My Dumb Observations

If you ever visit Denver and arrive after midnight, just curl up in a ball and cry. Don't be swayed to visit the Midwest’s premier city with an $85 airfare from New York either. After arriving late into the vast atrium of Denver International Airport (DIA), one discovers in short order that the fetal position is a decent option. Another option, of course, is taking a cab from the green pastures of DIA, which lies far beyond the city limits, to the city center for over $55. The thought of enjoying a mountain getaway in the historic mining town of Black Hawk, just 40 minutes uphill from Denver, seemed wonderful from my air conditioned apartment. That is, until arriving after midnight to learn that the car rental center had closed. Consultation with the airport police confirms that this phenomenon happens nightly to passengers arriving late.The officer then presented the most common options for late arriving travelers. They are as follows: Stay at the newly built airport...

It's 4 am on a Tuesday night and I'm waiting for a bus on the heart of the Las Vegas strip. Even though the World Series of Poker is in full swing, there's not a soul walking the boulevard. Three of us are waiting for the northbound double decker. One is a 65 year old gap toothed woman. She's either borderline homeless or a downtown resident with a blue walker and six multi-colored plastic bags tied to the hand brakes. The other is a middle aged cat with greying kinky hair and a fanny pack. He's rockin' an old school sweat suit and blasting music through a cushioned set of head phones. The half-assed bus shelter offers a steel bench intentionally too narrow to sleep on, nor will it adequately shelter anyone from the elements. The greatest elemental challenge, though, is leapfrogging over the tributaries of piss crawling across the sidewalk to the curb.  Any person of average intelligence might hop into a cab at this sight alone, but my inner voice tells me not...