My life began at Cornell University, though I was born in New Mexico. But that isn’t the Cornell I am talking about now.
I rented a Turo car from Cornell in New Jersey, who agreed to drop off and pick up the car at the Philadelphia Airport when I rented it. Shortly before I got on the plane in Denver, Cornell messaged me that I would either have to pay a $50 delivery fee, or pick up the car in New Jersey. I didn’t have any choice at that point but to submit to his extortion, because I had already paid for the car. When I arrived in Philadelphia, he couldn’t figure out where I was waiting no matter how carefully I explained it to him, so I had to walk through the bushes for half an hour to find him.
My flight back this morning was at 6:00 AM. Cornell told me last night that he couldn’t pick the car up at the airport this morning (despite me paying his $50 extortion for pick up/ drop off) and that I would have to drive to his place in New Jersey – then he would take me to the airport.
Once again, I didn’t have any choice. So I left my place in Pennsylvania at 3 AM, and arrived at Cornell’s place in New Jersey at 4 AM. When I got there, he didn’t answer the phone or respond to texts, so I left a message for him that I was going to leave the car at an airport parking lot. Just as I was pulling into the airport parking garage half an hour later, he called me and apologized, saying his girlfriend turned off the phone. I wasted an hour driving to New Jersey at 3 AM for absolutely no reason, and then had to pay a $5 toll to get out of New Jersey. (Getting in to New Jersey is free, but everyone has to pay to leave.)
Cornell is a classic example of how low expectations placed on minorities cripple their ability to succeed. He is a nice guy but has absolutely no concept of business ethics. He isn’t evil, but is obviously unaware of what he is doing wrong – probably because no one ever expected him to do any better. I was his first renter and likely will be his last.
Then of course came the next problem at the airport. 30,000 Eagles fans trying to get through security.
