Baby, don't you wanna go back to that same old place
Jose asks to ask me a favor. "Sure, man." "You know those oranges you had on the kitchen counter? Do you think I could get a couple of them?" "Yeah, dude!" "Thanks, they're my favorite." "Yeah, me too, I love them!" I go on to explain this batch of clementines turned out a bit shitty - they're a bit shriveled and dry once you open them up.
Jose and his crew (two other dudes) have just finished loading all of my furniture and boxes onto their truck. They're from Northstar Moving. Jose, the man in charge, is a young dude appearing to be in his twenties. He does a good job.
After taking a shower I look out across the empty apartment that was my home for the last year. Playa Vista. I muse that I'm going to miss the view from the balcony: blue skies and transplanted palm trees.
I zip up my big, blue luggage case and haul the last of my stuff down to my car.
---
1PM at Yummy.com across the street - the lunch rush isn't entirely over. I spy Nick, the friendly head of the deli counter, in the back of the kitchen busy. There is a line of customers. I order one last Tree Hugger juice with lemon. Pick up a fresh bag of clementines. Say goodbye to Nick to myself in my head. Head down to the Playa Del Rey Postal Center.
The parking lot is packed full. It's tiny and difficult to navigate. I won't miss this about California.
A nice woman behind the counter notarizes an Affidavit of Only Insurance for me. We send it out. It is now nearly 2PM.
3PM I am in Rufie's driveway in Pomona, California. I spot a text message from Ege. It's a long one.
"Dear chi chi, I don't know where you are right now. I don't know are you on your way or wherever but I wanted to say some few thibgs. I just wanted you to know that throughout the time you were here, in la, you made life beautiful. You created a family for both Rania and I. I appreciate your friendship and know that there are people that love you here. You are family. Any time you want to come back or visit you have a home here and you will always have a home in our hearts. This is not a good bye note but a note that is written for a new beginning on the page of our friendship. I know wherever you go you will make the best of it and share your honest opinion and bring a flavor of your own. Have a great time and Chicago. I hope this new page will bring even more awesomeness. We will miss you. ^_^ and can't wait to visit you in your new place."
I sit and smile for a few seconds. Then I text Ege back
"I love you, Ege. You are LA for me <3"
"That's a lovely thing to say <3 have a nice trip be safe and don't forget to contact ok. Even if things don't go bad, just tell how you are doing."
"Always :)"
I call Rufie. He meets me at the door - very friendly guy. A friend of Matt's. Inside his kids, Noah and Will, are on the couch watching TV. They're watching an old Hannah Barbara cartoon.
Will takes me out back to show me the guitar he's making for Matt. The guitar is beautiful. He shows me a couple smudges on the head. Will says the guitar is still off-gassing from the varnish and he wants to take some time to smooth out the imperfections. We agree to message Matt and let him know that the guitar isn't quite ready yet.
Up on Foothill Blvd I am filling up for the first leg of my drive. It's a gas station I've frequented whenever I visit Mark or Christina in Claremont. Matt calls me. He thanks me for swinging by Rufie's and giving it a try. He reminds me that if I get tired on the road to call people - he will chat with me and keep me awake. I thank him, write a text message to 20 friends to let them know I am starting my journey, and then I'm Eastward bound.
My first stop is in Bakersville, California at a rest stop I'm visiting for the fourth time in my life. I stop at a familiar gas station, nap in a familiar parking lot, grab one last In-N-Out burger and wash it down with chocolate milk. That night I make it out to Flagstaff, Arizona. I get myself a hotel room and call it a night.
The next evening finds me at an exit in New Mexico, eating a sandwich at Subway. I am exhausted driving. I'm texting everyone throughout my trip. I am calling my parents periodically to keep them posted. I call Christina and she tells me that her and Ania are looking through my texts. She encourages me to stop at the Cadillac Ranch in Texas and take pictures for Nina. That night I hunker down in Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
The following day I start out strong. I am determined to make it to Missouri. I stop in Amarillo, Texas for my first real sit-down meal in days. I find a BBQ joint and get myself some ribs and cobbler. Then I find my way to the Cadillac Ranch just 10 minutes away. Walking out to the attraction I run across a family on their way back off the field - a young boy stops to tell me "We left some cans out there!" "Oh, awesome!"
