Marc
8:16am CST: Normal, IL.The alarm clock should’ve gone off, but inexplicably didn’t. Did I turn it off in my sleep? Did I forget to flip it on before I went to bed? Who knows? The only certainty is that I didn’t wake up until …
9:16am CST: Normal, IL.Maybe I forgot to fall back on my internal alarm clock last year. I got up, brushed my teeth, found my pants, threw on some deodorant and a shirt, grabbed my backpack and my laptop, and headed out the door.
10:54am CST: Outskirts of Chicago, IL. In the car. Did I remember the candle I blew out in my room right as I left? Did I remember to pinch the wicks so they’d stop smoking? No! mental note: call Jeff and ask him to do it for me.
11:14am CST: O’hare Airport.Walk up to the United Premier Exec. Counter to check in. “Did anyone unknown to you ask you to carry anything aboard the flight?” “No.” “Have your bags been in your possession since you packed them?” “Yes.” Ticket. Receipt. Gate C29 – other end of the terminal. Plane boards in 36 minutes.
11:15am CST: O’hare Airport. Find a bathroom and take a piss.
11:24am CST: En Route to Gate C29, O’hare Airport. Call apartment. No answer.
11:25am CST: En Route to Gate C29, O’hare Airport. Jeff returns phone call. I woke him up, but that’s okay. He checks the candles. Everything’s fine. Continue walking.
11:51am CST: Boeing 722 Jet, Tarmac, O’hare Airport. Sit down. Scowl at two co-passengers to my right. Begin (again) to tackle Infinite Jest.
12:31pm CST: Boeing 722 Jet, Above Illinois. Spot Kankakee, Bradley, Bourbonnais (where I grew up), Manteno (where my dad grew up), and Peotone, IL. Find parent’s neighborhood. Mentally say ‘hello’. Return to Infinite Jest.
2:15pm CST: Boeing 722 Jet, Above Lake Ponchetrain, LA. Captain: “We’re here.” Me: “’Bout fucking time. Christ.”
2:34pm CST: Toyota Corolla, New Orleans, LA. Begin 289 mile drive towards Monroe, LA. Immediately find that I will be driving up I-55 – the exact same interstate I drove up to get to the airport this morning.
2:58pm CST: I-55, Southern LA. Find that not only am I on I-55, but I’m also on US-51, the exact same US Route that splits Bloomington-Normal in twain. Weird, eh?
4:35pm CST: Nowheresville, MS. Stop and get something to eat in Nowheresville, MS.
7:35pm CST: Monroe, LA. Get hassled at check-in about getting a government rate on a Sunday night. Say “it’s not my fault you guys messed up”. Watch them stare at me. Say “sorry, but it’s the rate I got, please give me my key.” Looking like a dirtbag probably doesn’t help (I opted for my old green backpack instead of my suitcase this week – more comfortable).
8:00pm CST: Monroe, LA. Begin watching Green Day: Behind the Music.
11:30pm CST: Monroe, LA. Target time for sleep. Wish me luck.
8:16am CST: Normal, IL.The alarm clock should’ve gone off, but inexplicably didn’t. Did I turn it off in my sleep? Did I forget to flip it on before I went to bed? Who knows? The only certainty is that I didn’t wake up until …
9:16am CST: Normal, IL.Maybe I forgot to fall back on my internal alarm clock last year. I got up, brushed my teeth, found my pants, threw on some deodorant and a shirt, grabbed my backpack and my laptop, and headed out the door.
10:54am CST: Outskirts of Chicago, IL. In the car. Did I remember the candle I blew out in my room right as I left? Did I remember to pinch the wicks so they’d stop smoking? No! mental note: call Jeff and ask him to do it for me.
11:14am CST: O’hare Airport.Walk up to the United Premier Exec. Counter to check in. “Did anyone unknown to you ask you to carry anything aboard the flight?” “No.” “Have your bags been in your possession since you packed them?” “Yes.” Ticket. Receipt. Gate C29 – other end of the terminal. Plane boards in 36 minutes.
11:15am CST: O’hare Airport. Find a bathroom and take a piss.
11:24am CST: En Route to Gate C29, O’hare Airport. Call apartment. No answer.
11:25am CST: En Route to Gate C29, O’hare Airport. Jeff returns phone call. I woke him up, but that’s okay. He checks the candles. Everything’s fine. Continue walking.
11:51am CST: Boeing 722 Jet, Tarmac, O’hare Airport. Sit down. Scowl at two co-passengers to my right. Begin (again) to tackle Infinite Jest.
12:31pm CST: Boeing 722 Jet, Above Illinois. Spot Kankakee, Bradley, Bourbonnais (where I grew up), Manteno (where my dad grew up), and Peotone, IL. Find parent’s neighborhood. Mentally say ‘hello’. Return to Infinite Jest.
2:15pm CST: Boeing 722 Jet, Above Lake Ponchetrain, LA. Captain: “We’re here.” Me: “’Bout fucking time. Christ.”
2:34pm CST: Toyota Corolla, New Orleans, LA. Begin 289 mile drive towards Monroe, LA. Immediately find that I will be driving up I-55 – the exact same interstate I drove up to get to the airport this morning.
2:58pm CST: I-55, Southern LA. Find that not only am I on I-55, but I’m also on US-51, the exact same US Route that splits Bloomington-Normal in twain. Weird, eh?
4:35pm CST: Nowheresville, MS. Stop and get something to eat in Nowheresville, MS.
7:35pm CST: Monroe, LA. Get hassled at check-in about getting a government rate on a Sunday night. Say “it’s not my fault you guys messed up”. Watch them stare at me. Say “sorry, but it’s the rate I got, please give me my key.” Looking like a dirtbag probably doesn’t help (I opted for my old green backpack instead of my suitcase this week – more comfortable).
8:00pm CST: Monroe, LA. Begin watching Green Day: Behind the Music.
11:30pm CST: Monroe, LA. Target time for sleep. Wish me luck.
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