through the woods
I've been away from home for a bit. I was up in North Dakota again. My grandfather was in the hospital and not doing well, so I went up to see him and other family. I took the train to Omaha were I met my brother (he came from Chicago to pick me up) and we drove together to Bismarck. My sister and my parents were there as well.
Papa (that's what my siblings and I call our grandfather) started doing a lot better the day after my brother and I arrived. A respirator that had been in his throat was removed and the following day he was taken out of ICU. After awhile, he was eating solid food again. We went to his room several times and he was talking and looked really good. He was tired but getting stronger, I think. He's not out of the hospital yet but, as my Mom says, he's out of the woods. Which makes us all happy.
My grandparents' new place was looking more like their home and it was great to be there with my gramma and my family. It turned out to be a great chance to spend time together.
I rode with my brother back to Chicago. At some gas station along the way we picked up an interesting fellow I had met in the bathroom. That sounds like the beginning of a strange story, doesn't it? Well, it was a bit strange but I won't go into too many details here--I really don't think I could do the experience justice. Just for a tiny glimpse of the trip: this guy, who called himself the Leprechaun, had three fractures in his right leg (he showed me the medical paperwork). He had cut off his cast because it had gotten wet earlier in the day. He had come from Duluth after apparently getting into a fight with the members of his band. You know what--I just can't figure out a way to talk about this guy and that night. There was fog so thick you could only see one dash of the centerline ahead on the road. And he kept talking and talking and was either not at all what he appeared or insane. We finally, finally got to Madison where we were going to take him to a hospital. He was trying to get to Maine, where he said his brother had just been murdered. He devised a plan to go to the hospital and get his leg recasted and then somehow get the hospital to get him a bus ticket to Maine. Judging from how he got us out of a hairy situation in some small town in Wisconsin, I don't doubt that he somehow succeeded.
Anyway, we got into Chicago late, around 2:30am and headed to my brother's apartment. I slept a bit and got to see my niece in the morning, which was a lot of fun. Then I got on the train and headed back to Colorado. On the train I finished reading the first of the old Han Solo books published in the late 1970s. It was pretty fantastic for what it is and I really enjoyed reading it. By the way, the train, for those of you who haven't ridden on it, far surpasses the bus in terms of comfort. Wow, is it roomy. And you can get up and go to other cars and, when in your seat, actually stretch out your legs. There is some bad smelling air freshener that's pumped through the vents (which might explain the level of insanity and strangeness I perceived on the train....maybe it's something in the air). And on the way out to Omaha, I was questioned by police who then arrested the man behind me for transporting fifty pounds of marijuana. I really don't like cops, especially when they're questioning me, so I didn't enjoy that but both the trips were really very nice.
And that's my story of the trip to see Papa.
Papa (that's what my siblings and I call our grandfather) started doing a lot better the day after my brother and I arrived. A respirator that had been in his throat was removed and the following day he was taken out of ICU. After awhile, he was eating solid food again. We went to his room several times and he was talking and looked really good. He was tired but getting stronger, I think. He's not out of the hospital yet but, as my Mom says, he's out of the woods. Which makes us all happy.
My grandparents' new place was looking more like their home and it was great to be there with my gramma and my family. It turned out to be a great chance to spend time together.
I rode with my brother back to Chicago. At some gas station along the way we picked up an interesting fellow I had met in the bathroom. That sounds like the beginning of a strange story, doesn't it? Well, it was a bit strange but I won't go into too many details here--I really don't think I could do the experience justice. Just for a tiny glimpse of the trip: this guy, who called himself the Leprechaun, had three fractures in his right leg (he showed me the medical paperwork). He had cut off his cast because it had gotten wet earlier in the day. He had come from Duluth after apparently getting into a fight with the members of his band. You know what--I just can't figure out a way to talk about this guy and that night. There was fog so thick you could only see one dash of the centerline ahead on the road. And he kept talking and talking and was either not at all what he appeared or insane. We finally, finally got to Madison where we were going to take him to a hospital. He was trying to get to Maine, where he said his brother had just been murdered. He devised a plan to go to the hospital and get his leg recasted and then somehow get the hospital to get him a bus ticket to Maine. Judging from how he got us out of a hairy situation in some small town in Wisconsin, I don't doubt that he somehow succeeded.
Anyway, we got into Chicago late, around 2:30am and headed to my brother's apartment. I slept a bit and got to see my niece in the morning, which was a lot of fun. Then I got on the train and headed back to Colorado. On the train I finished reading the first of the old Han Solo books published in the late 1970s. It was pretty fantastic for what it is and I really enjoyed reading it. By the way, the train, for those of you who haven't ridden on it, far surpasses the bus in terms of comfort. Wow, is it roomy. And you can get up and go to other cars and, when in your seat, actually stretch out your legs. There is some bad smelling air freshener that's pumped through the vents (which might explain the level of insanity and strangeness I perceived on the train....maybe it's something in the air). And on the way out to Omaha, I was questioned by police who then arrested the man behind me for transporting fifty pounds of marijuana. I really don't like cops, especially when they're questioning me, so I didn't enjoy that but both the trips were really very nice.
And that's my story of the trip to see Papa.
posted by matt iv at 10:23 AM
8 Comments:
Good to hear that your grandfather is doing better.
But you HAVE to tell us about the situation this dude got you out of in Wisconsin.
That had to have been the coolest story I have heard in a long, long time, and I am jealous I could not experience it with you and make it my story as well.
MAN! Yeah. What a great story. :-)
Hey, also, is it expensive to ride the train? I've always wanted to do that.
We should totally ride the train for when we go walking the Appalachain Trail!!!!
Great story. Glad to hear your family is doing well.
I've taken the train a couple times and it's a nice way to travel. If you have the time, I recommend it.
Wow,
You experience the kinds of things that just can't be made up...
Like your spring break trip to Louisiana with Christ and Mike (what did we always call him again?)
Anyway, I agree you have to tell us about the hairy situation - please!
Some strange Red Neck interaction comes to mind - I've got the dueling banjo's and deliverance in my head now... :)
Well, I'll wait to tell you the details until we're sitting around a fire somewhere. Or maybe just hanging out. It was anything too serious--and there weren't any dueling banjos involved!
There are a few more things about our mysterious passenger I'll mention here: He had a gash on his forehead and what appeared to be a broken nose from, as he told us, a fight he got in with his band in Duluth after he overheard them decide to sell the songs he wrote.
He didn't have a single bag with him and he wore sunglasses the whole time, even though it was late at night.
Andrew said something about going back up to Bismarck sometime in May to help finish moving things. Are you going to be going? I am going to try REALLY hard to go, then...
Ben,
I'm not sure if I'll make it up there at that time. I want to but I think I might have some things going on here that I ought to stick around for. But I'm not sure yet....I'd sure like to. That would be awesome to see you!
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