It's a muddy field with a row of upturned Cadillacs planted into the ground in a row. They are covered in years and years of spray paint. Crazy graffiti covers every inch of these cars. Spray cans are scattered across the ground around the cars. I pick up a neon yellow can and tag one of the cars for Pilsen. Take some pictures, send them out, and walk back to my car.
I plow through Texas and blast through Oklahoma. That night I eat a Subway sandwich at a rest stop in Missouri and chat briefly with Matt. That night I make it to a hotel in Joplin. I stay up too late - chatting with Mike Chai on gchat. I encourage the kid to travel and see the world outside Southern California.
---
The next morning I realize it's my sister's birthday. I send her a gift card from Amazon, apologizing in my note that I am on the road and don't have time to get her a real gift.
By the time I make it to Swansea, Illinois it is 3PM. Jeremy meets me outside of his apartment, calls his mechanic (Joel), and then we take off. My car's check engine light has been bugging me and Jeremy is on top of it. We are at Joel's catching up with each other. We talk non-stop. A guy in the waiting room joins our conversation as we're talking about my living in various cities in the US. This man's daughter had moved to LA and moved back to the Midwest all in 6 months time. She didn't like it.
Joel's mom, who mans the front desk, chats with us - telling us about her family trip to Orlando, Florida. How they had driven back to the Saint Louis area non-stop because they were down to their last 90 dollars. She kept saying those were the days back when they didn't really have any money.
Joel tells me the O2 sensor I had bought in California was busted. I had just bought it a week ago. Visibly upset and exasperated by it I tell him to go ahead and swap it out for me. It takes a while longer - they charge me less for the part and labor than I had paid in California.
Back at Jeremy's apartment I meet his roommate Christa, who is pregnant. Super pregnant. Girl is due to pop any day now. Terrance, Jeremy's other roommate, comes out of his room where he was sleeping. Terrance is Christa's baby daddy. He works graveyard at a warehouse so this is morning for him. We watch youtube videos on the TV with him for a while.
Later me and Jeremy head over to Red Robin for dinner. His girlfriend, Lisa, meets us there. It's my first time meeting her - I haven't seen Jeremy in a few years and he's only been dating Lisa for a little over a year.
At first me and Jeremy are talking art and technology. I can tell Lisa looks bored by the topic. Whe she gets back from the bathroom I engage her and ask her about her work. Lisa works as a hospital tech, assisting nurses. She works in the newborn ICU. She communicates an enthusiasm for healthcare and babies, and talks excitedly with me and Jeremy.
Later we're talking about Chicago and how Jeremy and Lisa should visit. Jeremy is having a tough time thinking about visiting Chicago. I make it easy for him - tell him they would have a place to stay. Jeremy has a hard time thinking about places to visit - tourist places - for Lisa's first time in Chicago. Lisa makes it easy for him - tells him all she really wants to see is The Bean. Anything else is cool to her. Jeremy starts to talk about The Bean isn't that cool - Lisa tells him that for Midwesterners who have never been to Chicago The Bean sounds very cool. I tell her "Yeah, it's actually really cool. Don't listen to him."
I suggest they could take the Water Taxi from Ping Tom Park downtown. See the museums, Navy Pier, downtown, etc. Lisa loves the idea. Jeremy warms up to it - they start tenatively talking about September.
Later that night at Jeremy's apartment Tyron stops by with a girl. The girl is quiet and awkward and doesn't engage. I am hyper aware of this but I don't have much time left before bed and I have a lot of conversation to catch up on with Tyron. It's already almost midnight. We get into some serious geek conversation about his job, his work prospects, how he's going to be doing security work for the government, what I've been up to, exciting developments in the world of javascript. Even Jeremy gets lost and opts out of this hyper-geek conversation.
I don't get to sleep until after 1AM.
---
The last leg of my trips starts out on rocky footing. I am 20 miles from Jeremy's apartment when he calls me to tell me I left a charger plugged into his wall. I turn around to go get it. Then I'm off again.
