive planner in our relationship. Corey eats Fig Newmans and watches as I destruct, then gets up and throws some things in a bag and just rolls with whatever I freak out about, then leaves his shoes or cell phone wherever we go. Normally. But we're getting ready for vacation, and I think we switched brains.

In some sick parody of our normal lives, I managed to lose all the information related to the car we rented for our trip to Italy. I don't have an email, a confirmation number, even the foggiest idea of which car rental company we used. Nothing. Do you know how many car rental companies there are in the world? Lots. I began freaking out and, by 11:30 pm, I was yelling a lot of mean things to the universe.

Corey ate a few handfuls of trail mix and came up with an action plan: we would begin phoning all major car rental agencies. Our conversations went something like this: "Hello. I rented a car for the end of May. I'm supposed to pick it up in Rome. Did I rent it with you?...No, I ALREADY have the reservation, I'm just not sure where...No, I don't have a confirmation number. This is my last name....I understand that I am asking you something impossible and that I sound like a crazy person. Do you have a car rental in my name? No? Well thanks anyway."

We did this about ten times, and with every agency I feared someone would charge us $500. Until Corey thought to call the rewards people from our credit card. Did you know they work at midnight??? We started the same silly conversation, asking if perhaps by the grace of the lord we had rented a car through them. This woman said, "Well I have something here...but Corey is not the authorized user of the account." I snatched the phone out of his hand and identified myself and spewed out my social security number in case she needed it.

We had rented the car through them! Ms. Corey R was our registered driver! She emailed me our itinerary and read me all the numbers in case the email went to my junk folder. I told her she was my new best friend. Corey made arrangements to obtain an international driver's permit at AAA while I gushed at the customer service girl. Then Corey and I switched brains again so I can plan and pack while he dawdles and forgets things.