One More Chicago Related Story and Then I'll Shut Up About it For at Least 2 or 3 Posts
Thursday last ended with a show and dinner, but it began with a reunion. As we were fixing on taking off, Nicole et famille arrived in the US for a 3 week holiday. And, in a display of rather incredible friendship, they drove the 45 minutes or whatever it is from Jolliet, where they are staying with family, to meet up with us at Navy Pier. It wasn't only the drive from Jolliet, either. It was that they had just arrived the night before, were completely jet-lagged and had been up since 5 a.m. That is some serious dedication.
Navy Pier is the quintessential tourist destination, with it's Disney-esque influence, people in pirate costumes, carnival rides that cost entirely too much for what they are, shops selling all manner of useless memoriablia and all sorts of restaurants and kiosks full of food, food and more food. It is, in short, absolutely the sort of place I hate most and have the least need to ever visit.
Navy Pier does, however, afford some pretty kickin' views of the city.
It was also a comfortable 10(ish) block walk from the apartment. When we arrived, there she was, standing at the gate, waving.
Nicole and I have known each other for about 15 years, meeting shortly after I was married. We became instant friends and have managed to remain close despite her falling in love with a Frenchman, marrying him and staying in France to raise 2 bilingual babies. She claims we last saw each other in 1999, after she was married. That's a long time. So it was positively heartwarming to see her beautiful face. Although, I'd best get this out of the way: she hasn't changed a bit. So I kinda have to hate her now.
We went to some jazz themed place for lunch. Which was, for The Spouse and I, just salad because we really were all et out. The Child succumbed to baby back ribs and it was fun to watch both Nicole and her cheri ordering their lunch. She went for a BBQ sandwich. He wanted something "very American" and opted for a hamburger. And then the questions started, because you can't ever just order a hamburger, can you?
"Cheese on that?"
"Sure".
"Cheddar, Swiss, American, pepper jack or blue?"
He looked at me with his tired puppy dog French eyes. (Oh, those wicked eyes of his. He turned them upon me many years ago and said, with thick French accent, "I know you are afraid to fly, Lorraine, but it would mean so much if you would come to our wedding". I am a sucker for zee accent and zee puppy dog eyes. I digress).
"You want Cheddar", I said.
"Cheddar".
"Onions and mushrooms?"
The eyes again.
"Go for it".
"OK, sure," he says.
Poor guy. As if he wasn't already tired enough. 'Cause he also had to decide between french fries, soup or salad.
Lunch was fine and then we wandered off. We pursuaded Boy 1 to try Dippin Dots. "Are they good?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied. "Everything in America is good". (He's 5. And lives in France. Moving on).
Boy 2, however, insisted on proper American chocolate ice cream.
We admired the views.
The menfolk decamped to a beer garden (where there was a live karaoke band who included "Twist and Shout" in their repitoire and The Spouse, who didn't have his cell phone with him, kept waiting for us to return so he could have his Ferris Bueller moment. It never happened. He was sad).
The women folk and children wandered off to look at arty things and poke around in tourist shops.
We took the children off to ride on things.
This is a very huge Ferris wheel that looks very frightening, which is why I enlisted Nicole's niece to ride with The Child. What I didn't realize is that it is a very slow Ferris wheel that makes one revolution and then you get off. Kinda lame for $6 if you ask me but The Child thought it was super fantastic to be up so high.
And despite the heat, the crowds and my general lack of affection for such places, you can't beat the sight of truly happy kids.
The environment and the situation were not exactly conducive to the sort of heart-to-heart I was hoping to have with Nicole. They were accompanied by family members, who were very nice but had their own claim to the clan plus she was dealing with very sweet but quite tired enfants. There really was no possible way that we could have any sort of deep, meaningful conversation in the midst of all that. Which made me a little sad, just because I never, ever see her. But even if we couldn't be ensconced, just us two, in some little sidewalk cafe with a bottle of wine and all the afternoon stretching before us, it was still lovely to see her again, to be with her and to feel the comfortable ease that has always been the tenor of our friendship, no matter how much time or distance has spanned between us.
Sometimes just being together is enough. And when it isn't, you talk to your therapist.
"And how do you feel about that?"
"'Twist and Shout'. I just wanted to sing 'Twist and Shout'".
Navy Pier is the quintessential tourist destination, with it's Disney-esque influence, people in pirate costumes, carnival rides that cost entirely too much for what they are, shops selling all manner of useless memoriablia and all sorts of restaurants and kiosks full of food, food and more food. It is, in short, absolutely the sort of place I hate most and have the least need to ever visit.
Navy Pier does, however, afford some pretty kickin' views of the city.
