It was the 15 year anniversary of our “first contact.” An email from him. Our next real “wedding” anniversary will only be our second for which the traditional gift is cotton so I’m getting him a handkerchief.
Anyway, heading into this anniversary of sorts I had the idea to do something sorta special-ish. I suggested a trip to Chicago. Take the train, stay in a nice-ish place, have a nice-ish dinner, look at some shit and come home. I made train reservations, he made hotel and dinner reservations. I made reservations for the Chicago river architectural tour and got tickets for the Ellsworth Kelly show at the Art Institute. Seemed like a plan.
Until it wasn’t.
OMG!!!! Are you fucking kidding me?!! The last time I tried to take the train it was canceled too! This was just beyond real. But OK, stay calm. I can drive. I hate driving but, you know, I can. We left around 1. It was 95 degrees. Yes, hot but we’d be inside a lot and it was supposed to be cooler on Saturday.
At some point during the trip down the google informed us that the freeway in to Chicago was totally backed up. And in fact, yes, yes it was. The trip was hell. We were forced to drive through congested neighborhoods with stop signs on every corner, sit in dead traffic, inch along on unseemly and weird streets. Me, a seething bundle of annoyance, irritation and anxiety. Three hours later (it’s a 90 minute trip) we arrived at The Palmer House and parked our car to the tune of $100. So thanks Amtrak. Then we went to check in and were greeted with a line so long they had stanchions with rope barriers to keep us contained. We got to our room just in time to head down to the bar and have a freaking cocktail. Not all was lost.
Dinner was fine although I was too wound up to really enjoy it and the next morning before I even got out of bed I got this text. Fun. My credit card was hacked. The second time in 2 months. $2000 for an escort service and $39.95 at a toy store. Although possibly it was sex toys, I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to find out.
My credit card was canceled.
We had a fine day anyway, although my knees got sunburned on the architectural tour, but that was my own fault not just some shitty luck that life forced on me. He had a Chicago hot dog for the first time in his life. So there were some positives.
I think I am going to just hole up in my room and if I feel a need to travel anywhere I’ll get a calendar with big pictures.
As you know, I was also supposed to be on that train. The drive to Chicago now terrifies me–the 100 MPH drivers weaving through traffic–even almost stand-still traffic–semi’s merging as if you are not in the merge lane, etc., but like you, did it anyway (and I don’t drink at Maura’s). Our food was meh, for the most part, until we had vegan ice cream at the Vegan Creamery in Bucktown. I had a small (by small I mean huge) vanilla sundae with that hardened chocolate coating and peanuts. Pretty much made up for the rest of the bad food we had. And most things I’ve eaten this year. Made it home alive. Glad you did, too.
You do have bad luck with travel. Rotten luck.
So sorry for you.
not