Driving through Springfield, Illinois I notice this is a state trooper hot-zone. There are cars pulled over every 3 miles. I get pulled over heading into a rest area. The cop tells me I'm not allowed to have a GPS mounted on my dash. He has me sit in his car as he writes up a warning.
On the way back to my car the real reason he pulled me over is revealed. He asks if he can see inside my trunk. When I ask why he says a lot of people smuggle things into Illinois. I show him my trunk. Then he asks me if I have marijuana or anything like that. I suppose because of my California plates. I don't even hesitate "No, I do not."
I am two hours outside of Chicago. I call my landlady and Pete, the realtor. Let them know where I am. I call my parents and give them a head's up.
5PM I am on the 94 pulling into Chicago. Traffic is starting to build up and people are turning into assholes. Like it's the first time they've ever seen traffic.
I pull up into my neighborhood and park on Jefferson. I step out of my car completely worn out. As I stand up I find I am dizzy from driving for so many days. I make my way to Pattie and Jason's stoop to sit down. I'm on the phone with Matt to let him know where I am, Pattie comes outside and exclaims "Chi-chi!" with a smile. She's headed to Mary's Taqueria on the corner for nachos and she'll be right back.
Pete meets me on Jefferson to give me my keys while I am at Pattie's resting and catching up with her. Pattie walks with me to my new apartment to get the garage door opener. Girl is impressed with the space. Jason and Ania pop in on us while we're scoping out the space. I give them the tour and Ania, in particular, is blown away. She loves this space and wants to hang out here all the time.
Matt is texting us plans to do a neighborhood dinner for me. We're back at Pattie and Jason's when Charles joins us. We make our way outside and wait for Charles to run downstairs for beer when we spot Nina coming across the street. We call out to her. The group convenes and we all walk up the street towards Matt and Christina's.
Walking up the street Nina is acting an ass with Jason and Ania, just having a ball. I am smiling and soaking it in. It feels good to walk with the crew. Pattie sees me smiling and comments. I tell her "I'm happy. Sometimes a dog just needs to walk with his pack."
Matt and Zinny are at home. Makana is at a sleepover with two older girls. Christina is on her way home from work.
After Christina gets back Matt and Jason make a supply run. They make some nachos. We make flower arrangements with the flower scraps Christina brings home. It's a good welcome back to Chicago.
Jose and his crew (two other dudes) have just finished loading all of my furniture and boxes onto their truck. They're from Northstar Moving. Jose, the man in charge, is a young dude appearing to be in his twenties. He does a good job.
After taking a shower I look out across the empty apartment that was my home for the last year. Playa Vista. I muse that I'm going to miss the view from the balcony: blue skies and transplanted palm trees.
I zip up my big, blue luggage case and haul the last of my stuff down to my car.
---
1PM at Yummy.com across the street - the lunch rush isn't entirely over. I spy Nick, the friendly head of the deli counter, in the back of the kitchen busy. There is a line of customers. I order one last Tree Hugger juice with lemon. Pick up a fresh bag of clementines. Say goodbye to Nick to myself in my head. Head down to the Playa Del Rey Postal Center.
The parking lot is packed full. It's tiny and difficult to navigate. I won't miss this about California.
A nice woman behind the counter notarizes an Affidavit of Only Insurance for me. We send it out. It is now nearly 2PM.
3PM I am in Rufie's driveway in Pomona, California. I spot a text message from Ege. It's a long one.
"Dear chi chi, I don't know where you are right now. I don't know are you on your way or wherever but I wanted to say some few thibgs. I just wanted you to know that throughout the time you were here, in la, you made life beautiful. You created a family for both Rania and I. I appreciate your friendship and know that there are people that love you here. You are family. Any time you want to come back or visit you have a home here and you will always have a home in our hearts. This is not a good bye note but a note that is written for a new beginning on the page of our friendship. I know wherever you go you will make the best of it and share your honest opinion and bring a flavor of your own. Have a great time and Chicago. I hope this new page will bring even more awesomeness. We will miss you. ^_^ and can't wait to visit you in your new place."
I sit and smile for a few seconds. Then I text Ege back
"I love you, Ege. You are LA for me <3"
"That's a lovely thing to say <3 have a nice trip be safe and don't forget to contact ok. Even if things don't go bad, just tell how you are doing."
