I rose at 6:30 after the sunrise had woken me multiple times. I was not ready to give up the Graduate East Lansing, do Susie’s Concert, and then rush home. But that was what the plan for today was and would be. I rose, identified the suit and related items to wear today, and then cleaned up, dressed, and packed. This was a short trip, so I was not near the bottom of my clean clothing. I assembled everything, put it away, and was ready for the day. I was wearing my black suit which I bought with the blue and grey suits. I bought the black suit thinking of this day in the future and was saddened to finally reach the last of Susie’s Concerts. The black suit’s first use was for the unexpected passing of my good friend Cory and then again for P Giessner. I will have to find a happy occasion to wear it to make it feel less sad when I put it on. I added the gold-colored chain and pocket watch to lighten up the outfit, as it looked too somber for me.
I headed to the Graduate East Lansing lobby and ordered a veggie burrito. Remembering how long the sausage one stayed with me, I switched to a veggie one. I ate that, finished the blog, and even edited some more Howard stories. Finally, it was time to leave the green and white embrace of the hotel (still reminding of a gone-Spartan-mad version of the hotel in John Wick movies, “We hope you enjoyed your stay”) and cover the cost of the valet parking. I used Expedia to produce cheap hotels and flights, and the flight and hotel are paid for by that process. As we have seen, car rental is still a work in progress, and it is unlikely that I will use Expedia again for that.
With the luggage in Leta’s car’s truck delivered in a mass of cars stacked in front of the Graduate East Lansing, I started a search for a few Thank-You cards. Frandor no longer has the Community News or any shops I would usually visit, and none that could supply a few cards. I decided to travel to the Lansing Mall, nearer Grace United Methodist, which is a good place for someone in a three-piece suit to walk in AC. It also includes, in this dying retail property, as most malls are dying, an excellent Barnes and Noble with all the options, including cafe and vinyl records. I soon crossed Lansing without issue as I remembered my aggressive why-are-you-not running that light Midwest driving (I did not risk any lights as Leta would not be happy about that).
The bookstore had cards, and soon, I had what I needed. I then walked to the mall at 10:30 and discovered most things closed and few stores of interest. I was looking for a DVI to USB C Apple converter, but I talked to Barb and was told we did not need one. There were none in this mall. I saw a group of guys in a line at the shoe store. I stopped and asked and learned Jordan (a Nike brand) was having a release of a special shoe today, and this was the line to get them. They thought it cool that I was retired Nike, and I wished them well.
I was a disconcerting fellow in my brown hat and black suit with a goldish chain on my vest. One guy, I think, wanted spiritual counseling and wanted to know if I was a preacher (looking the part with a black suit). I told him I was not and that I was just visiting for my wife’s memorial and just killing some time. He wished me well and soon was walking the mall with a group of slightly sketchy folks. It appeared that they were using the walking as something to do together and as some form of group help.
Time went fast, as it does on days like this, and soon I was at Panera Bread having a Strawberry Poppie Chicken salad with iced tea. Even with the AC, the walk made me a bit warm, but the iced tea worked. Peter Koper called me to say that they were at Grace UMC early. It was time to start. I took Leta’s car, following the Maps app on my iPhone, to the church. John Nilsen had just arrived, and we talked about Morocco and my trip there until the rest of the folks arrived.
Soon, I was in the whirlwind of seeing old friends and directing people here and there. We stalled as one important guest, Harvey, was late coming from Detroit Airport. The pastor soon started us, and the service ran like clockwork, with John’s playing, setting the mood and feeling I often find missing in more scripted services. John’s kind words brought many to tears. The final words, harvested from the usual service in the Methodist Book of Worship, of committing Susie to God are always hard to hear again (tears, even when writing this).
Punch, no-bake cookies, and grilled cheese sandwiches were now available in great Methodist-like quantities (Methodists are not good on doctrine, but we do food well). Susie’s pictures, albums, passports, elementary school report cards, and the like were scattered on tables. My laptop played a loop of Susie’s 1980 long and short programs. I wandered around and shared my time with friends and family. John sold a few items and made more friends and maybe a few fans.
I grabbed my luggage, gave Leta her keys, and changed out of the suit into traveling clothing, repacking my suit and luggage. Harvey, Eva, and John all offered a trip to Capital Airport, and Eva drove me.
Linda met me there, and we followed the usual process. Soon, various luggage was checked (I paid the $30 fee last night). Linda said goodbye to her husband Jesse and their daughter Meg. We then proceeded through security with laptops remaining in their bags, but shoes and belts had to be removed. I kept my hat on this time. After some reassembly, Linda and I found our gate, and the one bar and food joint was not open on Saturday afternoon. F**k. Soon, our tiny plane arrived fifteen minutes early and was quickly loaded (about 50% full), and we were soon landing in Chicago. The taxi and waiting took almost more time than the flight!
The plane is so small that you must use the valet check for any bags for carry-on. We did have to wait for those to be retrieved and offered. Linda managed to be in the last bag with me, with only one ahead of her. We then had more than an hour to reach our gate at the same terminal. We did rush and reached the gate as the plane arrived and was deplaning the current inbound batch from Las Vegas. The nearby McDonald’s was flooded, and I saw nobody had food. So I am glad that we broke out my chicken salad lunch snacks. These are little cans of chicken salad already prepared with crackers to smear it on, which I always add to my carry-on.
Soon, Linda, who had a better ticket class than me (I had the cheapest tickets), boarded before me. I was in the last group, and a stewardess impressed me with her 3D problem-solving skills. She sorted the items in the overhead bin (directing me to move this here and that there) to fit my roller bag. Snap, and everything is safe and away. I am not sure we did not violate some rules of time and space. I was thinking it was a Douglas Adams or Doctor Who moment.
The Boeing 737-800 promised to be uncomfortable, and it was. I felt my discomfort was helping Wall Street see American Airlines make another earning number–hate to waste any money on customers, and with my super cheap ticket, I took it in stride (I am certain my cheap flight did not improve AA’s bottom line). I took off my leather shoes and tried to get comfortable. I believe I nodded off a few times as the hours disappeared quickly. I also worked out how to reach the WIFI-based entertainment and tried to watch a movie, but I kept nodding off.
Linda and I were starting to show the travel as we hit the carpet at PDX.
I am out of time for the blog. We made it home and got some chicken from Poppies. Corwin had not completed the tasks I asked him, and Linda set up the inflatable mattress that was last used by Glenda (I think) in the home office and managed to sleep well.
I did my special surgery soap and soon was asleep, too.
Thanks for reading.
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