Chapter 11: Mercer’s Family Vacation

One evening a few weeks later, Karen came to me when I was reading. It was rare for me to read anything but technical journals. I was reading this book called ‘The Hunt for Red October’ by a new author named Tom Clancy. It was a spy thriller about a Russian submarine commander and his officers defecting to the United States. As part of the deal, they would provide the US Intelligence agencies access to the newest in Soviet submarine technology. It was hard to put down.

“James, I would like to talk with you if I may,” Karen said in her do something for me voice.

“Yes dear, what is it you desire?” I asked knowing how to play the game. “If it is in my powers I will do so to please you.”

“Remember when you came home from being a way for a month you promised you would take me to Washington DC sometime?”she wheedled.

“Yes Karen I remember making that promise,” I answered. “When is it you want to go so I can make the arrangements?”

“How about two weeks before your fall term starts?” she asked. “We could take four days and see the town.”

“We can do touristy things during the day and at night sample some of the night life Washington has to offer,” Karen added.

“OK we can do that but Karen what about Grandma Jorgenson? Who is she going to stay with?” I asked.

“Why she could come with us silly,” Karen replied.

“Are you sure she is up to all that walking,” I interjected. “This isn’t an around town road trip.”

“Did I hear somebody say road trip?” Grandma Jorgenson asked. “I am all in when do we go?”

The old crone had the hearing of a bat.

The next morning I started arranging for the trip to DC for my family. I had never done anything like this before so it should prove to be interesting. I contacted the travel agent the university used and asked they book round trip tickets in first class for the three of us for the dates Karen gave me. I asked for a two bedroom hotel suite in an upscale hotel inside the beltway preferably one with a view of the skyline of Washington DC and the Potomac River. For transportation I called my favorite DC driver, asked if he had time for a 4-day booking around DC, and the town car would be perfect. I asked him to give his best price because I would check with his competition. He had no competition he claimed. We both started laughing at that and he said he would do right by me since I was a repeat customer. I bid him goodbye and had two more calls to make. One was for reservations at the upscale restaurant we had eaten, when my teammates and I went out doing our walking tour and the other was to the office of the Congressman from Detroit that had befriended me. The restaurant reservations were easy and I was done with that one in less than five minutes. The next call I wanted to make I figured would take some time and I was not wrong in my guessing. I called his office using the phone number on the business card that the Congressman had given me.

Not expecting much in terms of results, I entered the numbers and waited for the phone to ring. Surprisingly, a staff person picked up the phone on the third ring. The employee introduced herself and inquired how she might be of service. I informed her who I was and that in a recent chat with a congressman, volunteered to assist me if I was in Washington, DC. I told the aide when I’d be in DC, who I’d be with, and how I hoped they might assist. The staffer said no problem, this was child’s play for them she claimed. They would put together a tour of DC that would leave my family’s heads spinning. I finished the conversation with almost as an aside that I wanted to go out and enjoy DC’s nightlife with my wife. I asked her if she had any suggestions. She laughed and said she could do better than that. She would arrange for our own nightlife guide for the time we would be there. The aide then asked for a phone number where she could reach me at and said good-bye and ended the call.

The more I thought about it, maybe that was not such a good idea accepting the use of nightlife guide. My imagination ran wild for a few seconds as to what to expect. None of them was good. I could see the outcome if it went that way. It would be divorce without or with alimony. Sometimes I worry too much for my own good.

When I got home that afternoon Grandma Jorgenson was fixing dinner. It would be her meatloaf. I had not had one of those in months and I started salivating just thinking about it. We ate supper at the usual time and Karen had just finished loading the dishwasher when the phone rang. Since she was there, she answered it. She came in and said the phone call was for me and it concerned our upcoming trip to DC.

