An All American Road Trip - Part Ten
(Minnesto and Chicago)
We drove from Bismark, ND which was just an evening stop on our way to Northern Minnesota to visit Uncle Dave and Aunt Joanne. She is my God-Mother as well as being my mother's younger sister. From there we went to Minneapolis to see and visit with Margaret, David and Janie's Daughter, where she is studying at the University of Minnesota. We also had an opportunity to see our cousins, Sue and Ward Wieman as well Steve Weber. Both stops in Minnesota were short but what a wonderful opportunity they were to reconnect with people whom we love so much.
Grand Casino - Onamia, Minnesota
We stayed a hotel located on an Indian Reservation at their Casino. It was close to Dave and Joanne which made it convenient for us.
Janie, Joanne, Dave, and David.
A Little Confusing with two Davids but We Have Always Been a Confused Family.
Bobbie, Uncle Dave and Aunt Joaane (Standing)
Then there is Senex Magister sitting in the Van
We arrived in Minneapolis on Saturday afternoon. Once we were moved into the hotel we went to
Sue and Ward's for a wonderful afternoon and dinner.
Ward
Sue
Steve
Sue and Bruce
Bruce and Margaret
Then on Sunday morning we all had a nice breakfast with Margaret. Dave took a nap while the rest of us went to the
Walker, a museum of modern art. The museum was what it was but it was fun just being together.
Metrodome
Saint Mark's Cathedral (Episcopal) across from the Museum
Walker's Art Center
Entrance
On Monday Bobbie and I left Minneapolis while Dave and Janie spent a couple more days with Margaret before returning to Jeff City. We went to Chicago to see Michael and stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn on Grand Avenue. Our first day there we went to the Sears Tower (now the Willis Tower)and the following day Michael took us to the Chicago Historical Society.
Michael at Bat
There many picturesque views of Chicago from the Sears Tower eventhough it was a cloudy day.
Bruce and Bobbie
Come all you rounders that want to hear
The story of a brave engineer.
Casey Jones was the rounder's name,
On a six eight wheeler, boys, he won his fame.
Casey Jones mounted to his cabin,
Casey Jones with his orders in his hand
Casey Jones mounted to his cabin,
And he took his farewell trip to that promised land.
The caller call Casey at half past four,
He kissed his wife at the station door,
He mounted to the cabin with the orders in his hand,
And he took his farewell trip to that promised land.
When he pulled up that Reno hill,
He whistled for the crossing with an awful shrill;
The switchman knew by the engine's moan
That the man at the throttle was Casey Jones.
He looked at his water and his water was low;
He looked at his watch and his watch was slow;
He turned to his fireman and this is what he said,
"Boy, we're going to reach Frisco, but we'll all be dead."
"So turn on your water and shovel in your coal,
Stick you head out the window, watch those drivers roll;
I'll drive her till she leaves the rail,
For I'm eight hours late by that Western Mail.
When he was within six miles of the place,
There number four stared him straight in the face.
He turned to his fireman, said "Jim you'd better jump,
For there're two locomotives that are going to bump.
Casey said just before he died,
"There're two more roads I would like to ride."
The fireman said, "Which ones can they be?"
"Oh the Northern Paceific and the Santa Fe."
Mrs. Jones sat at her bed a-sighing
Just to hear the news that her Casey was dying.
"Hush up children, and quit your crying',
For you've got another poppa on the Salt Lake Line."
Many songs have been sung about Casey Jones and the famous train wreck of 1909. At the time of the tragedy, according to one legend, Casey, throttle puller of the Illinois Central's crack Cannonball, was driving No. 638, making a run for a friend who was ill. The train was wrecked at Vaughn, Mississippi, and Casey died at the throttle. Wallace Saunders, his Negro engine wiper, set down the story of his death and it was sung to the then popular tune of "Jimmy Jones."
The Museum spoke for itself and each exhibit was quite well done by the Historical Society in Chicago. Each time we visited Michael in Chicago he always had something fun and interesting to do. This visit occurred this past June (2012) while we were returning to Virginia after our summer vacation Wyoming and various places enroute. Michael went into the hospital in August and began a struggle far more serious than anyone close to him could have ever imagined. He was there for 52 days and it appeared that Michael's health was slowly returning to him. After a visit to his doctor in late December, Michael was hospitalized again and it became very evident how ill Michael actually was. He had a negative reaction to the treatment he was being given and a family member had him discharged to her care. Bobbie and I saw Michael in January and then again at his sister's in Maryland before taking off on our Florida vacation for the month of February. We knew as much as we wanted to deny it that Michael was dying. We talked with him almost weekly and then calls stopped. We returned home on March 12th and after extraordinary efforts by Bobbie we discovered Michael had passes away on March 9th.
On that day I wrote the following and began to make plans to go to Fort Wayne where a 48 year old friendsip had begun to say good-bye to Michael.
Today is a moment that confounds my spirit
Yet, words keep pounding into my ears uncontrolled
I hear words of joy and sadness and can tell no difference
Then can one be zero and can ten be infinity - nonsense.
Love is essential to humanity and to anyone who feels
I also know we cannot recognize the essence of life
Without the gift of giving, risking, and knowing its consequence
Can we know the reality of friendship and the fullness it brings?
I hope we are able to know the truth of our youth and how
We become an accumulation of so much that is not intent
But it just happens - Yet, it molds us and gives us direction
To know and understand - then when we lose the spirit that
Has been a presence and constant support in my life - I struggle
With what loss and death mean when I refuse to believe and recognize
The constancy of life and human relationship has a finite limit and end.
I love you, my friend. Michael, you are and will always be that presence
In my life that shall never diminish.
~ Senex
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