The Long, Strange trip........ (Part Deux)

Read Part I

We rejoin our hero in a strange place with nowhere to go....

So, what do I do now? I'm already in CT. How can I get to Hartford? Aha! My boy 'Chiz' is in Bristol on business and he was going to the dedication too. Let me give him a call.

Before I place the call, one of the Amtrak workers is giving some of the passengers some info when I ask, "Are there any alternate arrangements? A bus or something?"

You know what his answer was. If it wasn't that then this would be the end of the story.

Side note 1: I don't what it is about me, but people never have a problem coming up to me and asking me for something or saying I look familiar. It happens all the time. I must have the non-menacing black man thing going on, but I digress.

This woman who was standing next to me, and must have been on my train, overhears my conversation with the Amtrak guy. She asks me where I'm headed. Back to the story...

"Hartford?"
"How are you getting there?", she asks.
"Uh, I have a friend picking me up"
"Do you think he'll give me a ride", she replies.

You have to be &*#^ing kidding me! She didn't ask me that! (Level 7.5)

"Nah, they're coming from a long way. They won't be here for a while." I can't belief that this is happening.

Side note 2: I'm not a very suspicious person, but when I catch someone staring at me while I'm in a place I don't frequent, bells go off in my head. Hey, I've had homeless people bearhug me out of joy for giving them a few bucks. Back to the story...

As I am making my call, this short, Hispanic guy is just staring at me. The first though in my head was 'What the hell does this guy want. He's all in my grill!'

Anyway, I get my boy and he says he would come and get me. But he's got an 45-60 minute ride ahead of him and I feel like a piece of crap for asking him to get me. While I'm waiting, I'm leaning up against a wall near the doors. Out of the corner of my eye I see the 'All-in-my-face guy' walking towards me (Level 9! Danger!).

So this is the moment. If this dude tries anything, he's gonna find out BROOKLYN! Let the cops sort it out!

He starts saying some cockamamie story about how he doesn't have any money and he want to use my cell. Again: If this dude tries anything, he's gonna find out BROOKLYN! Let five-oh sort it out!

But, I felt bad for the guy and let him use my phone. But I stood no more than 2 feet in front of him, fist ready, foot out & ready to trip, at Level 9!

After the call was over (Level 6) I calmed down and waited for 'Chiz' to show. Naturally, with all the rain we had the past week (causing me to be stuck in New Haven to begin with), what would happen on the way back to his hotel: torrential downpour. More delays.

I call 'Weez's' wife and she is not happy that 'Chiz' and I are running late. Damn. 'Chiz' is the godfather, he can't be late for the ceremony.

At about 11:20 (about 15 minutes late and 90+ minutes past my desired arrival time) we finally get there just after the start of it all.

I shouldn't have gotten out of bed. Or driven to the subway. Or .... forget it. Just glad to make it back to Brooklyn in one piece.

Update: Let us bow our heads in a moment of silence. No more '93 Accord. R.I.P.

The Long, Strange trip........

Remember when I said, "I really like my car"?

Well, let me tell you a story.....

Friday morning, I make a last minute decision to go to Connecticut to visit my boy 'Weez', his wife, and their new daughter for her dedication ceremony on Saturday. Since the ceremony is relatively early in the morning, and I know how temperamental my car is, I decided to Amtrak-it up to Hartford. The problem was that to get there on time I would need to take the 7:00 A.M. train from Penn Station.

So since I have to wake up extra early, I decided to at least drive to the closest subway station and park the car there.

And that's when it all fell apart.........

As I pull up to a spot across from the station I smell something. As I turn off the car and get out I see white smoke come out from under the hood of the car and here a hissing sound (this puts me at anger level 4 out of 10: stay tuned).

I stand there hoping for a while that the car would just explode with me standing in front of it when I say to myself, "Self, let me get my behind out the subway before I miss my train and really get angry." (Level 3 of 10)

With the ride to Penn Station and catching the train to Hartford done, I figure the worst is behind me. What do they say about the best laid plans.....

I decide to call my dad, just to tell him what happened. After all I just got the car back a few weeks before from his mechanic. He didn't seem too interested (Back to Level 4).

Anyway, the train makes its way into New Haven, where I have to change trains. I get off the train and I ask one of the Amtrak platform employees for information on where my train would be arriving. He dryly says, "Didn't you go downstairs and look at the board." (Level 4.5)

Now, I think to myself, "Self, didn't he just see this large ass train pull up, a few dozen people get off, and me walk up towards him!", but I politely say, "No, I haven't been downstairs yet, but could you tell me where I need to be to catch my train."

The rest goes something like this:

"All trains are suspended indefinitely.", turning away.

"Excuse me" (Level 6), shockingly.

"No trains except those going to New York."

What. This cannot be happening. (Level 7). Why didn't they say something before I left NY? What the &^$@!

So, I decide to go downstairs and entertain the notion that there are no trains going in my direction. Lo and behold the big board says 'All trains east are suspended indefinitely."

Sigh.....

To be continued...

And the Grammy for Best New Artist goes to.....

A big shoutout goes to one of my best friends who was singing at B.B. Kings Blue's Club & Grill on Thursday night. Her group was the only one to get the people going!

And much better than the Fake Chaka "the Con" that came on first. I'm not a musician, but I know that you're not supposed to throw the band under the bus and announce it to everyone if they make a mistake.

Note to Chaka "the Con":

• No one notices when the band misses something if you don't say anything.
• Your background singers sounded better that you did.
  
• Nothing was wrong with the microphones.
• And you are not this lady.

(Whew, that rant made me tired...)

Anyway, Naneka, good job! When is the next show! Don't bring "the Con" next time!

I am not food!

If I didn't find my best friend's son so funny.......
I would bite him back!

The plan is now to embarass him around his friends when he's about 16 years old.

Revenge is best sereved after simmering on low heat for a long period of time.......