Great I thought something happened and the trip fell through. I picked up the phone handset and said hello. The other person on the line said hello and I immediately knew it was. Saying I was surprised is an understatement. The Congressman said he understood that I would be in Washington with my family during the week of Aug 9 and 14. I confirmed that and I was wondering where this was leading. He said it would give him great pleasure of having us join him for lunch one of those days. As a special favor, he had personally made some phone calls on my behalf and he had arranged for a special tour for my family and me. It would be something we would never forget. I thanked him for his personal attention and that I never meant to involve him. His reply was from what I had done a few weeks ago it was the least he could do. He wished me a good night and hung up.

Karen asked who it was and I told her it was someone calling to confirm our reservations for our upcoming trip. That seemed to satisfy her and she continued doing what she was doing. Two hours later, we were in bed asleep. Karen had to be at work at 5AM in the morning. She had a staff meeting to attend before her regular shift started. I got up at my usual time and went to the office after eating the big breakfast Grandma Jorgenson prepared for me. If I continued to eat as I had been lately, I would need to a new wardrobe, as I would outgrow my old one.

It was a go for the trip; I got a confirmation on all our plans. I called Robert back and gave him the time our flight was scheduled to land. He thanked me and said he would see me in a few days. Just before I was getting ready to leave, there was a phone call. I answered it and the voice on the other end sounded familiar and perturbed. I had no idea who it was.

“You never told me you were married,” said the angry female voice. “I am really embarrassed at what I was going to offer you when you came here on your trip.”

Now this is confusing. Whom did I know who would talk to me in such familiar terms and was a female. I was at a total loss until it dawned on me. It was Molly.

“Molly, what possessed you to call me?” I was baffled. I had never made inappropriate remarks or suggestions to her.

“I am your Washington DC after dark guide you signed up for.”

Oh, shit this could get embarrassing very fast. I could see Karen cleaning up the floor with her at some DC nightspot. I never saw Karen go after anyone. I heard Karen talking to her cousin on the phone one time when Sadie volunteered to take me over when Karen got tired of me. Sadie will not spend time in our house if Karen had any say in the matter.

“Molly, if you don’t want to do it I would understand. I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to,” I said in my most sincere voice.

“No I will do it but you will need to reserve one slow dance with me,” she said. “I insist.”

“It is your funeral kiddo; do not say I did not warn you,” I thought to myself.

Molly said her goodbyes and hung up.

I thought for a city with such a large population it must have many smaller communities inside it where everyone in that community knows everyone else in it.

A couple of days before we would leave for the trip I told the women to make sure they had everything packed by the night before. We could not be late for the flight, as they would leave without us. They told me not to worry, as they would be ready.

The night before Karen came wandering into our bedroom carrying the Moscow Embassy polo shirts that Grandma Jorgenson had laundered for me. I felt the moisture forming in my armpits and it starting to trickle down my lower back and into the crack of my backside.

“James, where did these shirts come from? They are such well-made shirts I am surprised you did not pack them for the trip. They would perfect to wear on the flight to Washington,” Karen said.

“You are right as always, Karen. I will pack one and wear the other tomorrow on the flight.” I said hoping she did not notice the anxiousness of my voice.

“You didn’t tell me where you got them,” she reminded me.

“Oh there was an outlet shop near the hotel where I was staying and one evening I went for a walk and came across the shop,” I said. “I forget the name of the place right now but they did have a nice selection.”

“Maybe we can go there when we are in DC and find me something,” said Karen. “You know how I love polo shirts with logos on them.”

“We’ll see.”

Seven AM rolled around early and I did not want to get out of bed. Karen had other ideas, pulled the covers off me, and kept nagging me to get up. She was not about to miss her flight because someone was tardy, I was ready to go out the door by 7:45 AM. We had a whole half hour until the car service would be there to take us to the airport. I figured I could sleep on the plane to DC. We had about a two-hour direct flight. It would be plenty of time for me to catch a nap.

Promptly at 8:15, a horn honk announced the arrival of the car service. Everyone was ready and I helped Karen and Grandma Jorgenson with their luggage to the car. Like most women, they packed for a month when we were to be there only for a couple of days. Oh well such is life.

