Better Late Than... Something
“Springfield or Bust,” I suggested as our Poli-Sci class’s motto, but in the end it would have been better as “Grayslake or Bust.”
First, I got all packed and ready after the crappy Awards ceremony. The awards made me add a clause onto my senior will (which Mason had to turn in for me). Anyway, Mom made me pack an extra outfit, for which I was grateful because it never really stopped raining.
Woke up early on Thurs. 5:09, a full 6 mins before my alarm was supposed to go off. I woke up, however, feeling like I slept through the alarm. I hadn’t. Woke up, took a shower, got ready, and Leah picked me up at 6:00. We got to the train station and Janczak pulled into the parking spot next to us. The Metra train was on time and everyone showed up, yawning and clutching huge bags. I sat next to Leah, getting the window seat on the right. I didn’t spend too much time looking out the window, though. We talked and my batteries for my discman ran out so Leah gave me her backups. Thanks, Leah! Anyway, we met Ms. Goldstein at Chicago’s Union Station. We didn’t have to wait very long for the Amtrak train. Leah had a ten dollar gift card for Corner Bakery (which was upstairs), so we went and she bought breakfast for herself and me a blueberry bagel. The hot chocolate I bought from there was good, but the bagel wasn’t. We came back to the Amtrak waiting room and the train was there. We loaded and were pleasantly surprised. It almost looked like an airplane. The seats had green cushions and reclined. There was a luggage rack above all the seats (on which I smacked my head a few times). The dining car opened a few minutes after we were on the train (everyone continuously called both the Metra and Amtrak trains “buses,” and it was an unintentional mistake at first, but got funnier every time). A bunch of people left our car, but Leah and I stayed. I listened to music and looked out the window while she read. Then I took the open two seats behind us and laid down. Listening to music, I actually fell asleep for a while. Leah laid down in front of me, but I don’t think she slept. When I woke up, I went in search of a bathroom. When they were occupied, I kept moving back. The one before the dining car was full, so I hung out with the boys playing Hearts in the dining car until the bathroom opened up. It wasn’t long after that that we arrived in rainy, rainy Springfield. When we got there, we had to divide into two groups to be vanned over to the hotel. Leah, Nichole, and I were in room 412, between Janczak’s room and Lauren, Mary, Catherine, and Jennifer. The room was nice: a closet on the right, then the bathroom, two comfy (but squeaky) beds, a round table with two chairs, and a dresser and armoire with a TV with very few stations. Leah and Nichole had to change into their dress clothes, but I was already dressed up. We had a lot of free time. We met in the lobby for a head count and decided what to do. We toured Lincoln's house at 3, and then basically, we were free until 7:00, when we had to check in. So everyone dispersed for fun before dinner. We wandered around Springfield for a little. We did some shopping - there was an awesome antique bookstore there. I bought two books, but I could have spent hours and hundreds of dollars in that little place. I got lunch at this place called Jimmy’s Sandwich, or something like that, but Leah wasn’t hungry. I got a BBQ chicken sandwich - very good Janczak and Ms. Goldstein came in a few minutes after we sat down. They were surprised to see us there. They sat at another table. Leah and I went back into the rain, both cold and really wet, and browsed some more stores. We went back to the hotel to check in. Then we followed Janczak and Ms. Goldstein to Saputo’s for dinner - a big crowd was supposed to go- but the wait was 40 minutes and we didn’t feel like waiting. So the four of us went to Gumbo Ya-Ya’s, the cajun restaurant on the 30th floor of our hotel. Dinner was so much fun. It’s really cool getting to know teachers outside of school. It’s surprising to remember that they’re humans like the rest of us, people with their own lives, families, friends, problems. From the bantering and joking and good-natured ribbing, it seemed like they’re good friends. It also seemed like the social studies department at our school has a lot of fun. Mr. Janczak paid for our dinner - what a gentleman!