Dear reader, I will catch up with you in two days. I was busy traveling between hotels and seeing folks and had limited writing time.

Friday

I rose at about 7 in the Graduate East Lansing Hotel room 819, wrote the blog for Thursday, showered, dressed, and all the usual things. I am still trying to get used to the changes in time. The three hours earlier impacts me, as does trying to sleep before 1AM. I am also used to the eastern USA folks being awake for hours when I rise. Now, they are just waking, and Oregon is not awake until the afternoon and texting me very late. This is a disconcerting change.

Duncan Donuts supplies coffee and a few not-as-fresh-as-they-should-be donuts. The shop is only half a block away, and I ordered everything on a touch screen. My order was quickly processed. The gal who handed me the bag of donuts and coffee liked my name, ‘WILD M,’ and asked if that was my real name. I get a smile when I say it is ‘Michael Wild.’ Fed, I need to move and work off more of the airplane air and jetlag. I spend the next hour shopping and walking in East Lansing. It is already afternoon, and I walk to the length of the shops.

I walked one block twice and then returned to the hotel, where I met Deborah. We headed to El Azteco for drinks and chips, where we kept each other company until dinner.

Deborah and I met Deborah’s son, Liam, who goes to MSU, for dinner at Beggar’s Banquet, and we had a nice meal. I had the London Broil, which was excellent, as I had yet to have that. Liam tried the stroganoff while Deborah went back to the dip sandwich. My meal was mainly meat, and I finished it. Liam got the bounty of the sandwich and leftover stroganoff. We had a nice chat and soon headed to The Graduate Roof Bar to finish the evening.

Saturday

Saturday started with partial repacking and getting ready for Eric “Elric” Anderson’s service. Later, I was headed to the Royal Park Hotel in Rochester. I did not want to repack, so I just put the loose items back in the suitcase and made two trips to the car to return the shirts less wrinkled to the vehicle. If I had repacked everything, the shirts would have needed to be pressed. The car is valet-parked, and I ordered the valet to bring the vehicle by phone text, and soon, I had much in hand. 

It goes without saying that breakfast, a bagel sandwich, was acquired with coffee from downstairs before this. Deborah joined me for the fine repast. Showers and assembling into my black suit, with suspenders, tie, and vest, were included in this busy morning, with me waking early and not returning to sleep.

I headed to the service in Laingsburg for “Elric’s” service (a friend from middle school learned Dungeons and Dragons with me) and soon remembered the path. I found it amazing as I recalled childhood versions of the exact locations; now, much has changed. Soon, I found the American Legion Hall still looking the same, except the parking lot was slightly bumpy. Tyler (another elementary school friend who also learned Dungeons and Dragons with me in the 1980s) and Eric’s family greeted me, and Tyler and I chatted until others showed up.

Eric’s brother, Joe, greeted me, as did Chris and other folks who have lived in Laingsburg for forty-plus years since we graduated high school together in 1982. I had not seen most in forty years or once or twice for other family services.

The service was short, less formal, and contained many stories and laughs. It was more of a roast for Eric’s friends and family, and Eric would have loved to add a few good comments, too. The tears started strong when the 23 Psalm was read (also used as Susie’s service), and the honor guard reminded us why we were there. The fire of the salute startled many. Few were not crying when the US flag was presented to Eric’s widow, and those familiar words were said by a man in uniform, “The President of the United States…”. Eric was greatly missed.

Jeanne, Jim, Deborah, and I sat together with other members of the class of 81, 82, and 83. We shared many stories, some of which became clearer and also faded with time. Smiles, laughter and some wet eyes followed with lunch from the Ladies of the American Legion. Tyler distributed some items that “Elric” had from various gaming options. I got some Chainmail figures and a small game. Jim got the official Dungeons and Dragons cookbook. Rusty, a player with us in the 1980s along with Jim, got a few rule books.

Everyone talked and laughed, and nobody wanted to leave. This was a time to meet again and remember Eric and our youth in “the Burg.” We talked until the room was being disassembled, and then we all reluctantly left, knowing we would not meet again. Our foolish and fun young selves faded again until the upstanding elders were present. We all were waiting for Eric, though we knew it could not happen, to somehow appear and laugh with us again. It was hard to drive away.

I took a Detroit driving tour to reach the Royal Park Hotel, which is not on the way to Detroit! But seeing the area and driving again at over 70 for extended times was still lovely. When I arrived, I found it a classic hotel of the mid-1900s, built then as a throwback to previous times, now updated to current travelers’ needs. Deborah joined me in the bar for drinks and a pizza, and later, we shared a baked brie. All were good.

We called it an early night. Deborah returned to her home. Both of us were tired from travel. Deborah had done a work conference and presentation for most of the previous week, and I was still jetlagged, and the time change was still hard on me.

We planned to meet again at the hotel for breakfast and find a few things to do on Sunday.

Thanks for reading!