"Always :)"
I call Rufie. He meets me at the door - very friendly guy. A friend of Matt's. Inside his kids, Noah and Will, are on the couch watching TV. They're watching an old Hannah Barbara cartoon.
Will takes me out back to show me the guitar he's making for Matt. The guitar is beautiful. He shows me a couple smudges on the head. Will says the guitar is still off-gassing from the varnish and he wants to take some time to smooth out the imperfections. We agree to message Matt and let him know that the guitar isn't quite ready yet.
Up on Foothill Blvd I am filling up for the first leg of my drive. It's a gas station I've frequented whenever I visit Mark or Christina in Claremont. Matt calls me. He thanks me for swinging by Rufie's and giving it a try. He reminds me that if I get tired on the road to call people - he will chat with me and keep me awake. I thank him, write a text message to 20 friends to let them know I am starting my journey, and then I'm Eastward bound.
My first stop is in Bakersville, California at a rest stop I'm visiting for the fourth time in my life. I stop at a familiar gas station, nap in a familiar parking lot, grab one last In-N-Out burger and wash it down with chocolate milk. That night I make it out to Flagstaff, Arizona. I get myself a hotel room and call it a night.
The next evening finds me at an exit in New Mexico, eating a sandwich at Subway. I am exhausted driving. I'm texting everyone throughout my trip. I am calling my parents periodically to keep them posted. I call Christina and she tells me that her and Ania are looking through my texts. She encourages me to stop at the Cadillac Ranch in Texas and take pictures for Nina. That night I hunker down in Santa Rosa, New Mexico.
The following day I start out strong. I am determined to make it to Missouri. I stop in Amarillo, Texas for my first real sit-down meal in days. I find a BBQ joint and get myself some ribs and cobbler. Then I find my way to the Cadillac Ranch just 10 minutes away. Walking out to the attraction I run across a family on their way back off the field - a young boy stops to tell me "We left some cans out there!" "Oh, awesome!"
It's a muddy field with a row of upturned Cadillacs planted into the ground in a row. They are covered in years and years of spray paint. Crazy graffiti covers every inch of these cars. Spray cans are scattered across the ground around the cars. I pick up a neon yellow can and tag one of the cars for Pilsen. Take some pictures, send them out, and walk back to my car.
I plow through Texas and blast through Oklahoma. That night I eat a Subway sandwich at a rest stop in Missouri and chat briefly with Matt. That night I make it to a hotel in Joplin. I stay up too late - chatting with Mike Chai on gchat. I encourage the kid to travel and see the world outside Southern California.
---
The next morning I realize it's my sister's birthday. I send her a gift card from Amazon, apologizing in my note that I am on the road and don't have time to get her a real gift.
By the time I make it to Swansea, Illinois it is 3PM. Jeremy meets me outside of his apartment, calls his mechanic (Joel), and then we take off. My car's check engine light has been bugging me and Jeremy is on top of it. We are at Joel's catching up with each other. We talk non-stop. A guy in the waiting room joins our conversation as we're talking about my living in various cities in the US. This man's daughter had moved to LA and moved back to the Midwest all in 6 months time. She didn't like it.
Joel's mom, who mans the front desk, chats with us - telling us about her family trip to Orlando, Florida. How they had driven back to the Saint Louis area non-stop because they were down to their last 90 dollars. She kept saying those were the days back when they didn't really have any money.
Joel tells me the O2 sensor I had bought in California was busted. I had just bought it a week ago. Visibly upset and exasperated by it I tell him to go ahead and swap it out for me. It takes a while longer - they charge me less for the part and labor than I had paid in California.
Back at Jeremy's apartment I meet his roommate Christa, who is pregnant. Super pregnant. Girl is due to pop any day now. Terrance, Jeremy's other roommate, comes out of his room where he was sleeping. Terrance is Christa's baby daddy. He works graveyard at a warehouse so this is morning for him. We watch youtube videos on the TV with him for a while.
Later me and Jeremy head over to Red Robin for dinner. His girlfriend, Lisa, meets us there. It's my first time meeting her - I haven't seen Jeremy in a few years and he's only been dating Lisa for a little over a year.
