The Real Story, So Far

No, the real story is not about this leg of the journey. Funny how the iPod vending machine -- you know, a screen-like entity that pops out Product -- caught Stryker's eye. Long term. Good thing we got there early AND the flight was delayed so we had a leisurely three hours in the Minneapolis airport. A fine use of time.

Nor is the real story about this, although this is lovely:


This is the view, up, near Century 21, the stampede-like low-brow department store near Wall Street. Can you say elbow to elbow, consumer herd?

Yes! The Matron and Stryker spent the day Downtown, in the financial district. While those acquainted with the Matron's understanding of, and interest in, Finance, might be surprised, she was visiting her brother who works for the Federal Reserve Bank.

Actually, he is an Officer of said Staid and Important Institution. As an Officer, he is allowed to bring guests deep into the bowels of the Bank vault for a private, high security tour.

The Matron? Those hands held a solid gold brick worth $400,000.

Stryker had a hard time letting go of the brick, even though it weighed 50 pounds! He staggered and clung. He actually took fingernail to surface, trying to see if he could scrape off some bling.

Nade.

They stood thirty feet below the subway, listening to the rumble and roar, surrounded by 200 billion dollars. Stryker got to turn the wheel of a 270 ton vault door and made the behemoth move.

Later, they lunched with the Matron's brother, in an Executive Dining Room which featured a nice table saying "reserved for Mr. X," which would be the Matron's VIP brother. She is glowing with pride--and also knows this same grown man as the shock-blond skinny mop of a child who named his blanket, Baby Blue.

Here is Stryker on his experience eating in the well-staffed Executive Dining Room: "Every time I put down my fork, somebody takes it."

Reader, so much transpired! Still, we are not at the real story. Not yet.

We saw a lot of this:


And dodged some of this:


We stood at Ground Zero. Lots of trucks and working and rebuilding in place. From VIP Baby Brother's spectacular window, we saw the gaping hole in the middle of the city.

The Matron flashed back to 9-11, the horror and fear and mayhem. She remembered the anthrax plague followed and those uncertain weeks. The lives lost and new fears harbored.

That's an important story, but it's not this one.

Lots of New Yorkers, hustling through all that construction:


Stryker pulled up his hood and blended, like he'd been there a lifetime.



Nor is this the story about the cousins-- how wonderful it was to see the boys and the whole family! Stryker and the Matron were given the warmest of welcomes. Lots of love and happiness and familial reunion.



That might be the most important part of the journey. But the story?

The story is about this 50 lb Play Station 2 game--Rock Band-- that Stryker purchased at Broadway and Park Row, in the famous slice of electronic paradise called J & R Electronics. Yes, Stryker had spending money, New York money, unusual stash of cash (thanks Grandma Mary and VIP Brother). So, the Matron, she couldn't deny his good fortune and fondest desire.


Remember that Matron? Wild-eyed and blind-sided in the big city? She didn't saunter, all hot and saucy through the city. No. She didn't window shop and turn the fifty-year old male eye.

Instead, she carried that box (which felt like the brick of gold) through several busy long city blocks, down the subway stairs, through the turnstile, onto the lurching crowded subway, through Penn Station (where she shot the photo), onto a train and into New Jersey.

Remember her angst about the leather boots and hip look? Nobody noticed. All anybody saw was the box.

And she was sweating.

That's the real story, so far.