the Big Youth Event is taking the kids to a mini-golf place. I was/am supposed to call today to make reservations.

(I say was/am because after the call, I don't know whether to call them back.)

The place opens at 10, right? To me, 10 means 10, just like no means no. So I call at 10:10 just to be safe.

So I call - on my phone card as I'm at work and it's long-distance - and get subjected to 5 minutes of a scratchy recording of someone reciting the prices and specials. Finally, as it winds down, I think, NOW I get to talk to someone.

Nope. I get a beep. A beep and no instructions. So I start talking: leave my name, the date I want to take the kids, how many there will be. I have NO IDEA if this is being recorded or not. I leave my office number and am about to leave my home number when I think I hear soft voices. So I ask, "Hello?"

and the thing cuts me off.

So, I guess I'm calling back. I can't NOT know; tonight is youth group and I have to be able to tell the kids either "Be here at 3:30 for the trip" or "no, something went wrong, we have to reschedule."

But I don't know - if I keep calling and get no answer? What do I do then? I am NOT spending the gas and the cost to DRIVE down there and talk to someone in person.

I really don't want to do this; it's in a mall, which means we're going to have people begging to mall-cruise. Or, just taking off into the mall. It involves driving people from there to here, and possibly my driving "overflow" in my car (ones who don't fit on the bus.) It's also a day off from school for local kids on Friday and I anticipate there may be lots of other folks there...or heck, maybe someone else already has it reserved, I don't know.

It's just, I wish Lunar Mini Golf could pick up their stinkin' phone. I don't know whether to burn up the few remaining minutes on my phone card calling them every 20 minutes and listening to their spiel until someone actually picks up, or what?

Just GOING there and believing everything will work out is NOT an option. I don't want to try to find an alternative plan on the fly for 16 disappointed teenagers. ("turn them loose in the mall for 2 hours" does NOT sound like a good idea to me.)