2:35 P.M.
I got off my flight and made my way to the public transport terminal. As I walked down the poorly lit hallway I could hear faint music down the hall. I thought that someone had been listening to the oldies station. I turned the corner and came to find an old man playing an old Glen Miller hit on his sax.
He was damn amazing!
Hearing him play the music made my hair stand on end.
I couldn�t help but want to dance to the tune. I hadn�t heard live big band music since the last time we hit up the �Sugar Palm Ballroom.�
I strutted down the tunnels dancing a bit to �In The Mood.�
I was definitely in some kind of mood.
I was anxious to see his face. I was anxious to see any sense of change, or inspiration in his voice.
I finally got to the terminal and a security officer covered in tattoo�s asked if I was lost.
He soon coupled me with another group of tourists and explained the rates for the train.
I looked around to see if anyone had noticed I was lost.
The majority of the terminal was empty.
It was hot and muggy and I could feel the sweat beading up on my brown.
The officer came up behind me and shouted in a firm voice, �Exact change ONLY mam!�
Um, ok, I think I can READ!
Fucker!
And I�m not def!
I glanced at my watch thinking, �am I in the right spot?�
Where is Ben? He said he would be here at 11:30. It�s not 11:34 and 16 seconds!
Ok, I was anxious.
2 trains have come and gone any my heart raced.
As soon as I rationalized that it had only been a few minutes since 11:30, another train pulled up. I crossed my fingers and waited.
�Wow, that hair is unmistakable. I could pick out that hair in a crowd of millions. I figured it was either Ben, or Garfunkel.�
He came up the steps and smiled.
He was only 4 minutes late.
�Hey Kell, I got your message. Sorry I didn�t call right back. I have one bar left and then the battery is shot!�
We said or hello�s and made our way to the train.
I thought to myself, �Man it�s been forever. Definitely far too long. Fare too long gone�
We hopped on the �Blue Line�, and headed to another town at the 2nd stop.
Ben smiled, �They have a Benegain�s at the 2nd stop. �I figured if you�re hungry we could get a bite to eat.�
We got off the train at the 2nd stop and made our way towards the restaurant sign.
�Wow, this place looks dead!�
We walked through an empty parking lot and around a vacant hotel.
�Where is the restaurant?�
There were signs for hotels and a restaurant that didn�t exist.
There is no sign that the restaurant ever existed.
What the hell is going on?
�Well we could get back on the train and check out another stop. I don�t know how far we would have to travel because I�m not from around this area. I don�t make it out here often. I normally only ride the Brown Line. So what do you wanna do Kell?�
He pointed out a Marriott across the street.
�We could see if they have a restaurant.�
I was game.
Any source of food sounds great at this point.
We grabbed burgers and cokes at the sports bar lounge.
I smiled, �No Pepsi, Just Coke!�
�Cheese burger, cheese burger, cheeseburger!�
Ok, I guess no one got it but us because we had seen the SNL episodes where they made fun of the burger joint that only served cheeseburgers and coke.
The funny thing about it is that the restaurant actually exists in Chicago.
*^*^*^*
Lunch was far too brief. I snapped a picture of Ben so I wouldn�t forget to write about lunch�.
�But it�s Ben. How could I forget right?�
I showed him the pictures I had taken when I flew in. He was amazed, and pointed out his school was the red building near the Sears Tower.
Nice.....
Well the day ended as soon as it began.
He invited me out to visit Chicago in the future and I�d love to take him up on the offer. I�d love to see the city in full.
We rode the train back to the airport and said our goodbyes.
I made my way to my departing flight. I hurried my ass to wait a long time. We ended up taxing the run way for an hour before take off.
What a waste. I could have spent that hour at lunch.
*^*^*^*
I�m finally on my way to Iowa, and check it out, another in-flight meal!
Hamster treats!
Yum!
Huge surprise!
Hello cornfields, here I come!