The first heartburn of the trip was when the driver did not get out of the car to help load the luggage and he further aggravated that condition when he did not help my wife’s grandmother into the car. I was extremely upset by then. I helped Grandma Jorgenson into the car, went around, and sat in front with the driver. For being a car service driver, he was worthless. I was going to cancel the service when we got back to Chicago and I was going to make sure the owner knew why. There was no excuse for such lousy service.

Thirty minutes later, we arrived at O’Hare and like before the driver stayed inside the car as Karen and I got out the luggage. A skycap came over to help us and I thanked him for his assistance. When the last piece of luggage was out and I shut the trunk lid, the driver took off as if he was coming out of out of pit row at a NASCAR race.

I swore and the skycap agreed with me. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. He suggested I call this company and they would give me a lot better service. I asked how he knew so much about them. He chuckled and it was his nephew’s business. I thanked him and said I would call them after I canceled with the company I had originally made reservations with. The skycap took our luggage right to the ticket counter for us and unloaded it. I tipped an extra five for the extra service he provided. He said his thanks and went on his way.

The check in process was painless and my two female travel companions and I went through security and sat in the passenger waiting area until it was time to get into the queue. We did not have to wait long. When they announced first class boarding, I got up and had Karen and Grandma Jorgenson follow me. I gave the gate agent our seat vouchers and proceeded to board. A flight attendant showed us to our seats and we sat down and waited for the rest of the passengers to board. Being in first class was a new experience for Karen; I could tell she loved it. Looking across the aisle at Karen’s Grandma, she was sitting rather rigid almost like she was a statue instead of a living person.

Strange, Grandma Jorgenson was usually one of the friendliest and outgoing people I knew. She seemed tense to me. I was beginning to wonder what the problem was. Then it dawned on me.

“Karen, how did your grandmother come to Chicago when she came down?” I asked.

“Oh she came by bus. She said it was cheaper than flying,” Karen replied.

“Karen, your grandmother is about to have a panic attack over there. Why don’t you go over and sit with her until she is in a better mood.” I said.

The flight attendant came over to see if there was a problem. I just looked up at her and said, “First time flier.”

The flight attendant understood immediately and went back to what she had been doing.

When we finally took off Karen was still sitting beside Grandma Jorgenson. She seemed to have calmed down some. I think I even saw her smile a couple of times. It was funny no matter how many times Karen tried to coax her to look out the window she would not budge. “Probably best to let things stay as they are,” I thought Two hours and a few minutes later, I could tell we were starting our descent into Washington DC air space. The plane banked to go around making its approach you could look out the window and see the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial along the Potomac River. Karen’s grandmother spotted the monuments and reacted by pointing and laughing. It was like traveling with a child.

When the plane landed, the touchdown was smooth. I do have to say the pilots for the flights I had been on lately were skilled and experienced a lot better than the military flights I had a little over a month ago. Perhaps, it is because the commercial pilots were older and more experienced. I did notice the pilots for the military flights I was on were considerably younger and their landings and take offs were not on par with the commercial pilots. Like everything else, improvement comes with practice and experience.

It took the ground crew an additional ten minutes to maneuver the big jet up to the jet port. As usual, the first class passengers were the first to exit the jet, go down the jet way and into the terminal. When we got into the terminal, the stress that had been in Grandma Jorgenson’s body was now gone. I gathered up my family and started them moving to the baggage claim area. It took a while for the baggage conveyor; I went to round up a luggage cart to put our bags on. Just as I reached the carts I saw my friend Robert waiting for me. He greeted me with a smile, grabbed the cart away from me, and headed to the baggage claim area.

I followed close behind him, he stopped near the conveyor waiting for me to catch up, and hoping to spot our luggage before it got too crazy. My wife and Grandma Jorgenson came over to where we were standing and Karen wrapped my arm around her shoulders leaning into me as we waited for the luggage to appear.

Robert looked over at us and said, “Damn Doctor, you always surround yourself with beautify women. You will have to tell me your secret.”

