In Eckleburg's Eyes - 4/10/2008

Wednesday marked the 100th Day of the year. I spent the day beginning my first family vacation in seventeen years. My father is the president elect of the National Kidney Foundation of East Tennessee and had a training session in New York. Somewhere along the line, this trip morphed into a family vacation.

I had not been to New York (my mother’s home state) since I was four years old and have few memories of that visit. This trip was actually well planned. I think my mother read the entire text of Fodor’s New York City 2008 in preparation. I also did a lot of research. My rule of the thumb is that if a trip is made by car, I improvise, but if flying is necessitated, then methodical planning is as well. I compiled the majority of the itinerary as my mother did most of the things she wanted to do in New York on her last visit with my father since she honestly believed she might never return.

I took planning so seriously that I even bought Sunscreen - Hawaiian Tropic Ozone. It has an SPF of 70. Their web site says that they make it in SPF 80. While I did not know SPF went that high, I am sure it will not be high enough for me. At least this time I cannot be blamed for negligence!

One thing I clearly did not plan was our departure time. My mother selected our flight as it was the lone direct flight from Knoxville to New York. This was great. Unfortunately, this flight also left town at 6:10 AM, meaning we needed to leave our home by 4:30. I woke up as planned - at 4:15. I figured I would give myself extra grooming time for such a significant trip.

Our flight met its schedule. The highlight though was that my mother alerted airport security. After taking off every piece of jewelry on her person, she still activated alarms. This meant she had to be frisked. Naturally, I saw this as a brilliant photo opportunity. It turns out that there was actually metallic material in her shirt. Eventually, the powers that be allowed her to board her flight. This is one of those incidents that could only happen to myself or my mother. My father attributed the incident to her evil alter ego "The Dot Master" having finally been discovered by someone other than SMA.

The flight went smoothly and we all managed to get a little (albeit very little) sleep. I had not seen sleep under worse conditions since I was in college and the 6'10" basketball star Charles Hathaway managed to contort himself into very small desks to sleep through religious studies classes.

Upon arriving at LaGuardia Airport, we began to make our way to Jersey City, New Jersey. The first day of the trip was spent in Jersey City in the 8th floor loft owned by my mother’s first cousin NTC. I have been told that this makes her my first cousin once removed.

The short distance to Jersey City actually took almost as long as our flight from Knoxville to New York. Before the day was out, I used every mode of transportation I had ever heard of. A taxi drove us from the airport to Manhattan. A Haitian driver named Lucas Jean administered cruel and unusual punishment on the long, slow ride across town. He played antiquated French music, which my mother loved. I read the Taxicab Rider Bill of Rights and knew he had violated #8 (“A noise free trip: no horn honking or radio;”). (I provided the link so that you would know I did not make the list up.) If he was not such a nice fellow I would report him! The taxi trip took us through Queens as well as several notable facilities including Shea Stadium.

From Manhattan we took the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation (PATH), a version of the subway connecting New York and New Jersey. We then proceeded on foot to her loft. She has a beautiful view. One can actually see many New York monuments including the Statue of Liberty out her window. In fact, she watched the Twin Towers crumble from her perch as well.

I was thrilled to see NTC. I was to have seen her in December for my cousin’s wedding but her taxi driver wrecked on the way to the airport. (I think traveling mishaps are genetic.) She is one of my favorite people. Her home is like mine, as it is more library than residence. She has decorated with all sorts of cool artifacts from her travels. In short, she is a hip hip lady.

She generously cooked us brunch - a layered dish called strada, with pumpernickel bread direct from Russia, and a salad with homemade dressing. It was thoughtful and delicious. We actually ate on my great grandparents' dining table, the same table that my mother ate on child during visits.

We spent much of the afternoon discussing my family's intentionally mysterious past. She was privy to many legal documents and I discovered a great deal of my heritage - some of which I did not like. I finally received confirmation (in the form of a divorce certificate) that my grandfather’s father scandalously left his first wife and abandoned his son to marry the woman who would become my great grandmother.

