My column last week included some of the correspondence I received recently from readers. I saved one of the letters that dealt with the free airline miles I wrote about last year. For the person who wrote — and for anyone else who might be interested in free airline tickets — here goes. Some time ago, I ordered an American Airlines AAdvantage credit card that awarded me 50,000 miles if I spent $3,000 within the first three months. Between gasoline, holiday gifts, groceries, household bills, and insurance that $3,000 total was easy.
I now had 53,000 miles. It was then my wife’s turn to apply for the same card. When it got close to the $3,000 and she realized she was going to be short about $300, she went to the local supermarket and bought three $100 gift cards for herself, which was to be used for our regular grocery shopping.
Not only is my wife beautiful and sexy, she is the most intelligent female I know and she also wound up with a total of 53,000 miles. Add hers to mine and it is not hard to realize that, for 106,000 miles, we can fly almost everywhere.
We visited Montana and Idaho, and in a few weeks we will be leaving for Las Vegas — all free. If by any chance you have used your cards for major expenses and find yourself loaded with a lot of extra miles, they can be used for hotels, car rentals, restaurants and … look it up. You will be amazed at how many available freebees there are. Have a good time.
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I really wish that, when friends are waiting for me, they wouldn’t pass the time sitting at my desk making paper-clip chains. It is a time taker-upper, an awful lot of work, and a pain in the a– when I need a clip in a hurry.
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Barber shops are great places for listening to what the community is talking about. A member of the editorial staff of this newspaper recently referred to it as a modern-day Greek Agora. In Ancient Greece, the Agora was the central spot in the various cities. The literal translation of the word is “gathering place” or “Assembly.” The actual life, talents, entertainment, opinions, and politics of the cities took place in the agoras.
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The following is from a barber shop on Calle Ocho in the Little Havana section of Miami. It was shouted in Spanish and was translated to me by three different, extremely loud customers. This is exactly the way it went:
From the barber: “President Obama is in Cuba.”
From several of the very loud, more vocal men waiting: “He should only stay there.”
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The morning pains in my roommate’s back have been steadily increasing. I went for the $20 and bought a jar of Blue Emu. For the past two weeks, I have been massaging the cream on to her more painful areas two to three times a day. I am StanG