I did not even need to look I could feel Karen tense up and the barometer was dropping like crazy. The storm clouds were forming and Storm Karen was about to blow in and I was where it was going to make landfall. What was that saying again? Red sky at morning, sailors take warning, red sky at night sailors’ delight. I was sure Karen was seeing red about now.

“Robert, this is MY WIFE Karen and her Grandmother Jorgenson. We are on a four day vacation together.” I said hoping he noticed my emphasizing the wife part.

Robert noticed it and did his best to still the troubled seas. “Oh, ladies let me rephrase that. It puts the Doc here in a bad light. I want to say is I was his driver for the days he was here in DC. He had to be a lot of different places and sometimes multiple places at the same time. In order to get him to the right place at the right time the government offices would assign a minder to make sure he got where he was supposed to be. Most of these minders are minions for the departments they work. Many of them are young, and to be honest, extremely attractive. Any other man would have been tempted, but not the Doc here. I recall him talking about his Viking Princess at home. How he was so looking to be home with her. I guess the Viking Princess would be you, Mrs. Mercer?”

I immediately felt Karen relax and the storm clouds dissipated. Bless you Robert; you just earned a whopping big tip for the load of manure you spread.

“Did he honestly call me his Viking Princess?” asked Karen getting all weepy.

By then conveyor started moving and people’s luggage began to appear. A couple of minutes later we had all our bags collected and Robert was pushing the cart toward where he had parked his vehicle. I was expecting the town car again but this time it was a stretched Cadillac limousine. A vehicle that is very common on the streets of Washington DC. We followed behind Robert with Karen hanging on to me for dear life and Grandma Jorgenson on the other side of Karen. I looked over at Grandma Jorgenson. I did not even need to hear her. I could see it in the look she gave me. “You escaped that time, me Bucko, but you will face judgment sooner or later.” I think I threw up in my mouth just a little about then.

Robert went to open the trunk to put our luggage in it. I opened the rear door and helped Karen into the car. Grandma Jorgenson came next and she chose to sit in the rear facing jump seat on the right hand side. She wanted to make sure she saw all the sights as we passed them on our way to the hotel. On the way to the hotel Robert would point out the different buildings and monuments we passed. I made note of the ones that interested Karen and Grandma Jorgenson. Those would be on the top of the list of the places we visited while we were here. I seriously doubt if we were here, a month we would have seen everything there is to see in Washington.

Traffic was heavy and it took us longer than it normally would and several times, we would only progress half a block at a time. That gave Karen and her Grandma that much more time to check out the sights and make comments. This part of the trip I was enjoying. Earlier could have been a disaster and probably create a situation in my marriage. I had somehow sailed through it. If I had a moment, I would take Robert aside and tell him what to talk about and that which he should avoid like the plague.

Robert pulled the limo up to the front of the hotel where we would be staying and the hotel minions came scurrying. Robert got out assisting in the unloading. It did not take long for them to unload the limo and push the cart into the lobby. Karen and her grandmother followed it in.

I took the time to give a heads up to Robert. I just said that she was the jealous type and probably be best for my health if he would not mention any other females while we were in DC. Robert just smiled and said he would do his best. I told him I would call him when we needed him next and wished him a good evening.

I hurried into the lobby and made my way past the luggage and Grandma Jorgenson to stand beside Karen who was filling in the registration form. The desk clerk had no problem finding our reservation and after handing over my credit card for payment, we were on our way up to our suite. The luggage cart and bellhop led the way to the elevator followed by the three of us. Grandma Jorgenson’s head was on a swivel as she tried to take it all in. I wondered how soon it would be overwhelming and she would shut down from overload.

The bellhop, supervised by Karen put hers and my luggage in one room and Grandma Jorgenson’s in the other. I knew our rooms were acceptable and I went over to join Grandma Jorgenson and looked out the sliding balcony door. We had a spectacular view of the Potomac River and across it into Virginia. I opened the balcony sliding door and we stepped out on to the balcony and looked around. Depending which direction we looked we were able to see some place we had at least heard of. Looking straight ahead, we had a spectacular view of the Potomac River. Out in the distance was the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge. If you looked across the river, you could almost make out where Arlington National Military Cemetery was located. Grandma Jorgenson stood there taking it all in.

