| The reunion, part something...can't remember |
It's Sunday. It's rainy. Dan takes down the marquee from our Wednesday picnic. I do some laundry. We aren't feeling very motivated. Stephen wants us to come and pick him up for the day. Chris comes over and he wants us to watch some of his 9/11 conspiracy videos. We spend nearly the entire day recovering from New York City, Mystic, and Danbury, and make plans for the rest of the week. We make dinner for Andy and stick it in the fridge. He won't eat with us.
Monday rolls around. I have errands I have to run with my mother. Dan's annoyed with me. He feels that his holiday has been hijacked, but my mom is setting up an IRA for me - an investment account - and I need to talk to the bank. It's something we need to do.
 I used to work at the bank and stop in to enquire about my old supervisor. She's now the bank vice president and she's too busy to come down and chat. I leave her a note with my email address. I hope she gets back to me some day. I'm disappointed that she couldn't get away. Maybe she doesn't remember me.
It's afternoon by the time we get back from running our errands. Dan's truly miffed that he was left at the house. My mother suggests we all get out of the house and we take a drive. Our plan is to do a boat tour of the Thimble Islands.
The day is a bit overcast, but that makes for great photo-taking conditions. I'm looking forwards to getting some great shots on the water. We arrive at the boat tour facility. It's closed. It's after Labor Day. The tourist spots only open on the weekend for the months of September and October. My mother is disappointed, as are Dan and I. No boat tours today.
My mother offers to take Dan and me to the movies and to dinner. It's a date - the three of us. We get to the cinema and choose a movie: The Illusionist. It looks promising - but it doesn't start for about an hour, so we decide to get a coffee and relax and chat for a few minutes before we have to show up.
We head over to Dunkin Donuts. There are no Dunkin Donut shops in Sydney - this is something new for Dan. We get coffee, and Dan gets two cinnamon donuts. It's the fifth anniversary of September 11. We watch commemorations on the TV that's mounted on the wall inside the shop. I look away. I'm not really "over" September 11. I go back to private thoughts while Dan and my mother chat.
Soon, we're back at the cinema and get our seats, but not before I get a small popcorn with butter. It's been absolute ages since I had buttered popcorn at the cinema. I am going to indulge. I take a bite and savor that oily, salty sensation between my teeth. Heaven.
The movie turns out to be a good one. We enjoy the surprise ending, and head off to dinner. And where does my mother take us? To the Outback Steak House. Dan enjoys the joke. He's had a strange week. Everywhere we've gone, people have offered their condolences on the death of Steve Irwin. We've never met Steve Irwin. Now we're at the Outback. Australia and the USA seem to be inextricably culturally entwined with each other. Even the shopping mall in Milford is owned by Westfield's - an Australian company.
Dinner was delicious, but when we return, Dan is in an ill mood. I'm upset because he's been snappy towards me for several days. That's when we decide that we need a night to ourselves. We make plans to take off for a couple of days - alone. In a hotel.
(to be continued...) |
|
|
|
|
Name: Melanie O.
Home: Durham, North Carolina, United States
About Me: Female, American health and beauty-conscious professional who has rekindled a childhood love of dolls.
See my profile...
|
|
|
- The reunion, part whatever...
- The reunion, number nine
- The reunion, part 8
- The reunion, part siete
- The reunion, part six
- The reunion, part IIIII
- The reunion, part IV
- The reunion, part trois
- The reunion, part 2
- The reunion, part I
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
posted by Melanie O. at 