- but we pitched in for the tip. After that, we returned to the fourth floor, where we discovered the Pay-Per-View wasn’t working in Janczak’s room. So we spread the word about the movie being in our room. Leah and I changed into pajamas and went down to the pool to tell Nichole that the movie had changed. They were playing rough in the pool - they kept flipping around Matt and Nichole like they were rag dolls. Funny, but it didn’t look too appealing. Leah and I went back to our room and hung out a little. Gradually people showed up for the movie. We decided on Ocean’s Eleven. It was a pretty good movie. The majority of us were in there to watch it, including Janczak. Brad laid on one of our beds in his wet bathing suit clothes and got the blanket and sheets all wet. It was about 11:30 when the movie was over. Nichole had slipped into the bed I was laying on before the movie ended. She was falling asleep by the time everyone left. I started to get into the other bed, expecting to share with Leah, but it was wet (from Brad). Leah was in the bathroom, so I decided to save her the uncomfortableness and got into bed with Nichole. I think our lights were out by midnight, but I didn’t sleep very well all night. Around 1:00, I think, I was awakened by the phone in our room ringing. It rang about 5 or 6 times. I thought it was Tyler calling for Nichole, but everyone later denied calling us. I was angry at being awakened, but I didn’t want to move, so when it rang again a minute later I silently willed it to stop. It did. Then about 10 minutes later, just as I was falling back to sleep, it rang again. I started to get up to answer it, but it only rang one time. After that, I fell asleep for a little while.
Friday- I woke up at 5:40 and, despite my efforts, couldn’t get back to sleep. I think the hotel was just too noisy or something. So our alarm was set for 8, because I wanted to go Hardee’s for breakfast and we had to meet in the lobby at 9. But I got up at 6, took a shower, and went to Hardee’s by myself. I had tucked the complimentary USA TODAY under my arm and walked the few blocks to Hardee’s. Some guy said hello to me when I walked in. I ordered the Breakfast Frisco Meal (Frisco sandwich, hash rounds, and OJ) and sat down facing the street. The guy talked to me a little, but I tried to ignore him by reading the paper. The sandwich tasted really great and reminded me of Grandma Rose. Anyway, after breakfast I walked back to the hotel, feeling really old and sophisticated. I was chilly and still thirsty and stopped at this coffee place on the corner by the capitol building. I asked the girl if they had hot chocolate because there wasn’t a menu, but she said they didn’t. But she did tell me that she could try to make one with mocha and milk. So I said okay- after all, I was thirsty and it ended up being only a dollar. It was really hot and the whipped cream melted before I even got down the block. After the initial burning of my mouth wore off, it wasn’t that great. So anyway, I stopped at Osco on the way back to the hotel, hot chocolate/coffee in hand. I wanted something to snack on, so I bought a big bag of mini-Tootsie Rolls and a roll of Lifesavers Orange Creamsavers. Yum! The woman at the counter and the guy behind me asked if I had coffee and where I got it. So I told them, pointing out the place that was kiddie-corner from Osco. I felt like a Springfieldian because the guy was like, ‘I thought that was a bar’ and I told them that there was a staircase to go down to the bar and a door to the left to go into the coffehouse part. Very cool. I returned to the hotel at eight. I hadn’t been able to find a roomcard key (Leah had one and Nichole the other). I heard the alarm go off in the room, but even though I kept knocking (quietly, so as not to disturb everyone else), no one answered. I sat on the floor with my hot chocolate, Osco bag, and read the paper. I heard the alarm go off again but still, no one answered my knock. So then I heard voices in the hallway. It was Catherine, Jennifer, and Mary. They were returning from breakfast and let me into their room for a bit. I told Lauren about the sandwiches at Hardee’s and she wanted to go. So they left and went to Hardee’s with her, and I returned to our room (Nichole FINALLY opened the door- Leah had woken up and was in the shower). Nichole plopped back into bed and I quietly repacked my backpack and all my purchases