An adventure in Kalamazoo

So I decided to visit a friend Thursday through Saturday morning within the past couple weeks,and started my journey in the afternoon. I was pretty excited about this for multiple reasons. One, I was going to be able to jam out to tunes in my car for 4 hours plus. Two, I was going to get to spend some quality time with someone I like spending time with. Three, I was going to get to explore a new place I'd never been.

I arrived Thursday night, around 930 pm, where we decided to figure out what it was we were going to do the first night. We decided to go to a Italian restaurant for a few martinis and then over to a piano bar that had a pretty awesome atmosphere. On a side/random note...Matt Gerrard from American Idol was there. (This is where he is from and where he started playing) After leaving this place to head home, we had the brilliant idea of "breaking in to the football field" to run around on the field and play some football. Well the breaking in didn't really happen as the gate was left wide open, but we definitely fulfilled the rest of the mission.

The next day I went for a run, went to dinner at the place we had had drinks, and got to see a comedy show at the Allegan County Fair. So that one can have a clear visual...picture the Waukesha County Fair, add some rednecks, and insert a comedian. The show definitely was very funny, but had some major ups and downs. Jeff Dunham, the comedian, got a bad case of the giggles which definitely prolonged the show. After this we wandered around the fair, rode some rides, and decided to rent a movie.

If you haven't seen it... Last house on the Left... Don't bother. By far one of the worst movies I have ever seen... but the company was good :) The next day I was supposed to go to a wedding but that ended up not being the case. We did some more wandering, checked out some pre-game action of the Western Football game, and then watched Madagascar 2 before passing out. I wasn't feeling very well, so it turned out to be a much earlier night than it planned to be. Quite alright with me.

Sunday was my last day to be in the 'zoo and it was spent touring Western's campus and then lounging around the house watching the Packer game...and their heartbreaking loss. Now for the really interesting part of the story...

Sometime over the course of the weekend my checking account had some major errors going on, and it was the only thing I had for spending purposes after spending my cash over the weekend. This presents a problem when needing to come home and pay tolls, but I had enough gas, and enough for tolls etc... so I went on my merry way. I was still not feeling well and stopped to take some pain meds along the way. Well this apparently caused me to zone out, BADLY...and when I realized that I hadn't really been paying attention (there was a 100 mile stretch I had to drive anyways...I realized I had gone just that, an additional 100 in the wrong direction. So now I find myself lost in some random area of Indiana, where I barely have reception, have only cash for tolls, a non-working debit card, and after using all my toll cash for gas...enough to get me roughly to Chicago.

As one can imagine, I am upset, as well as sick... something that doesn't happen all too often for me. I prayed, and a few friends happened to call around this time so I was able to talk to them and kinda calm down. A friend in Milwaukee volunteered to come all the way to Chicago, meet me and fill up my tank, get me some cash for tolls, and most importantly feed me because I hadn't eaten since noon. (It was around midnight)

So I start my journey back towards Chicago, and am feeling much better about things, when I realize hey I have 3 tolls to pay before I get to Chicago. I have no money. The tolls do not have Ipass lanes if I wanted to even try to chance running through that, and basically I am seeming to be out of luck. Cue me being upset again now. I get to the first toll, and explain to the lady my whole situation...and she lets me pass. 4.25 toll, and didn't have to pay. Feeling better about it, and hoping the next two will be equally as understanding. Second toll comes along, same story... good to go. Then we get to the lovely state of Illinois. I come to the toll, tell the lady what is going on... and she proceeds to tell me she doesn't care and that if I can't pay the ticket she is going to call the police and I will get a ticket. It's late. I'm tired. Sick. Want to be home. In Bed. And am on the verge of tears. She suggests asking the person behind me. I think to myself... okay... I'm in Chicago... do I really want to even do that...and decide yea I guess so not wanting to prolong my night even more.

I hop out of my car middle of the freeway and am somewhat relieved to see a young couple behind my car. I explain the situation, and they paid my 3.00 toll. At this point I am beyond grateful, and thanked them the best a tired and ill 24 year woman could do given the circumstances. At this point my friend was also arriving in Chicago, and we decided to meet up at a Jewel Osco off Lake Street.

It took about an hour to find an open gas station, food, a bathroom, but after that we were on our way back home. Now the challenge would be staying awake. I talked to a few friends on the way home, as well as the one that came to pick me up. I can't even begin to thanks every person involved in getting me home last night. Long story short, I was incredibly stressed, not feeling the best, but extremely relieved to see the goodness in the hearts of those that helped. It meant a lot to me, and I really appreciated it.

Although the trip home was absolutely a mess, the weekend was far from that. I had an awesome time, and really enjoyed spending time with my friend. The good that came from the weekend more than triples the bad that came from the ride home. I just hope that next time I make the visit, the trip takes 4 hours instead of 9 :)