Road Trip

So Norman came by early, we headed to MIA, and gratefully accepted a miles based upgrade to Fisrt Class on AA, for our trip to D.C. A few hours there, we landed at Reagan National, and waited for Norman's boy Michael, who was coming up from college in Sarasota.

Michael is one impressive young man. He's awaiting word on his Fullbright Scholar application, and wants to be a professor of Archaelogy or Anthropology. He's already done a bunch of digs, and has an academic's demeanor. I can clearly see him becoming one of those cool, funny young profs the kids in his classes will savor. Plus --he LOVES the Canes...

We checked into the Courtyard Hotel on Dupont Circle, after a SWEATY walk from the Metro up Connecticut Street. It was hotter and muggier than Miami. We were then directed to a local pub, Maddy's, where we drank a few adult beverages and ate great wings and sweet fries. Ah, to travel with real MEN, and eat man food! No one was ordering salads or fish this trip, unless the salad was Caesar, or the fish fried.

We then met up with Mike and his boy Chris, and mustered for another hot, steamy walk to the D.C. Palm, where I met my old friend John. I hadn't seen him in nearly 20 years.

I used to think my friend Kenny had the coolest post high school experiences, of all the MacArthur High grads. Kenny became a Navy flight surgeon, and spent time on the carrier Saratoga during the Persian Gulf War. He got flights in supersonic planes, and hung out with SEALS and Top Gun guys...

John, very smart but less than a high school scholar, started out at Nassau Community College, where he found himself academicaly. He then went to Hofstra, NYU, UNC, and Georgetown, where he acquired 2 Masters degrees. While getting the 2nd, the CIA recruited him.

The last I heard of John, until last year, was when the FBI came to my house to follow up on his listing me as a lifelong friend. This must have been in the late 90s. In my relatively boring life, when the 2 aviator sunglassed Special Agents got out of their black sedan and asked me if I was who John said I was --well THAT was as much intrigue as I got...

Anyway, it turned out that John found himself in Iraq, and met and interrogated Saddam Hussein after his capture. He also briefed President Bush and his cronies 2 times, and had his share of movie like adventures, like betting lost in Baghdad, in crowds of less than welcoming Iraqis...

We hung on every word as John told us of his experiences. He's nearly done with a book about them --and I can't wait to read it. The message for me is how a middle class kid from Levittown can put himself at the center of international events...what an experience for him.

Anyway, John's now working for an international consulting group in Abu Dhabi (one of Wifey's favorite place names --she says it over and over), and finally married his LONG TIME girlfriend Barbara...I invited them to Miami in January, when he returns to the US, and I hope he visits...

Then, it was back to the hotel, fueled by 4 martinis. The rest of my group went up to bed, and I stayed at the lobby computer, to engage in a very hazardous activity: drunk Facebooking!

The elevator door opened, and 3 young ladies emerged. They were probably late 20s. One told her friends she wanted to check email before they went out. I heard this, and told her I'd be right off. She said no, that was ok, and then another of the 3 said "Hey --you want to come party with us?"

I assumed my Foghorn Leghorn voice, and politely begged off. I realized they just figured I was an older guy, and would have paid for their drinks and meals...Still, I felt like a cool rockin' Daddy in the USA...

Monday Norman and Michael and I went to a Starbucks, and had coffee and chatted more. For reasons that we now know to be invalid, we decided to head to College Park at noon, even though the game started at 8. We had fine pizza and friend ravioli!!! at a place called Ledos. After lunch, we had a mere 7 hours before kickoff.

It was still oppressively hot and humid, so we hiked around campus, raising a sweat like I haven't had in a long while. We drank some beer at a parking lot. We searched for the "famous U Maryland ice cream," at Mike's suggestion. After walking what felt like 20 miles, we learned the Visitor's Center was closed for Labor Day. So we schlepped back to the Student Union, where Mike and Chris settled for Chick Fil shakes...

Eventually, it was time to go to the game. The Canes led with 4 minutes left, in a game with 7 lead changes. You could compare our QB to our former star Ken Dorsey. He's no Ken Dorsey. We lost. Enough said.

The shuttle bus got us to our parking garage near midnight. We drove Norman's nephew and future niece back to their hotel. As we approached it, the Capital building appeared in front of us, bathed in white light. It was inspiring...

Back to our hotel, and to bed, late. Norman and Michael were up early, to meet faculty members at Maryland, for possible grad studies for Michael. Mike and Chris took an early flight home.

I leisurely walked to the Metro, and found my way via their excellent mass transit, back to Reagan. D.C. built their system when Miami did. It takes you everywhere. Miami's is a single line, from Kendall to Hialeah (though they are finally building a spur to MIA). Clearly, Miami's leaders were smoking dope when they conceived and built Metrorail...

After some coffee in the Admiral's Club, in homage to my friend Todd, who makes fun of my privileged and soft lifestyle (he's right), I caught a 1245 back to the 305.

All in all, a fine late Summer trip. I adore my women, and I have many to deal with here, but sometimes it's nice to be a few days with zero hormonal influence, at least of the estrogen and progesterone variety...

Sadly, my beloved Canes may be lacking testosterone. We'll see as the season progresses...