“We only have one room left,” the attendant said, glancing back and forth between Steve and I, nervously. “Is that going to be ok?”
I rolled my eyes as obviously as I could. “I’ll try to restrain myself.” I heard Steve chuckle behind me. “Is there 2 beds, or can we get a cot…?”
The attendant agreed to send up a cot. I signed the necessary documents, grabbed the keys and we headed upstairs. “I’m glad you came.” Steve sighed as we got in the elevator. He said that every time. If ever there was a person that needed an assistant, it was Steve. He couldn’t book a hotel or flight to save his life, and God forbid a storm delay his flight – I could imagine him sitting in the airport forlornly trying to decide what to do.
Steve was a sweet man who was a friend of my older brother’s. I had known him for years, and though I was 15 years his junior, he had always been kind and friendly to me. He had married and had children young, so now he was barely in his 50s with 2 grown children and the freedom to pursue his dream of lecturing across the country. His wife had been his assistant for years, but she had died a few years ago after a long illness. When Steve wanted to get back on the road, he asked if I’d be interested in helping him.