32 years ago today, the lake freighter Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a violent storm on Lake Superior with the loss of 29 men.  Gordon Lightfoot’s moving tribute.

Yesterday morning, I checked out of the hotel in Edmonton in preparation for the drive to the airport and my flight back home.

Made my way out to the parking lot and located the crappy little Pontiac G5 that Avis had so kindly provided me.  (Word to the wise – if you’re considering one of these little crapboxes - DONT!).  Anyway, I opened up the trunk and found someone else’s luggage already there!

“Hmmm”, says I, “this can’t be right”.  I checked the key fob to make sure I had the right car.  Then I looked at the luggage.  Small bag contained a laptop and lots of paperwork but no identification.  Bigger bag had a luggage tag that showed the owner as working for one our clients (Coincidence Number 1).  There was a cellphone number but when I tried it I got voicemail for a woman with a different name.

I was deciding what to do; leave the luggage at the front desk or try calling the chap’s work number.  All of a sudden, 2 stalls down I spot a little Pontiac G5 pulling out.  Same car, same color (Coincidence Number 2).  I hurried over, rapped on the driver’s window and asked, “Are you so and so?”.  “Yes”, he replied.  “Well, I’ve got your luggage”.

Turns out the guy who works for our client (Coincidence Number 1) rented a blue Pontiac G5 (Coincidence Number 2) from Avis (Coincidence Number 3) and was staying at the same hotel (Coincidence Number 4) and was leaving at the same time (Coincidence Number 5). To top it off, the cars had identical keying (Coincidence Number 6).

In the end, everything worked out.  The chances of this happening again are probably 1 in a million and the working out successfully are higher than that.

What a weird way to start the day.

Update:  I sent a note to Avis laying out the details of this little problem.  They sent me back as response that said, in part “This is an issue that would need to be addressed to the auto maker. Avis has no control over the ignition stitches and keys that are installed by Pontiac. We simply buy our vehicles from them to provide to our customers.”

Thanks Avis.  Pass the buck.

Edmonton is a city in the midst of the oil sands boom.  It’s been a few years since I’ve been out here and the changes are apparent everywhere.  New building everywhere and traffic to match.  The highway in from the airport has been widened and the trip that used to pass through fields and ranches now has Home Depots and housing.

Nowhere is the boom more evident than in the job market.  Restaurants have whole sections closed off because they can’t find wait staff to work them.  Signs are everywhere promising bonuses and incentives to prospective employees.  My company has a hard time finding and keeping warehouse and office workers who are lured away by the constant bidding for their services.  Whether they stay in Edmonton or make the trek north, it’s an employee’s market.

Sooner or later, the boom will bust.  The Alberta government is demanding higher royalties from the oil companies.  It’s hard to imagine that the need for oil will slacken but nothing lasts forever.  How long this up cycle will last is for the gamblers in the stock market to bet on but Edmonton is certainly riding the wave.

Tomorrow morning, I’m off to Edmonton for a few day of business.   Daytime temps of 5 above and nighttime lows of -5.  At least I leave before the snow comes that is forecast for Friday.

It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been out there and flown Westjet.   Since I was last there, the oil business has boomed.  It will be interesting to see what this new found wealth has done to the city.