Driving up and down a country road in the dark for an hour (again) is not my idea of fun. When I finally made it to the hotel, it had begun raining. I was weak. I stunk thoroughly with the scent Arby's curly fries mingled with rental car. My Ramada hotel room smelled like stale cigarette smoke and I was leery about even touching the floor with my bare feet. I plugged my cell phone into the wall and answered the frantic text messages and phone calls. My brother couldn't believe that I had barely made it in to town. He had been in downtown Chicago partying with friends since the night before. I didn't have the strength to unpack anything. After I showered and set the clock for 4:30AM, I wrapped up in a sweatshirt and passed out on top of the comforter with the T.V. on.
I knew I was going to oversleep. Dammit.
The Naval base began letting people in at 5:30AM. I woke up 5:00. Shit. My brother had called me twice by the time I was in the car driving. He was in the line to get into the base. Crap. The car line extended two miles deep. I found my brother eventually, cut ahead of him and crept along with the other naval supporters onto the base. The officers stopped the visitors repeatedly; asking questions, checking trunks and even making rounds with drug sniffing dogs. I was fascinated by the ordeal and videotaped as much as I could. I hadn't seen my big brother in about a year and he looked pretty much the same. I hugged him as far as my arms could reach around his huge belly and arms. We walked through the check-in and made ourselves comfortable on the hard metal benches in the naval base gymnasium, section 280 (my nephew's squad).
There was a great deal of fanfare, horns blowing, cannons shot off, flags waving, saluting, standing, sitting... bro said it was like Catholic mass. I dug through my purse for my back-up camera. I had a camera in each hand now, but for some reason my bag still weighed a ton. I dug deeper and unzipped the inner pocket. Holy shit. I had walked onto the base, past the numerous NO UNAUTHORIZED ITEMS / WEAPONS signs with two canisters of pepper spray and my taser. I froze. Bro could tell something was wrong when I suddenly became quiet. I quickly zipped up my purse and went back to jabbering about how my butt was numb from sitting on the benches for so long. As long as I didn't get stopped or randomly searched for some strange reason, I would be OK.
The ceremony ended and all of the people in the stands rushed to the floor. I hugged my nephew. He had gained a little weight, but was still rail thin with his 6'3" frame. All three of us walked outside and took pictures the entire way. I opened my purse to drop the disposable camera inside.
I knew I was going to oversleep. Dammit.
The Naval base began letting people in at 5:30AM. I woke up 5:00. Shit. My brother had called me twice by the time I was in the car driving. He was in the line to get into the base. Crap. The car line extended two miles deep. I found my brother eventually, cut ahead of him and crept along with the other naval supporters onto the base. The officers stopped the visitors repeatedly; asking questions, checking trunks and even making rounds with drug sniffing dogs. I was fascinated by the ordeal and videotaped as much as I could. I hadn't seen my big brother in about a year and he looked pretty much the same. I hugged him as far as my arms could reach around his huge belly and arms. We walked through the check-in and made ourselves comfortable on the hard metal benches in the naval base gymnasium, section 280 (my nephew's squad).
There was a great deal of fanfare, horns blowing, cannons shot off, flags waving, saluting, standing, sitting... bro said it was like Catholic mass. I dug through my purse for my back-up camera. I had a camera in each hand now, but for some reason my bag still weighed a ton. I dug deeper and unzipped the inner pocket. Holy shit. I had walked onto the base, past the numerous NO UNAUTHORIZED ITEMS / WEAPONS signs with two canisters of pepper spray and my taser. I froze. Bro could tell something was wrong when I suddenly became quiet. I quickly zipped up my purse and went back to jabbering about how my butt was numb from sitting on the benches for so long. As long as I didn't get stopped or randomly searched for some strange reason, I would be OK.
The ceremony ended and all of the people in the stands rushed to the floor. I hugged my nephew. He had gained a little weight, but was still rail thin with his 6'3" frame. All three of us walked outside and took pictures the entire way. I opened my purse to drop the disposable camera inside.