One family mystery remains unclear. I am hoping for confirmation that I am related to Martin “Marty” Nodell (1915-2006). Nodell (my mother’s relatively rare maiden name) was born in 1915 in Philadelphia (where my great grandfather lived at the time) and Martin is a family name. Nodell created the comic book superhero Green Lantern in 1940 and as art director of the Leo Burnett Agency was also part of the creative team that developed the Pillsbury Doughboy in 1965. I suspect he may be my grandfather’s first cousin.

In more contemporary family news, NTC’s grandson MG negotiated his own lacrosse scholarship to Drexel University in Philadelphia. MG, who will turn 18 on April 21, is a junior midfielder for the Springfield Township (PA) High School Spartans, after transferring from Penn Charter last season. He has decided to retire from football after a stellar junior season as a half back/defensive back to concentrate on lacrosse. Despite his exploits in athletics, he is still known as “The Bunny” in family circles.

The theme of family heritage continued as we caught a taxi and then a ferry to visit the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Ellis Island was the location where most immigrants first arrived in America from 1892-1924. It remained open until 1953. Restoration began in 1984 and its new function as a museum originated in 1990. It is located very close to the Statue of Liberty and tours to both are held in conjunction with one another.

We arrived and learned that we could watch a short play. Never one to pass up a play, we paid the extra $6 per person to view “Taking a Chance On America: Bela Lugosi’s Ellis Island Story.” It is a three-person half-hour sketch written by Aurorae Khoo which uses Bela Lugosi (1882-1956), a Hollwood legend, best remembered for his portrayal of Count Dracula, to depict how immigrants were processed through Ellis Island. It was cute and well worth the $6. The show just opened and will be playing seven times daily through October.

In a small world story, one of the actors is a veteran of Knoxville's Clarence Brown Theater. More amazing than this is that my father, typically oblivious to such things, was the one who recognized him.

The Museum itself was enlightening. The issues facing modern immigration were very similar to those at the turn of the twentieth-century. The immigrants had to prove their physical and mental health, that they had start up funds, and that they could be a productive member of society. I found it especially interesting that a 1917 statute required literacy at least in one’s native tongue. Each immigrant was required to read a forty word passage - from the Bible.

After taking another ferry back to New York and passing the Staten Island Ferry, we ate at the Grand Central Oyster Bar & Grill in Grand Central Station. It is a local staple, having been open since 1913, and one of the few restaurants recommended by both tourists and natives. All four of us enjoyed our meal immensely. I liked my jumbo coconut shrimp, but the scallops I sampled from my father’s entree were the best I have ever tasted.

Our server graciosuly rushed our order so that we could make the 7:30 tip off at Madison Square Garden, as the local New York Knicks faced the Charlotte Bobcats. The game featured two of professional basektball's worst teams, but I wanted to go to experience "The World's Most Famous Arena." None of us had been to the new Garden though my mother had attended many rodeos at its predecessor. You read that correctly. My mother and her father love the rodeo.

On Saturday night, the Bobcats lost at home to the Celtics despite the fact that Boston decided to rest its three most prominent players. Still, they entered the game with the better record of the two teams at 30-48.

On this night, the home team won 109-107. With only three games remaining, the win ensured that the Knicks (23-56) would not lose 60 games for the first time in team history. Honestly, it was forunate that both teams were so miserable, as otherwise we might not have been able to obtain tickets.

Overall, the experience was a bit of a let down. The intensity from the fans was nonexistent which was to be expected as the teams were vying for essentially nothing. The biggest crowd reaction of the night came when news of the New York Rangers 4-1 victory in the NHL Playoffs was updated. My dad did obtain some much needed sleep during the game.

It is also worth noting that the only celebrities in attendance were the cast of the Broadway show "Rent"", who did an admirable job singing the national anthem. Anthony Rapp (forever remembered by me for his role in Dazed in Confused) demonstrated his support for Barrack Obama. Who out there was thinking "I had been unsure as to who to vote for, but if Obama is endorsed by Anthony Rapp... "?

"Sopranos" actor Steve Schirripa (Bobby 'Bacala' Baccalieri) was also there as was Knicks commentator/Just For Men® spokesman Walt "Clyde"Frazier.

The walk back to the Subway station was difficult as we passed countless homeless people all along 31st. It was disheartening as there were too many people to help.

After a very long day, we all crashed upon returning to NTC's loft.

I will close by wishing my aunt JESN a great birthday. We thought of you.