The scheduled thing I had on the docket this morning was a visit with the HVAC representative doing some work on the air handling units at the Village Players Theater in Wolfeboro. This was the second visit I've overseen in the past month or so, as a large piece was taken out to be worked on and new parts were ordered. Today was the day that they got installed again.
I decided to also use the time while I was waiting for the HVAC technician to do his thing to work on getting my money back for my flight to Tokyo, which was set to happen in just more than a month. I purchased the flights through Expedia, one on Korean Air and the other on Delta. I had also purchased the insurance on the flight offered by Expedia and that may be the best $125 I've spent.
I made contact with Expedia and they got me some good information. Because of Covid-19, Korean Air was offering refunds on all flights without having to file a claim through the insurance company, so the agent I was working with online went to work on that. Delta's system was a little different so I had to go through the insurance company to work on getting that refund.
Either way, it was kind of a sad situation. I was sitting on the stage of the theater, a building that I have used to escape my every day life for more than a decade. The set we were finishing up for Broadway Bound is still on stage, so it's kind of an eerie scene of a set with no show in sight. The plan for the show is to put it on next spring, but if we are able to do another show between now and then, the set would have to come down.
The Village Players has become a place that I truly love. When we have shows going on, I spend more than a few nights a week inside the building, whether it's rehearsing or building a set or just preparing for the show. I have been a part of every single production since summer 2012's Leading Ladies. I don't do much outside of work, but when I do, it's usually with the VP.
In fact, the Village Players were helpful in my first Olympic trip in 2014, holding a celebration roast in my honor as a fundraiser and another fundraiser was planned for the Tokyo trip that was planned for this summer.
In addition to a shuttered theater (we hope to stage a fall production but that's still up in the air), the other sad part about the entire situation was that the big trip, what was to be the highlight of my year, was officially being cancelled. Granted, when the Olympics were postponed a few months ago, that had already become the case, but still, it was made even more official. Having already had to cancel a trip to Ireland, a trip to Florida, a trip to New York City and a trip to Atlanta, this was just another bummer in what has become a major downer of a year in my world (and the world in general I imagine).
For the record, on a positive note, Expedia was very easy to deal with. I first communicated with a virtual agent, but after about 10 minutes, a "real" agent was on the line and he was able to solve things pretty quickly. He cancelled the flights and got the refund from Korean Air and gave me the proper channels in which to get my refund on my return flight.
While I would rather be preparing for my trip to Tokyo in just more than a month, I guess this will have to suffice for a "successful" day.
The Village Players Theater remains empty amidst the pandemic.
