Thursday night was spectacular sleeping on an actual mattress in the cold downstairs. So well treated. I slept past the other guys until Lenny had to wake me up. I also did a meditation that morning. When I came upstairs, I noticed that the guys had a whole slew of events they had been talking about with Jeremy. I tried to hear them all so I could add what we might want to do additionally.
We got ourselves ready and head out for breakfast at Al’s dinkytown diner. It was the BEST breakfast I had ever had in the best atmosphere. We took a wrong turn on the way with Lenny in the lead (took a right when we should have taken a left) , but ended up getting in there before another group of three. We waited outside for like 10 or so minutes and received our tables right near the entrance and where Doug, the large and in charge cook, was doing his business. He was the owner and the place was a real hole in the wall. One long bar and that was it. They could probably only serve 15 people at a time, but the FOOD! Oh man, the food was well priced, creative and tasty, and largely portioned! I was in heaven. I want more Al’s now. We received service from a very pretty waitress who was just starting over. Lenny and I noticed she looked a lot like a friend back in Binghamton.
We went down to the post office in downtown so we could get our mail. I called just to make sure that my wallet was on its way, which it wasn’t. Had a little bit of a scare until I realized that this David guy I was on the phone with was going to make sure I got my wallet in Sioux Falls. At the same time though, I was having trouble getting the package that I knew was there. The guy at the window had read my ID wrong and couldn’t find a Michael Monroe. We finally straightened it out and I received my pan and voice recorder. Score.
I was feeling pretty down though due to the lack of wallet, but I found Lee and we rode over to One on One sports so Lee could look for a granny gear. I continued to talk with Dave until we had everything arranged. I should give him a call soon, by the way. I also got in contact with Rose, who was going to sell me her phone so I could have a replacement for my broken phone. She couldn’t go very far from home, so I was going to ride 10 miles south to meet her at the Verizon store.
I rode down after one on one and enjoyed Portland avenue, only to find that east 66th was pretty much unridable. I cursed Rose for asking me to come all the way out here on a bicycle. I thought I was going to be late too. However, when I arrived, I realized I had been reading my computer clock which was set to eastern time. I called Rose to let her know I was there early. In the mean time, I got on one of the Verizon computers, checked email and facebook, and read over the blog.
Rose’s cell phone turned out to be a tank. No color screen and the most annoying texting system ever. It wasn’t too bad though – I guess that will limit how much texting I will be able to do comfortably. Felt like I was sinking lower.
Suddenly though, my mind changed. I noticed a shift in energy. Once I had my new old phone on, I received a beautiful text from Vivian. I didn’t know it was her until I entered her into my contacts. She was very funny about it – she said it was the universe saying yes. I said it was her.
Then, another marvelous thing happened. I received a phone call from my most cherished friend from home Clark Husted. He had ended his Appalachian trip early to work over in North Carolina doing wilderness overnights with troubled youth. Yes. I was all about this. I am going to give him a call soon to see if there are positions available in the Spring. I certainly hope there are. He told me about it and I was so grateful he had called me to share his marvelous news. I told him about my reservations regarding the trip I was on, and he totally understand. I shared all my sad stories and he was open to it. I could tell I could rely on him as a friend finally. He had found a niche for himself and he sounded very happy. He was into mountain biking, which is the shadow to what I am doing J. Such interesting ways the universe works. Such interesting ways that our faith can be rekindled. I also grabbed some razors, speed stick, and fluid for my contacts. I was all set.
By that time, Shabbat services were about to start. I called up Lenny to let him know where I ‘d be. I got directions and rode into Uptown for a reform service. Along the way, I avoided 66th and got to take the Midtown Greenway. It was gorgeous – plenty of green and bridges spanning over the bike trail. Like a little hidden alley of wonders and no cars!
I rode past the greenway at first and I took a wrong turn onto Hennepin nearby the synagogue, but eventually, I made it, just in time for a little bit of food before the service. I was going to try to solicit money for the trip while I was there. I talked to a few people and noticed each time I mentioned money that their hearts would just sink and they wouldn’t want to talk to me anymore. Damn these stupid fundraisers. In any case, I was glad to go into the services and just enjoy my Friday evening Shabbat service. And my spirit had been calling for it. When we sang the Shema, I remember just soaring and singing with such vibrato.
After the service was when I really started asking around. And they weren’t interested. I asked the greeter if there were any way to get the word out in the community and if such a request would work, and she said no, it probably wouldn’t, the money needed to stay in the community and there were plenty of community charities that they already worked with.
I was very displeased and left without my backpack, so that I actually had to come back for it. There wasn’t even a nice oneg after the service. I called to see where Lenny and Lee were. They were cooking dinner, thank god, and I was invited. So, I rode on Hennepin, thinking it would take me north into NE Minneapolis. Unfortunately, it got me onto the interstate. I turned around on the on ramp and luckily found myself going north on a bike path. I rode behind another biker who lead me most of the way. Then, I took the busy Hennepin through the main drag and finally over the bridge into NE.
When I arrived at the house, the guys were almost finished cooking. I sat down to talk and chat with the rest of our hosts. We ate and drank a beer each. I sat and had a wonderful chat with someone about international schools and different cultures. I had thought he had just come by from another house that night. There were a lot more guys in the house that night. I was a little quiet, still pretty upset about being turned down for money. After I ate, I wrote in the journal for a couple of days, including Thursday’s angry entry. I must have given the guys some looks. I noticed that Lenny was chatting with Sarah a bunch. I was really happy about that – Sarah seemed to be the most uncomfortable with us staying there, though she was doing all her wonderful cooking for us.
Oh, the name of the meal that night was the Michael Bush surprise. The guys were real loving and open to my energy even as I cursed them out over and over again in my journal. I think that qualifies them as saints J.
Michael
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