"Excuse me, ma'am?" I heard from behind me.
A base officer gestured to my arms. "No pictures outside please."
Whew!
Nephew gave us a quick walking tour then jetted off to locate his graduation photos. We drove to the local mall (not all that local) in Gurnee, and he treated us to lunch at the Rainforest Cafe.
It was quite a sight to see someone who hadn't eaten a real hamburger or drank a soda in 16 weeks, try and scarf down an entire meal in a few bites. He choked it down as if it were the best meal he had ever had.
I told Bro he could get some sleep back in my hotel room and nephew and I settled on a movie at the theater next door. We bought a ton of candy from Target and made it just in time for the beginning of "Hancock." He bugged me about calling his girlfriend, so I let him chat away on my phone for almost a solid hour. He looked worn out after the conversation but still upbeat. I don't think the distance thing is going to work with them. Anyway, she's a crazy hoochie.
Bro met up with me to take nephew back to the base. Sadly, I said my goodbyes and watched him walk away in his..... scuffed, unpolished shoes!?!?!? I hadn't noticed that before. "I'm telling Papa!" I yelled. (His grandfather would probably make him shine his shoes in his own spit. And blood for that matter.) "NOOOOO!" He ran away laughing.
I couldn't wait to get back to the hotel room and take a nap. I was exhausted.
"So," I asked bro, "What are you going to do now?"
He became huffy. "I don't know, I guess sleep in my car. I need to head out first thing in the morning."
He became huffy. "I don't know, I guess sleep in my car. I need to head out first thing in the morning."
Arrg. Too cheap to rent a room of his own, he was trying to mooch his way into my room for the night and I wasn't going to let that happen.
"OK," I said, let me know if you wanna eat or something. I'll call you later."
Silence.
Guilt.
I left him in the parking lot and began walking up the hotel stairs. He followed briefly. "Well maybe I'll just hang out in the lounge for a bit and return some calls," he said.
I told him cool - after I rest maybe we could eat dinner together.
I passed out again but not for very long. It was getting dark outside but I didn't even know what time it was. After I showered I turned on the T.V. and saw the opening ceremony for the Olympics in Beijing. I had completely forgotten about it.
Downstairs in the lounge, bro had a table all to himself with a pitcher of beer and his writing tablet. He had one shoe off, sitting dead center in the middle of section and was reclining comfortably while people around him were eating and talking. The bar had a massive projection television with the Olympics coverage blaring. It was surreal. Here I was in this middle of nowhere town, all alone except for my drunk, dreadlocked brother and a bar full of strangers, eating the best chicken teriyaki sandwich I had ever eaten in my life, wearing my rubber ducky printed pajamas, watching the 2008 Olympics. I wouldn't have had it any other way.
On the way home my standby flight was booted three times. I spent the night in the Seattle, Washington airport terminal and I lost my cell phone on the plane. That's really when all the drama began but I'm sick of writing about this saga now. After 36 hours with no sleep, I finally made it home, ate some pancakes and all was right with the world again.
I passed out again but not for very long. It was getting dark outside but I didn't even know what time it was. After I showered I turned on the T.V. and saw the opening ceremony for the Olympics in Beijing. I had completely forgotten about it.
Downstairs in the lounge, bro had a table all to himself with a pitcher of beer and his writing tablet. He had one shoe off, sitting dead center in the middle of section and was reclining comfortably while people around him were eating and talking. The bar had a massive projection television with the Olympics coverage blaring. It was surreal. Here I was in this middle of nowhere town, all alone except for my drunk, dreadlocked brother and a bar full of strangers, eating the best chicken teriyaki sandwich I had ever eaten in my life, wearing my rubber ducky printed pajamas, watching the 2008 Olympics. I wouldn't have had it any other way.
On the way home my standby flight was booted three times. I spent the night in the Seattle, Washington airport terminal and I lost my cell phone on the plane. That's really when all the drama began but I'm sick of writing about this saga now. After 36 hours with no sleep, I finally made it home, ate some pancakes and all was right with the world again.