It was also a comfortable 10(ish) block walk from the apartment. When we arrived, there she was, standing at the gate, waving.
Nicole and I have known each other for about 15 years, meeting shortly after I was married. We became instant friends and have managed to remain close despite her falling in love with a Frenchman, marrying him and staying in France to raise 2 bilingual babies. She claims we last saw each other in 1999, after she was married. That's a long time. So it was positively heartwarming to see her beautiful face. Although, I'd best get this out of the way: she hasn't changed a bit. So I kinda have to hate her now.
We went to some jazz themed place for lunch. Which was, for The Spouse and I, just salad because we really were all et out. The Child succumbed to baby back ribs and it was fun to watch both Nicole and her cheri ordering their lunch. She went for a BBQ sandwich. He wanted something "very American" and opted for a hamburger. And then the questions started, because you can't ever just order a hamburger, can you?
"Cheese on that?"
"Sure".
"Cheddar, Swiss, American, pepper jack or blue?"
He looked at me with his tired puppy dog French eyes. (Oh, those wicked eyes of his. He turned them upon me many years ago and said, with thick French accent, "I know you are afraid to fly, Lorraine, but it would mean so much if you would come to our wedding". I am a sucker for zee accent and zee puppy dog eyes. I digress).
"You want Cheddar", I said.
"Cheddar".
"Onions and mushrooms?"
The eyes again.
"Go for it".
"OK, sure," he says.
Poor guy. As if he wasn't already tired enough. 'Cause he also had to decide between french fries, soup or salad.
Lunch was fine and then we wandered off. We pursuaded Boy 1 to try Dippin Dots. "Are they good?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied. "Everything in America is good". (He's 5. And lives in France. Moving on).
Boy 2, however, insisted on proper American chocolate ice cream.
We admired the views.
The menfolk decamped to a beer garden (where there was a live karaoke band who included "Twist and Shout" in their repitoire and The Spouse, who didn't have his cell phone with him, kept waiting for us to return so he could have his Ferris Bueller moment. It never happened. He was sad).
The women folk and children wandered off to look at arty things and poke around in tourist shops.
We took the children off to ride on things.
This is a very huge Ferris wheel that looks very frightening, which is why I enlisted Nicole's niece to ride with The Child. What I didn't realize is that it is a very slow Ferris wheel that makes one revolution and then you get off. Kinda lame for $6 if you ask me but The Child thought it was super fantastic to be up so high.
And despite the heat, the crowds and my general lack of affection for such places, you can't beat the sight of truly happy kids.
The environment and the situation were not exactly conducive to the sort of heart-to-heart I was hoping to have with Nicole. They were accompanied by family members, who were very nice but had their own claim to the clan plus she was dealing with very sweet but quite tired enfants. There really was no possible way that we could have any sort of deep, meaningful conversation in the midst of all that. Which made me a little sad, just because I never, ever see her. But even if we couldn't be ensconced, just us two, in some little sidewalk cafe with a bottle of wine and all the afternoon stretching before us, it was still lovely to see her again, to be with her and to feel the comfortable ease that has always been the tenor of our friendship, no matter how much time or distance has spanned between us.
Sometimes just being together is enough. And when it isn't, you talk to your therapist.
"And how do you feel about that?"
"'Twist and Shout'. I just wanted to sing 'Twist and Shout'".
cobbled together by Moi at 8:51 AM
9 Comments:
The Newhart bit at the end was HILARIOUS!!!!!
Tee!
Nicole looks so beautiful and rested! Hard to believe she'd recently completed a transatlantic flight with her whole family!
This is a great post on many fronts: the atmosphere, the photos and the description of a priceless friendship. I love it.
This will be the summer to remember. I feel sad for leaving Chicago too. You made it real. You have amazing friends/ships. You are blessed but then I know you know that.
SCG: Yes, she did, damn her eyes.
Rosie: Too true. All of it.
We love your Chicago stories so keep 'em coming. I'm curious how Puppy Dog Eyes reacted when offered French fries?
I just read this today - and I felt the same way. So happy to see you but kind of frustrated too. But you know - when I'm around you I feel like I've never left. Well, except that I have these 2 unexplained kids and your 5 year old is taller than me.
Hat, thanks. There are more, I'm just going to try and be more judicious. That, and this 3 act musical I'm working on about the whole thing is taking up a lot of time.
Nicole, we'll make up for lost time next summer, oui? And I know, what was the deal with those kids and that giant 5 year old? Weird.
oh Auntie Raine, you are so cool. With your brilliance and the people you know... you've gotta get extra Heaven points for that! :)
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