I love O'Hare. It's the only airport that plays blues over the PA. And it has a Starbucks every couple hundred feet or so - this, to me, is the perfect SPD (Starbucks Population Density).
It also has thousands of travellers, some of whom get asked to pose with their buddy for pictures.
I haven't been on a plane in 10 years, so I was a little taken-aback at the sneaker-inspection checkpoint. (Had I known, I would've worn cleaner shoelaces.) My first airplane ride was in a cramped Cessna way back in the 80's, and I was sicker than a dog. Every ride since then, I've been doped up on Dramamine ... always drowsy and dehydrated.
This time, no Dramamine. I'll take my chances. And after all, that's what the innocent looking white bag is for. The comedian Shelly Berman describes this bag: "It has instructions in three different languages: French, Italian and Hebrew. Roughly translated, they all mean IN HERE, SLOB!"
But no such illness came to pass and I arrived in Lincoln Nebraska at 2:30, bright-eyed and ready for action. My folks picked me up and took me back to the home I spent many years growing up in.
Immediately, trouble arose between Travellin' Tom and the "one I left behind" - my stuffed raccoon Rocky, whom I left in a bamboo chair when I moved to Utica, NY in '89. (Rocky's the one with the stocking cap and raincoat.) A fight broke out. It was very awkward. Can't we all just get along?
Dinner was a succulent grilled pork roast wrapped in Applewood Smoked bacon. Vegetarian Times called me on my cell phone and notified me that my subscription has been cancelled. Topped off with grilled corn, stir-fried hot curry vegetables and rice, and a refreshing cucumber salad, it was a fantastic meal. The fact that I didn't have to cook anything was a very nice bonus.
And then I went to The Zoo, a Lincoln institution (http://www.zoobar.com/). A blues bar to its core, the walls were lined with photos of Chicago blues legends, sketches of folks who played there (Koko Taylor, Magic Slim). Little paper snowflakes hung from the ceiling and Christmas lights lined the walls. I asked why they hadn't taken them down yet. The manager replied, "The ladder's all the way over there." He pointed to the back of the bar behind the stage. Yes, folks. Keep your priorities straight!
The Royal Prawns opened - surf guitar music and some soul. The Hundred Miles did a couple of sets of rockabilly. It was a great time! I love the crowd there. The guy next to me was drinking $10 shots of top-shelf tequilla, and between us we tried to name every Blues musician whose last name was King (BB, Freddy, Albert, etc. etc.)
Lincoln has changed a lot, and I'm going to do some exploring!
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