At first me and Jeremy are talking art and technology. I can tell Lisa looks bored by the topic. Whe she gets back from the bathroom I engage her and ask her about her work. Lisa works as a hospital tech, assisting nurses. She works in the newborn ICU. She communicates an enthusiasm for healthcare and babies, and talks excitedly with me and Jeremy.
Later we're talking about Chicago and how Jeremy and Lisa should visit. Jeremy is having a tough time thinking about visiting Chicago. I make it easy for him - tell him they would have a place to stay. Jeremy has a hard time thinking about places to visit - tourist places - for Lisa's first time in Chicago. Lisa makes it easy for him - tells him all she really wants to see is The Bean. Anything else is cool to her. Jeremy starts to talk about The Bean isn't that cool - Lisa tells him that for Midwesterners who have never been to Chicago The Bean sounds very cool. I tell her "Yeah, it's actually really cool. Don't listen to him."
I suggest they could take the Water Taxi from Ping Tom Park downtown. See the museums, Navy Pier, downtown, etc. Lisa loves the idea. Jeremy warms up to it - they start tenatively talking about September.
Later that night at Jeremy's apartment Tyron stops by with a girl. The girl is quiet and awkward and doesn't engage. I am hyper aware of this but I don't have much time left before bed and I have a lot of conversation to catch up on with Tyron. It's already almost midnight. We get into some serious geek conversation about his job, his work prospects, how he's going to be doing security work for the government, what I've been up to, exciting developments in the world of javascript. Even Jeremy gets lost and opts out of this hyper-geek conversation.
I don't get to sleep until after 1AM.
---
The last leg of my trips starts out on rocky footing. I am 20 miles from Jeremy's apartment when he calls me to tell me I left a charger plugged into his wall. I turn around to go get it. Then I'm off again.
Driving through Springfield, Illinois I notice this is a state trooper hot-zone. There are cars pulled over every 3 miles. I get pulled over heading into a rest area. The cop tells me I'm not allowed to have a GPS mounted on my dash. He has me sit in his car as he writes up a warning.
On the way back to my car the real reason he pulled me over is revealed. He asks if he can see inside my trunk. When I ask why he says a lot of people smuggle things into Illinois. I show him my trunk. Then he asks me if I have marijuana or anything like that. I suppose because of my California plates. I don't even hesitate "No, I do not."
I am two hours outside of Chicago. I call my landlady and Pete, the realtor. Let them know where I am. I call my parents and give them a head's up.
5PM I am on the 94 pulling into Chicago. Traffic is starting to build up and people are turning into assholes. Like it's the first time they've ever seen traffic.
I pull up into my neighborhood and park on Jefferson. I step out of my car completely worn out. As I stand up I find I am dizzy from driving for so many days. I make my way to Pattie and Jason's stoop to sit down. I'm on the phone with Matt to let him know where I am, Pattie comes outside and exclaims "Chi-chi!" with a smile. She's headed to Mary's Taqueria on the corner for nachos and she'll be right back.
Pete meets me on Jefferson to give me my keys while I am at Pattie's resting and catching up with her. Pattie walks with me to my new apartment to get the garage door opener. Girl is impressed with the space. Jason and Ania pop in on us while we're scoping out the space. I give them the tour and Ania, in particular, is blown away. She loves this space and wants to hang out here all the time.
Matt is texting us plans to do a neighborhood dinner for me. We're back at Pattie and Jason's when Charles joins us. We make our way outside and wait for Charles to run downstairs for beer when we spot Nina coming across the street. We call out to her. The group convenes and we all walk up the street towards Matt and Christina's.
Walking up the street Nina is acting an ass with Jason and Ania, just having a ball. I am smiling and soaking it in. It feels good to walk with the crew. Pattie sees me smiling and comments. I tell her "I'm happy. Sometimes a dog just needs to walk with his pack."
Matt and Zinny are at home. Makana is at a sleepover with two older girls. Christina is on her way home from work.
After Christina gets back Matt and Jason make a supply run. They make some nachos. We make flower arrangements with the flower scraps Christina brings home. It's a good welcome back to Chicago.