It could happen to anyone. Since it happened to us, we're warning you. The scourge? McDonald's eaters. They're everywhere. Until now, we have been successful in preventing these unclean spirits from polluting Otto's sanctum. We got weak, though. Relaxed our guard. We turned our back for only an instant, but that's all it took. While we were out getting our wheat-germ and carrot-juice smoothies for breakfast (yes, they do have these at Dunkin' Donuts), the ever-devious Chuck and Lisa managed to sneak a visit into Mickie-Dee's. When we came back, this is what we found. Not a pretty sight, I assure you. Nonetheless, we remain unbowed -- nary a nibble of McMuffin did we sample. We stay clean so that your reading experience stays clean...our pledge to you, the Odyssey reader.
Chuck and Lisa's fast-food transgressions behind us, we hit the freeway...hard. Long miles lay before us and our goal, the open city of New York. First up was the drive to Boston to drop Chuck and Lisa off at their home. We managed to get an early start on things, waking up sometime around 7:30 AM, or so. Within 45 minutes, we were on the road back to Massachusetts. Our only stop was for breakfast, a half hour into the drive. The rest of the way, Kristanne kept Otto pegged to the turnpike, clicking those miles away with gracious aplomb. Meanwhile, I slept with my tongue lolling out of my mouth, rattling away with my usual pleasant snoring. It seems to make people happy.
Before any of us knew what had happened, Kristanne had driven about four hours straight and was beginning to show their accumulated toll, her eyes rolling around in their sockets, arms gesturing maniacally at her fellow drivers. She needed to stop driving -- now. She refused to surrender the wheel until we got to Boston, though, ignoring all offers of help with the effort. She even gave me a charley-horse as I tried to reach my foot over and brake the car to a halt so I could swap places with her. I think I'm going to suggest that Kristanne be a NASCAR driver instead of a Medieval Art Historian. She's got crazy skills.
Once we got to Boston, we shared a quick lunch with Chuck and Lisa before heading off to Middletown to pick up Jacek and Loydie for the drive into NYC. It was a little sad saying goodbye to Chuck and Lisa -- we had a really great visit and didn't want to see it end. The Odyssey called, though, and we had to answer, pushing hard to the south.
Middletown. Jacek-town. Jacek had his super-bad Kawasaki Ninja 900 fixed up this time, so I got to take a short ride before we left for NYC. Now, I love motorcycles, always have. I haven't had one for two years, though, so this was sort of a treat. Kristanne even rode around the block on the back, once, feeling the wind in her hair. It was nice to savor the open air for a bit before taking the drive down to NYC.
By this point, we were late. We were expected in NYC at our friends Mark and Suzanne's place at about 6:00. We were all then going to meet Chip for dinner near his place in the East Village, Extreme Fellow Travellers one and all. However, by the time we got to Loydie's place in uptown Manhattan to park Otto, it was already after 8:00. We found a good place for Otto in a hospital parking lot (boy, were we ever nervous about leaving him alone for three days, parked in NYC), and caught a ride with Jacek and Loydie down to Mark and Suzanne's place. Would they be mad? Would they still let us stay with them? Heck, would they even recognize us? I hadn't seen Mark for almost four years and Suzanne and I barely got to meet before they headed off to Ecuador to teach school in the Andes.
All doubts were cast away as we entered the lobby to be met with a resounding, "There's Sid and Kristanne!" It was Suzanne, off to get some beer, but fortunately running into us in the lobby. She recognized Kristanne from the web page and me from those four years ago. It was great to see both Mark and Suzanne, and soon Chip joined us. There we all are down there, the hale folks well met. Kristanne is taking the picture, or she'd be in there, too.
We spent a happy time getting reacquainted with one another and just generally shooting the bull. Jacek's sister, Ania, even showed up for Thai food. It was great to hang out with a big crew of happy folks eating good food.
Eventually, our merry band dwindled down to me, Kristanne, Mark, Suzanne, and Chip. We headed off to the White Horse Tavern, the bar where Dylan Thomas (you know, the "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" dude) is said to have killed himself by drinking 18 bourbon shots and then toddling off into the night. The place even sports a Dylan Thomas room to commemorate his long-time patronage. There we sat down to goof the night away. It was a good time -- Mark, Chip, and I all played in a band together in college, but only get to see each other sporadically now that they're out in NYC and I'm on the other coast. Fortunately, I get to keep in touch with their music via their incredibly active underground fan club -- bootlegs all the live long day, circulating via the internet, postal system, and ham radio. Radical stuff, too, featuring long interviews with Michael Milken, Ivan Boesky, and other noted financiers, spliced, diced, and rearranged over groovy jazz breaks. Check it out. I'd tell you their band name, but they're just too far cool to even have a band name. Now that's cool.
We finished the evening with the notable distinction of having closed down the White Horse. Then, it was into the subway for us and back to Mark's for some much needed rest and relaxation. New York's a big city, after all, and we've only got two days to see it in.
See you next time on the Odyssey! And more pictures...we promise. All that text is scary.
Total Miles for 7/27 = 520