into one bag. When Leah came out, Nichole went in. I waited with Leah while she got ready and packed all her stuff. Nichole came out to get her clothes and only had one of the medium-sized towels on. I felt bad for her - we had used the big ones (if you can even call those big). Anyway, Leah and I went downstairs to check out of the hotel. Then we walked to the Supreme Court building. We talked with Roxie, then took a tour. Then we went to the Capitol building, walked around, and met with Corinne Wood, the Lt. governor. Janczak was really worried about the questions the boys were going to ask (they all don't like her), but we didn't ask anything and it went by very quickly. After that, we were set free. There was a fireman parade/memorial service going on, so there were a ton of firetrucks and streets were blocked off. It started pouring again (still?). Leah and I walked around, going in random shops. She was looking for a gift for Mrs. Templeton (cuz she gave her an English award on Weds). We went in a few stores but were unsuccessful. I wasn't very hungry, but Leah was, so we went to The Feed Store restaurant for lunch. Guess who was walking in right before us! Janczak and Goldstein. Our third meal with them! It was fun, though. And Janczak got a call from his realtor and was really happy. So after lunch we continued to walk around. Leah and I got ice cream from the Popcorn store Ms. Goldstein had been promoting, then we got cold and went in a shop to warm up. Leah and I both had to pee, so we went in the Museum of Illinois Natural History, or whatever the heck it was called. We peed and went in the giftshop. I bought a pair of Topaz earrings and a Topaz ring. Then we had to hurry next door to the Capitol. From there, we met up with everyone and walked to the hotel, then got vanned back to the train station. And that's when the real fun started.
Our train was supposed to arrive at 4:00. It was leaving St. Louis at 4:00. So the entire room was full of people stuck waiting . We read books for a bit, listened to music, and talked. But it got boring. Joe, Leah, John, Jon, and I tried to do a crossword, but we didnt' know enough to finish it. So then Lauren taught Spencer, Catherine, and I (while Joe watched) how to play this amazingly addictive card game called ERF, or the PG version of "Egyptian Rat Screw." Have no idea why it's called that, but it's fun. So we ended up playing that for a LOOONG time. The train arrived at around 6:45 PM. By then, a photographer who worked for a Springfield paper and some other paper had taken a picture of Ms. Goldstein yawning really huge and the four (well, five, cuz Joe was in the picture) playing cards. He asked us, and said he'd send a copy of the article about late Amtrak trains and new modes of transportation to the school. I'd taken a break outside with Leah and Lou, while we called our parents and made fun of Brad for being caught smoking (it was especially funny when he had to walk through the metal detectors in the Supreme Court and had to take his cigarettes out of his pocket). Janczak came over and talked for a bit. He apologized for the trip being a total let-down (not very much political cuz they canceled session and all) but we told him it was the best trip we'd ever been on. And it was the best fieldtrip ever.
On the way home, John, Leah, and I played Scrabble on one of the tables in the dining car. I whipped their booties with "Equinox," of which I am very proud. Lauren, Spencer, Leah, and I played ERF in the dining car after Scrabble. It was a lot of fun. We got so into it that Leah accidentally cut Lauren's finger when we all slapped a card. But she made it up to her by going on a quest to find a band-aid.
We were all very upset that the dining car was out of delicious calzones, of which everyone had been talking and drooling in anticipation. We got to Union station around 10:45. We had missed the 10:35 train and had to wait around for the 12:35 one. We were all tired and hungry, so Ms. Goldstein took a handful of people to the nearby store in her car and bought us Sprite, chips, and boxes of those ice cream cones with nuts on top. We managed to get our own car, but a man came in. We gave him an ice cream cone but he left. We spent the long ride home (they made EVERY SINGLE stop on the way to Grayslake) talking and joking and saying the usual inappropriate things and innuendo. It was a lot of fun.
