Prologue

My dear friend Sarah, whom I've known for 12 years now, left the Bay Area and moved back to the Detroit area, where she's originally from, in August of this year. We've been good friends and travel buddies for a long time now, and I promise that I will come visit her soon. She says there's nothing to do in Detroit, so we decide to take a trip to a nearby metropolis. We agree on Chicago, as I've never been there and lots of people have told me what a great city it is. I pick the week of Veterans Day to come visit, as it's a holiday for me, and being a cold weather wimp, I don't want to delay it any closer to the winter.

Call it synchronicity, but it just so happens that Matthew Sweet, one of Sarah's favorite musicians (I like him a lot too), happens to be playing in Chicago the week I'm coming out. We pick our dates so that I'll be visiting Sarah in Detroit over the weekend, and we'll fly out to see Matthew Sweet in Chicago and stay for a few days. I also decide to go to New York after Chicago, and visit my friend Therese, who moved back there a few years ago.

I'll be gone a total of ten days. In October I book my flights - 3 on Northwest, 2 on Southwest. I buy a couple of Travel Guide books - Time Out Guides to Chicago and New York, and also a book called City Secrets New York City written by artists, writers and the like, who live in New York, and offer up some of their favorite places with a local viewpoint. I consult with Sarah about Chicago hotels, and make a reservation at the Amalfi, a new boutique hotel located on the Magnificent Mile. I also get a recommendation from a friend at work for the Washington Square Hotel in the Village in New York. I am excited at the idea of staying in the Village, but much to my disappointment, I cannot get a reservation there for my entire stay, so I decide to break up my visit and find another place, the Hotel Metro, near the Empire State Building, to spend the weekend at. A change of scenery might be interesting, I figure. I am pleased that all my hotels have free wireless Internet and breakfast included in their price, as I'm sure I will take advantage of that. I buy my ticket to Matthew Sweet and check the Pollstar website for who's playing in New York. I find a plethora of bands I like to see: Steve Wynn, playing a Flamin' Groovies tribute for a book release party for "Lost in the Grooves", Interpol, Matthew Sweet (again!), two shows by the Alarm. I'm getting excited.

All Saints Day
November 1, 2004 falls on a Monday. It's All Saints Day. They say all dogs go to heaven, and I must believe that is true, as this is the day that we have chosen to put our beloved Basset Hound, Boney to sleep. He just turned 13, and although we thought he was doing well for a dog his age, the vet diagnosed him with lymphoma the past Friday. He gave him a few days to a few weeks to live. Over the weekend, it was clear to use that our dog was rapidly dying and it was the right thing to put him down. We spent the entire weekend with him and took him to visit some old friends and a final trip to the dog park at Point Isabel. On Monday morning, on the way to the vet's office we fed him his favorite foods: pats of butter and small pieces of chicken. He was eating chicken up to the minute the vet gave him the last shot.

I'm shocked at how quickly he's left us, and heartbroken. I'm not sure how I'll cope with the loss, and I wonder how Rick will make it on his own while I'm gone. As bad as I feel, I don't want to cancel my trip, and Rick says I should not either. But a few good things have happened to make me feel that there will be something that will fill the hole in my heart. I haven't figured anything out about what to do or where to go during my trip. I talk to a few people about Chicago and scribble down a few things to do while I'm there. I have the hotel rooms, concert ticket, and my travel books. I figure I'll wing everything else.

Next > Day 1: Northwest sucks!