I walked down to the garage under the hotel, to get something from the car.
There was the rental car in the spot I left it.
Pressed the trunk button… Nothing. WTF?
POS rental garbage, !@#$* key thing picks now to die.
Key in door. Doesn’t work. WTF?!?!
Grey Chevy Impalla? Check.
Same parking spot? Check.
License plate? Oops. It’s not the number that’s on the key chain.
World spins in place, PARANOIA FLASH: OMG, “THEY” SWAPPED MY CAR!
Spin around look for the cameras. Nothing. Deep breath. Calm down.
Head back to the elevator. Wait, what’s that? More parking spaces on the other side of the elevator?
Oh. There’s my car in its spot. Trunk opens. Key works.
Two identical Grey Chevy Impalas, from the same rental company in the same spot on opposite sides of the elevator.
It’s like that “Mirror Earth” Twilight Zone episode.
I’m still a little freaked out.
Several years ago I rented a car in Omaha to drive to Phoenix. On the way back my wife and I stopped at the Grand Canyon. I go back to the car and the key won’t work. I step back wondering if I need to call the rental company. I notice that my GPS unit isn’t where I left it. And I don’t remember that ‘something’ sitting there. Go around the back and the plates say Nebraska so that’s right. Oh wait different numbers, by 6. This isn’t my rental, mine is down 3 more. You want freaky?? What are the odds of two people renting a car in Omaha and ending up parked almost next to each other 7 days later and 1500 miles along.
I worked at Sears when I was in High School. Automotive department tuned up a car, but when they returned it to the parking lot, they were met by police and an angry owner who had reported the car stolen. A few cars over was the car they were supposed to tune up…Same key fit both cars.