Leah gave me a ride home when we got to the station, and I got in my house at 2:00. All in all, a crazy and fun weekend trip.
First, I got all packed and ready after the crappy Awards ceremony. The awards made me add a clause onto my senior will (which Mason had to turn in for me). Anyway, Mom made me pack an extra outfit, for which I was grateful because it never really stopped raining.
Woke up early on Thurs. 5:09, a full 6 mins before my alarm was supposed to go off. I woke up, however, feeling like I slept through the alarm. I hadn’t. Woke up, took a shower, got ready, and Leah picked me up at 6:00. We got to the train station and Janczak pulled into the parking spot next to us. The Metra train was on time and everyone showed up, yawning and clutching huge bags. I sat next to Leah, getting the window seat on the right. I didn’t spend too much time looking out the window, though. We talked and my batteries for my discman ran out so Leah gave me her backups. Thanks, Leah! Anyway, we met Ms. Goldstein at Chicago’s Union Station. We didn’t have to wait very long for the Amtrak train. Leah had a ten dollar gift card for Corner Bakery (which was upstairs), so we went and she bought breakfast for herself and me a blueberry bagel. The hot chocolate I bought from there was good, but the bagel wasn’t. We came back to the Amtrak waiting room and the train was there. We loaded and were pleasantly surprised. It almost looked like an airplane. The seats had green cushions and reclined. There was a luggage rack above all the seats (on which I smacked my head a few times). The dining car opened a few minutes after we were on the train (everyone continuously called both the Metra and Amtrak trains “buses,” and it was an unintentional mistake at first, but got funnier every time). A bunch of people left our car, but Leah and I stayed. I listened to music and looked out the window while she read. Then I took the open two seats behind us and laid down. Listening to music, I actually fell asleep for a while. Leah laid down in front of me, but I don’t think she slept. When I woke up, I went in search of a bathroom. When they were occupied, I kept moving back. The one before the dining car was full, so I hung out with the boys playing Hearts in the dining car until the bathroom opened up. It wasn’t long after that that we arrived in rainy, rainy Springfield. When we got there, we had to divide into two groups to be vanned over to the hotel. Leah, Nichole, and I were in room 412, between Janczak’s room and Lauren, Mary, Catherine, and Jennifer. The room was nice: a closet on the right, then the bathroom, two comfy (but squeaky) beds, a round table with two chairs, and a dresser and armoire with a TV with very few stations. Leah and Nichole had to change into their dress clothes, but I was already dressed up. We had a lot of free time. We met in the lobby for a head count and decided what to do. We toured Lincoln's house at 3, and then basically, we were free until 7:00, when we had to check in. So everyone dispersed for fun before dinner. We wandered around Springfield for a little. We did some shopping - there was an awesome antique bookstore there. I bought two books, but I could have spent hours and hundreds of dollars in that little place. I got lunch at this place called Jimmy’s Sandwich, or something like that, but Leah wasn’t hungry. I got a BBQ chicken sandwich - very good Janczak and Ms. Goldstein came in a few minutes after we sat down. They were surprised to see us there. They sat at another table. Leah and I went back into the rain, both cold and really wet, and browsed some more stores. We went back to the hotel to check in. Then we followed Janczak and Ms. Goldstein to Saputo’s for dinner - a big crowd was supposed to go- but the wait was 40 minutes and we didn’t feel like waiting. So the four of us went to Gumbo Ya-Ya’s, the cajun restaurant on the 30th floor of our hotel. Dinner was so much fun. It’s really cool getting to know teachers outside of school. It’s surprising to remember that they’re humans like the rest of us, people with their own lives, families, friends, problems. From the bantering and joking and good-natured ribbing, it seemed like they’re good friends. It also seemed like the social studies department at our school has a lot of fun. Mr. Janczak paid for our dinner - what a gentleman!