"The Trip"

Over all I can not say it was terrible. It was enjoyable. BUT I never have to do that again. I never have to spend 51 straight hours with her. I counted. It was 1:45 Friday when I showed up at her house and 4:45 Sunday when I finally got in my car and drove the fuck away from her. When I was three houses away I promise to God I actually started yelling I was so happy. It felt like it was never going to end. We woke up at about the same time Sunday, I showered and repacked my stuff. I ordered breakfast while she was showering. We ate. She packed. It was about 10am and she decided we could waste the morning away in the room since the flight left at 1:45. After a while she says we should think about leaving. At this point I am just watching TV since I have been packed and ready to leave since about 8am. She can visibly see my bags are zipped and awaiting to be rolled out. Ten or so minutes later after drinking her third cup of coffee she says it again and I say that I have been ready and waiting on you. "Oh, you have been waiting for me? I have been waiting for you. When I said we needed to leave soon and you just ignored it I thought you were not ready." Not ready? WTF?????? Anyway. Got to the airport and to the terminal with no hassle. Separated. Thank God at the gate. She went to play on the slots and I sat and read. And basically read until we boarded and then read through the flight. The bags took forever to arrive at baggage claim. We were waiting about 25 minutes. I realize now that if I had taken my dad up on his offer to drive me over on Friday he would have had to pick me up at the airport Sunday and this awful weekend would have been over much, much sooner. Live and learn for next time. And of course we got stuck it light traffic on the way home. At this point I have figured out the number of hours we have spent together with no real breaks. These were the breaks. Bathroom breaks, (which include showering), in a few stores we split up while shopping, before leaving the hotel Saturday night I went down ahead of her and had alone time for about 15 minutes and Sunday at the airport while she gambled and I read at the gate. THAT. WAS. IT. I cannot handle togetherness like that with my own family let alone someone I barely like. It was dreadful. I never, ever, ever have to do that again. I know now that I can be strong and voice my true feelings if she ever purposes another trip like this. I was annoyed with her constant talk about people's fashion sense, her complaining that I was walking too fast, (too damn bad), her compelling need to talk about peoples breast sizes, (she was a bit overly involved with that; maybe because hers are ginormous), her continual talk about germs and not wanting to get sick again, (Did I mention I took this trip with someone who just got over having swine flu? No? Well yes I did. Great for me. I secretly was hoping she would be sick longer or more sick than she got so we could cancel the trip and then not rebook.) and I don't know what all else. You name it it was probably bothering me. I have no idea if I annoyed her at all. Don't really care. I most likely did.

The show was fantabulous. There is nothing more to say about it. It was worth every dollar she paid for those tickets. We were about 7 or so rows back. I never counted which is odd for me and right in the center. She is amazing. And everyone always likes to say about people, "For their age..." But age has nothing to do with it. She just is phenomenal. At any age. She has it. The "IT" factor. Okay, a little embarrassed to admit this but yes while she was singing "Wind Beneath My Wings" I actually teared up. I know totally ridiculous. But I felt it. It grabbed me as people like to say. I just wish it was longer. I know 90 minutes is probably tough already but I could have sat there for three hours and thought I was not ready to leave.

“It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance. It is the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance. It is the one who won't be taken who cannot seem to give. And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live.”

-Bette Midler