“I was right about you, James.” Grandma Jorgenson said getting misty eyed. “You are the best thing that has ever happened to this family.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I laughed. “You didn’t forget me running off to avoid marrying Karen, did you?”

“No, but a short time later you did the right thing and became a man and married her. I blame it all on that crazy Ginny, you got involved with,” she said. “No man would have been sane after dealing with that after four years like you did.”

“James, I love you as you were my own son,” Grandma Jorgenson said openly weeping now. “I always wanted to come here and see our nation’s capitol and you did that for me. My family is truly blessed to have it you in it.”

“I love you too, Grandma Jorgenson,” I replied. “I sometimes love you even more so than my own mother.”

“I am so glad that you and Karen took,” she chuckled. “It would have been a waste to have you married to Sadie. That girl would have up and left you on your honeymoon to chase after moonbeams.”

I could see it. Grandma Jorgenson knew her granddaughters.

“What are you two doing out here?” asked Karen.

“Dear, your grandmother is plotting on how she is going to run away to some desert island with me and have her way with me. And I am powerless against her super powers.” I said in a dramatic voice.’

“And what exactly is grandma’s superpowers, may I ask,” said Karen playing along.

“A stove,” I deadpanned.

“Oh you!” said Grandma Jorgenson as she swatted at me.

“Speaking of stoves, anyone hungry?” I asked.

I got two affirmatives to my inquiry and I suggested we order a light lunch via room service and lay down for a brief nap. I then said we could finish the afternoon with a walk along the Potomac River at the park that follows along it near our hotel. I did not think it was wise to be out after dark in this part of Washington. I would call Robert and we could drive around the city and see it after dark. That was agreeable to everyone and I went to make my call to Robert.

Grandma Jorgenson was being Grandma Jorgenson. She had to criticize the sandwiches we had ordered. The makings were good according to her even excellent in most cases, but the bread was a let down. According to her, it needed lots of TLC. After our late lunch, we decided to take a nap and rest up for our walk and evening auto tour of DC proper. It was not long before Karen and I were sawing logs. I had set the bedside alarm to waken us up at 3:30 PM. That would give us plenty of time to spend along the Potomac and still be back to the hotel while it was still safe out.

The alarm went off at 3:30 just as we had hoped it would. Karen and I went to use the bathroom and Karen wanted to put on a pair of shoes she thought would be more comfortable for walking. I went out into the sitting room expecting to Grandma Jorgenson waiting for us. No Grandma Jorgenson out there, I thought it was odd that she would still be sleeping. I would go in and mention it to Karen so she could check on her grandmother.

Karen knocked and went into her grandmother’s room and rushed out in a panic. I knew something was up immediately and I thought the worst. I bring her to DC and she died in her sleep.

“James, Grandma isn’t in her room or the bathroom. Where could she be?” Karen in panic said.

“Before we get nuts, let’s go down and see if anyone has seen her.” I said calmly. Inside I was just as panicky as Karen was.

We went down the elevator, which seemed to take forever. Karen was getting closer to a full-blown anxiety attack worrying about her grandmother. I was about to loose it as well.

The elevator doors opened and we rushed out. I quickly scanned the lobby, no grandma. I then hurried over to the registration desk hoping someone had seen her. The clerk could not help as she had just gotten on duty. It was then Karen came over with one of the bellhops in tow.

“James, this man saw her talking to one of the kitchen staff over there by the tropical plants,” said Karen worriedly. “If something happened to her...”

My brain clicked in on that bit of information. Grandma always commented she would enlighten the next kitchen cook who served her food that she would not feed a starving goat. She would teach them the proper way to cook.

“Which way to your food prep area?” I asked the bellhop and he pointed out the way.