- but we pitched in for the tip. After that, we returned to the fourth floor, where we discovered the Pay-Per-View wasn’t working in Janczak’s room. So we spread the word about the movie being in our room. Leah and I changed into pajamas and went down to the pool to tell Nichole that the movie had changed. They were playing rough in the pool - they kept flipping around Matt and Nichole like they were rag dolls. Funny, but it didn’t look too appealing. Leah and I went back to our room and hung out a little. Gradually people showed up for the movie. We decided on Ocean’s Eleven. It was a pretty good movie. The majority of us were in there to watch it, including Janczak. Brad laid on one of our beds in his wet bathing suit clothes and got the blanket and sheets all wet. It was about 11:30 when the movie was over. Nichole had slipped into the bed I was laying on before the movie ended. She was falling asleep by the time everyone left. I started to get into the other bed, expecting to share with Leah, but it was wet (from Brad). Leah was in the bathroom, so I decided to save her the uncomfortableness and got into bed with Nichole. I think our lights were out by midnight, but I didn’t sleep very well all night. Around 1:00, I think, I was awakened by the phone in our room ringing. It rang about 5 or 6 times. I thought it was Tyler calling for Nichole, but everyone later denied calling us. I was angry at being awakened, but I didn’t want to move, so when it rang again a minute later I silently willed it to stop. It did. Then about 10 minutes later, just as I was falling back to sleep, it rang again. I started to get up to answer it, but it only rang one time. After that, I fell asleep for a little while.
Friday- I woke up at 5:40 and, despite my efforts, couldn’t get back to sleep. I think the hotel was just too noisy or something. So our alarm was set for 8, because I wanted to go Hardee’s for breakfast and we had to meet in the lobby at 9. But I got up at 6, took a shower, and went to Hardee’s by myself. I had tucked the complimentary USA TODAY under my arm and walked the few blocks to Hardee’s. Some guy said hello to me when I walked in. I ordered the Breakfast Frisco Meal (Frisco sandwich, hash rounds, and OJ) and sat down facing the street. The guy talked to me a little, but I tried to ignore him by reading the paper. The sandwich tasted really great and reminded me of Grandma Rose. Anyway, after breakfast I walked back to the hotel, feeling really old and sophisticated. I was chilly and still thirsty and stopped at this coffee place on the corner by the capitol building. I asked the girl if they had hot chocolate because there wasn’t a menu, but she said they didn’t. But she did tell me that she could try to make one with mocha and milk. So I said okay- after all, I was thirsty and it ended up being only a dollar. It was really hot and the whipped cream melted before I even got down the block. After the initial burning of my mouth wore off, it wasn’t that great. So anyway, I stopped at Osco on the way back to the hotel, hot chocolate/coffee in hand. I wanted something to snack on, so I bought a big bag of mini-Tootsie Rolls and a roll of Lifesavers Orange Creamsavers. Yum! The woman at the counter and the guy behind me asked if I had coffee and where I got it. So I told them, pointing out the place that was kiddie-corner from Osco. I felt like a Springfieldian because the guy was like, ‘I thought that was a bar’ and I told them that there was a staircase to go down to the bar and a door to the left to go into the coffehouse part. Very cool. I returned to the hotel at eight. I hadn’t been able to find a roomcard key (Leah had one and Nichole the other). I heard the alarm go off in the room, but even though I kept knocking (quietly, so as not to disturb everyone else), no one answered. I sat on the floor with my hot chocolate, Osco bag, and read the paper. I heard the alarm go off again but still, no one answered my knock. So then I heard voices in the hallway. It was Catherine, Jennifer, and Mary. They were returning from breakfast and let me into their room for a bit. I told Lauren about the sandwiches at Hardee’s and she wanted to go. So they left and went to Hardee’s with her, and I returned to our room (Nichole FINALLY opened the door- Leah had woken up and was in the shower). Nichole plopped back into bed and I quietly repacked my backpack and all my purchases into one bag. When Leah came out, Nichole went in. I waited with Leah while she got ready and