I'm not in Wisconsin Anymore

On the plane home last night I was writing in my journal about what a wonderful trip home I had (and how "wonderful and good looking my mother is" according to her instructions) but how I was looking forward to getting back to my new home.

I woke up this morning ready eager to get the day started and to attend the CPR training I had signed up for months earlier. I counted out my $.90 to get on bus 41 to Uphams Corner--the only site I haven't visited in a part of the city I've never seen. The morning proved educational, although not in the way I envisioned as the bus motored out of Jamaica Plain.

The bus driver kindly let me know when I had reached my stop. I got off, surprised and pleased to see one of Boston's many old graveyards on the corner amid the hustle and bustle of "up and coming" Uphams Corner. No proper Boston neighborhood is complete without a historic cemetery. I got my bearings (which way was up the street?) and found the Elder Care building, home to 14 CEEH residents and the location of today's CPR training (due to the flood at Ruggles. More on that tomorrow).

But I couldn't get in the building. The entry way was dark. There was no sign about CPR training or who to ring to get in. A business-like notice suggested dialing 1000. So I did. There was no answer. Maybe I was in the wrong place. How could it be so lifeless?

Also, despite all of the hustle and bustle, there was absolutely nowhere to get something to eat. Why can't I ever find a Dunkin Donuts when I actually want one? There wasn't even a sketchy corner market. Nothing. One restaurant that claimed to have breakfast didn't open until 10:00am. What the hell?!

Desperately I called CEEH headquarters and asked for Blanca (site director of Uphams). She wasn't there. I called back and double-checked the location. I had it wrong. In fact, I was about 200 address numbers off. OK... the website was wrong then. I began walking. At one crazy intersection I lost Columbia Road, but found it again when I noticed that it turned right (without changing names. In Boston straight streets will often change names, but apparently curved ones do not). But at the crazy intersection I did find a Dunkin' Donuts! Hooray! Although I was running late, I had to get something to eat. Guiltily I bought a muffin, knowing it was not allowed in my healthy eating regiment). I was so flustered by the whole incident that I babbled an incoherent answer to the old man asking for spare change--babbled so incoherently that I think he felt sorry he asked me.

With muffin and coffee in hand and feeling slightly refreshed I set off down the newly found Columbia Road. I passed Victorian homes, a "grammar school," and Mother Theresa of Calcutta Church. I passed a gas station and then a house with the address 832. Oops, I was looking for 814. I back-tracked. The parish house of Mother Theresa was 800. Then there was the gas station and then house number 832.

ACK! It was after 9:00, well past the start time of 8:30 and I couldn't even find the building! I thought about calling CEEH headquarters again, but I felt so dumb and lost and late. I decided just to go to my safe little office and hide in abject misery. I walked to the nearest bus stop which would take me to the nearest transfer point where I could catch a bus to Ruggles where I could catch the T to Mass Ave and walk to work. That was a lot of travel, and I only had fare for one more bus ride. Well, I'd just have to see what I could do.

I joined an elderly gentleman waiting for the bus. I ate my muffin. I drank my coffee. I silently sang the Violent Femme song "Waiting for the Bus." The bus did not come.

At the best of times I get very impatient waiting for the bus. I don't mind waiting for the subway because I know that when it does arrive, I will reach my destination quickly. But with a bus, you can do all that waiting and often walk to your destination sooner (it's true, I've done it before). So I started walking. In the distance I saw the Prudential Tower rising above the landscape. Prudential Tower is one of my dominant landmarks. If I had towards the Prudential, I can't get lost. Just as I turned my inner compass to "the Pru" I found an even better landmark: Mass Ave. I could follow it all the way to work.

So I did.

It's been a long hectic day filled with finance stuff and catch up and renewed flurry by the new DIA (director of institutional advancement) for the upcoming Board meeting (at some point the flurry needs to calm. I don't do nonstop flurry).

But at least in my trek to work this morning (at least a mile) I got my exercise.

I shall sleep well tonight.

Good night.