I went in the direction he pointed with Karen in tow, the bellhop and desk clerk following us shouting the area was not open to guests and was employees only.

I opened the door and immediately started laughing. There stood Grandma Jorgenson up to her elbows in bread dough surrounded by several chefs and their assistants. They all were listening and watching intently while she was working the bread dough. Karen came around me and stood there watching, very much relieved.

By this time, Grandma Jorgenson looked up and had a smile from ear to ear. She was in heaven, she had students listening to her and hanging on to every word. Grandma Jorgenson shouted over to Karen and me for us to go ahead and have our walk, she should be done by the time we got back. I acknowledged her, turned, and walked out the way we came. The desk clerk was chattering like an angry squirrel saying she would have to speak to her manager about this breach of hotel policy. I told her to go ahead and I would call my friend, the Congressman from Michigan to see about getting us better accommodations.

Until then my wife and I were going for a walk along the Potomac and she could tell us to leave when we returned. I took Karen’s hand and we walked out the door and headed for the park along the Potomac.

Two hours later, we returned to the hotel and walked up to the reception desk. I did not expect any repercussions from the exchange earlier. I summed it up to a clerk who was too big for her name tag. The manager on duty proved me correct and the clerk apologized. I said not to fret and just asked about our grandmother. The clerk pointed back toward the kitchen and we walked in. There she was still giving kitchen lessons.

When I walked over, I heard from Grandma Jorgenson, “Remember Charles, it’s the lard in the crust that gives the crust its flakiness and rich taste. Butter is fine for a lot of other things but pastry crust is not one of them.”

She heard us approaching and looked over. Grandma Jorgenson had a look of eternal bliss on her face. The only other place I can recall seeing that look was on the faces of cherubs painted on some cathedral’s ceilings in Europe I had seen in an art book back in college. It made me smile and chuckle at the same time. Grandma Jorgenson had reached Nirvana.

“Hi you two,” she said. “I will finish up here in ten minutes or so. I need to make sure they understand what I have taught them this afternoon. Go on up to the room and I will be up there shortly.”

“OK Grandma,” I said as I turned with Karen following me out of the kitchen.

That experience right there had made Grandma Jorgenson’s day and perhaps her whole vacation. She will look back on that day and be in her happy place remembering.

“Karen, we need to be extra nice to Grandma this trip,” I said.

“Why do you say that?” Karen asked.

“She will own the hotel if she had a mind to,” I replied.

We both got a laugh out of that.

We got off the elevator and went to our suite to await the return of our lost Grandma. She came in a little later than she said she would.

Grandma Jorgenson waltzed in and sat down. I do not think I had seen her happy like this in the four years I had known her. She seemed a little younger this afternoon than what I could recall. I was happy that I was able to help her find some more happiness in her life. A few years ago, I did the opposite and brought her unhappiness and sadness. I am just glad I was able to pay off that debt.

“There is no need to go out for dinner tonight, we are having a special tonight that I taught the staff here how to prepare. I must say they did a wonderful job at it,” Grandma Jorgenson said.

Promptly at 5:30 PM, there was a knock at the door and the room service staff wheeled in the cart with the dinner. It smelled fantastic, as you would expect from anything Grandma Jorgenson did. The meal consisted of a chicken potpie dish covered with a trademarked Grandma Jorgenson flaky crust. The side was a salad of tossed greens coated with a red wine vinegar based dressing. For dessert, we have a crusty Dutch baked apple topped with cinnamon ice cream. I do not think my body could take much more eating like this. If the staff continued the quality of food like this, they will move from a three star restaurant into a four star in no time.

After eating, I called to have the dining service removed and then made a phone call to Robert for our Washington DC after dark tour. If DC is spectacular then after dark it should be beyond sensational. I could not believe how the Washington and Lincoln Memorials looked lit up. It gave me goose bumps to view them, the Jefferson Memorial the same. The White House and Capitol building lit up at night made me proud to be an American. It even made the worry and fear I felt on the recent Russia mission worth it. This is the greatest country on earth.