packed all her stuff. Nichole came out to get her clothes and only had one of the medium-sized towels on. I felt bad for her - we had used the big ones (if you can even call those big). Anyway, Leah and I went downstairs to check out of the hotel. Then we walked to the Supreme Court building. We talked with Roxie, then took a tour. Then we went to the Capitol building, walked around, and met with Corinne Wood, the Lt. governor. Janczak was really worried about the questions the boys were going to ask (they all don't like her), but we didn't ask anything and it went by very quickly. After that, we were set free. There was a fireman parade/memorial service going on, so there were a ton of firetrucks and streets were blocked off. It started pouring again (still?). Leah and I walked around, going in random shops. She was looking for a gift for Mrs. Templeton (cuz she gave her an English award on Weds). We went in a few stores but were unsuccessful. I wasn't very hungry, but Leah was, so we went to The Feed Store restaurant for lunch. Guess who was walking in right before us! Janczak and Goldstein. Our third meal with them! It was fun, though. And Janczak got a call from his realtor and was really happy. So after lunch we continued to walk around. Leah and I got ice cream from the Popcorn store Ms. Goldstein had been promoting, then we got cold and went in a shop to warm up. Leah and I both had to pee, so we went in the Museum of Illinois Natural History, or whatever the heck it was called. We peed and went in the giftshop. I bought a pair of Topaz earrings and a Topaz ring. Then we had to hurry next door to the Capitol. From there, we met up with everyone and walked to the hotel, then got vanned back to the train station. And that's when the real fun started.
Our train was supposed to arrive at 4:00. It was leaving St. Louis at 4:00. So the entire room was full of people stuck waiting . We read books for a bit, listened to music, and talked. But it got boring. Joe, Leah, John, Jon, and I tried to do a crossword, but we didnt' know enough to finish it. So then Lauren taught Spencer, Catherine, and I (while Joe watched) how to play this amazingly addictive card game called ERF, or the PG version of "Egyptian Rat Screw." Have no idea why it's called that, but it's fun. So we ended up playing that for a LOOONG time. The train arrived at around 6:45 PM. By then, a photographer who worked for a Springfield paper and some other paper had taken a picture of Ms. Goldstein yawning really huge and the four (well, five, cuz Joe was in the picture) playing cards. He asked us, and said he'd send a copy of the article about late Amtrak trains and new modes of transportation to the school. I'd taken a break outside with Leah and Lou, while we called our parents and made fun of Brad for being caught smoking (it was especially funny when he had to walk through the metal detectors in the Supreme Court and had to take his cigarettes out of his pocket). Janczak came over and talked for a bit. He apologized for the trip being a total let-down (not very much political cuz they canceled session and all) but we told him it was the best trip we'd ever been on. And it was the best fieldtrip ever.
On the way home, John, Leah, and I played Scrabble on one of the tables in the dining car. I whipped their booties with "Equinox," of which I am very proud. Lauren, Spencer, Leah, and I played ERF in the dining car after Scrabble. It was a lot of fun. We got so into it that Leah accidentally cut Lauren's finger when we all slapped a card. But she made it up to her by going on a quest to find a band-aid.
We were all very upset that the dining car was out of delicious calzones, of which everyone had been talking and drooling in anticipation. We got to Union station around 10:45. We had missed the 10:35 train and had to wait around for the 12:35 one. We were all tired and hungry, so Ms. Goldstein took a handful of people to the nearby store in her car and bought us Sprite, chips, and boxes of those ice cream cones with nuts on top. We managed to get our own car, but a man came in. We gave him an ice cream cone but he left. We spent the long ride home (they made EVERY SINGLE stop on the way to Grayslake) talking and joking and saying the usual inappropriate things and innuendo. It was a lot of fun.
Leah gave me a ride home when we got to the station, and I got in my house at 2:00. All in all, a crazy and fun weekend trip.