Idaho

7/21/16

After Comedy Central, I picked up another gal in from Washington DC.  She was more chatty—and said she was here to work the convention.  Nothing more about her work! (Where is my conservative white dude I imagine?  These younger women do not want to talk politics with me!).

She was originally from Idaho, a state I have not been to.  She said it’s much nicer than DC, especially the skiing.  She has to fly in to Salt Lake City, and then drive 4 hours to get home.  And flight prices have gone up from $300 to $500, and now she has 2 kids, so it’s a major thing to travel. 

“Take $500 times 4, and it’s $2,000”. 

I get that, and can do math, but a lot of times parents say that shit to me.  My sister did it the other day---and I’m thinking about how they got there.  They can do math, too, right?

And this lady chose to have kids in DC, right?  I know it’s expensive to have them, but I travel home to Ohio all the time and budget money for both my trips home, as well as when my family comes to visit me, so we can enjoy Chicago.  I don’t complain about the money, or vacation time, or what not to come home.  I guess I’m perfect?  It’s a burden to be such a good human.

Oh!  This is kind of fun---while I was at the Comedy Central zone, a procession of school buses packed with some kind of law enforcement went by me on Superior.  There was a police escort, and 3-5 buses PACKED with uniformed dudes. 

And then, me and “I live in Washington D.C. and I’m working the convention” non-explainer and I passed what was either an arrest, or some tired undercover security.  5-6 fellows were sitting down on the grass, arms folded, while 8-10 fellows were standing, over them, with guns, looking official!  Protest?  Arrest?  Or just taking a breather?

Anywho, I dropped her at the Doubletree, after we chatted about ski spots and my frozen shoulder injury!  I am super-proud of that injury, so it’s important to talk about.

There are barriers and fences all around downtown Cleveland---but outside of the main area, it’s still pretty quiet.

I picked up one more rider, he worked for Sherwin-Williams, but they have the week off so he's leaving Cleveland to go visit friends in NC.  He's not originally from Cleveland, but he really likes it here.  We gabbed a bit about Cleveland vs India (where he grew up) and then he asked if I was married.  I said no, and then we drove the rest of the way in silence until I asked "Is there a community of Ex-Pats in Cleveland?"  He said not so much downtown, but there was in Westlake.  And then he asked "Do you have any Indian friends?"  I said I did.  And then it was quiet and awkward some more.  I drove on in silence and dropped him off and went and ate fried mushrooms (my favorite ice cream stand item!  YUM YUM).

  

Now I’m in the Rideshare zone parking at Hopkins, waiting to get a ping.  The parking lot is filled with Uber and Lyft drivers, and it has the feel of tailgate.  You are assigned a virtual place in line via your app, and I'm number 5.  I've been number 5 for 20 minutes. I don't think Lyft is as popular with the Republicans.

 I’m not getting a ping so am opting to go home and drink beer in the sun.