A Little Trek Down Memory Lane

​I had an interesting, and in my personal interpretation… a spiritually, cosmically, and rather humorous “Randy” experience.   So, to make a short story long, I hope you will join me on yet another meandering word salad journey…
 
I’ve always wanted to take Rai out to Grand Island for her birthday to see the Cranes.  This year, Sara, Gracyn, Mac, and I accompanied the birthday girl out to see the birds.  We spent the night in a motel with a pool, we went shopping, ate what Rai wanted and laughed a lot.  I was reminded of the time that Randy and I took Evan out to see the cranes for his birthday in March – that was a long time ago – more than three decades in the past.  I interjected memories of Randy throughout our stay – it’s fun to remember those pleasant times together and the grandkids got to hear new stories about their grandfather.
 
Back when Evan was just a little guy, I thought it was a big deal for us to travel to Grand Island just to see some migrating birds.  I didn’t fully understand the significance of this massive undertaking by a particular migrating species.  I simply wasn’t entirely aware of the threat to the very existence of the whooping crane at that time either.  I lived my whole life in Nebraska but didn’t appreciate the spectacle and wonder of the cranes… duh.
 
Randy, Evan and I were amazed at the vast numbers of birds visible in the fields and how near these massive creatures were to the road.  It was thrilling to witness their dancing rituals and to see hundreds of them raise together in flight. 
 
As we three bird watchers continued our drive through the countryside, we came across an old bridge.  We parked on the side of the gravel road and walked the short distance to the wooden bridge…  It was nearing sunset and birds were starting to gather around the water.  Another car pulled up and parked.  I saw it was an Omaha license plate… wow they came even further than us. 
 
When the couple got to the bridge, I greeted them and said I saw that they were from Omaha.  I told them we were from Fremont expecting a friendly reaction.  They looked at me blankly – like they had never heard of Fremont.  The lady explained… we rented the car in Omaha, we’re from California.  At that moment I realized that this whole crane “thing” may be a bigger “thing” than I had realized.  And they had brought binoculars – which they shared with us sad little crane amateurs from Nebraska.  Over the years, Randy and I often reminisced and laughed about our inexperience in crane watching and our lack of knowledge and appreciation for this natural wonder.   We both felt lucky to have met that couple from California.
 
Now, back to our recent trip to Grand Island… After returning from our crane watch, the kids and Sara went swimming… I watched.  Just as I had watched Randy play with the kids in so many pools years ago.   A pool is a must – the kids had fun – Sara included!  I smiled as memories of pools past played in my head…

Then off for pizza and the fun-plex.  Arcade games are so not my thing – it was Randy’s thing and I think he passed it down to Sara.  Sara was like a big kid, just like Randy, she had a blast.  That whole time in the arcade was like a warm hug from the past…
 
The next day after another quick swim, we checked out of the motel and went shopping.  Gracyn saw a “Five and Below” store as we were driving through a retail area, and we had to stop.  I hadn’t been to that store before and didn’t know what to expect.  I looked through the various departments and was able to resist buying most of the items priced $5.00 or less… but then I happened upon the book table!!  Two big piles of the “Four Agreements”!
 
Randy often read the “Four Agreements”.  It was a book that he found enlightening and comforting.  The message aligned with his faith, how he dealt with the pressures of his job and his relationships with others.  It was a book he recommended and shared with others.   If you got a copy of the “Four Agreements” from Randy, that meant that he cared for you deeply.  It was a gift from his heart. 
 
Later when he was diagnosed with cancer, I would often find him rereading the book.  The wisdom imparted in those pages helped him.  He found solace in that book.  Over the years, I have found the message contained in those pages, helpful as well. 
 
I was so excited to find a favorite book that usually costs around $15.00 on a table for $5.00.  Wow – at five bucks a pop, I could afford to be generous.  I have a grandkid graduating this year and I love that I found a copy for Sam!!  I’ll put some money in it as a bookmark and my shopping is done!  Hooray.  I actually bought six of the books and plan on giving them away… Randy would have bought 10 – he loved a deal! 
 
Finding that particular book in “Five and Below” was a special little hello from Randy – the whole trip to Grand Island was one “Randy Greeting” after another.  That book for Sam isn’t just from Oma Sue, it’s also from Oppa Randy – a wonderful man who desperately wanted to live along enough to hold little Samson in his arms.  Sam didn’t get to meet Oppa Randy.    My sweet husband died in January of 2006, a few months before Sam was born in April.  I know for sure that Oppa Randy would want Sam to have a copy of that book – that big display and “good deal” price was totally a greeting from Ran.
 
Our smidgeon of a trip to Grand Island was full of old memories, at least for me.   It was also an opportunity for new family members to make their own memories of sandhill cranes, boring drives, fun games, good food, motel swimming pools, crazy yodeling pickles, and that time Oma Sue bought six copies of Oppa Randy’s favorite book!
 
On our way back to Ceresco, I enjoyed the ride as Sara drove.  Randy was a terrible driver and never knew what direction he was going.  I always drove and he honestly preferred it that way.   After he was gone, I didn’t have a choice, I was still the designated driver.   Sara doesn’t like my old lady driving – which is fine with me.  It was a treat to sit back and enjoy the scenery.
 
When Rai and I got back to Fremont, I checked the mail.  There was an envelope addressed to:  The City of Dodge City Kansas.  It was a handwritten address with my home address… cursive writing… blue ink…
 
The mailwoman had drawn a question mark on the envelope… I knew what she meant… why is Sue getting The City of Dodge City, Kansas mailed to her home address… good question… it’s handwritten… in blue ink… hmmmm… WTH?
 
I am not The City of Dodge City Kansas, but that is my address… and it is handwritten… should I open it… the mailwoman was uncertain and had put a question mark on the envelope… she had her doubts, but still she left it for me to decide… The return address was from World Kinect.  Some sort of energy company in Minnesota.  Thinking… thinking… thinking… I’m going to open it. 
 
It’s a check for $174,042.10.  Not made out to me.  Made out to The City of Dodge City, Kansas.  Wow, I don’t often get checks for $174,042.10 made out to a city in another state, hand addressed to my home address.  I laughed.  Someone had to go out of their way to make this happen.  Funny.  I wonder if it is the same person who sent me the bong? 
 
I called the phone number on the check – it was Saturday, so it went to voice mail.  I left a long rambling message that I had received the check, I explained that the envelope was hand addressed with blue ink… I apologized for opening it but admitted that I was curious and told the machine that the mailwoman had been curious as well.  I also told the machine that I would be glad to send the check on to The City of Dodge City, Kansas or I could return the check to them.  I asked the machine for an explanation on the use of my address and told of my hopes of a real conversation with a real person…
 
I thought about the check on Easter Sunday.  I told the family about the check.  No one was getting into the absurdity of the check being sent to me in Fremont, NE…  This thing was bugging me.   As I drove home on Sunday, I remembered that Rai and I had gotten Panda Express the week before… I lamented the fact that Happy Inn, a favorite Chinese Restaurant of Randy and our family, had closed down… Panda Express was OK but it was no Happy Inn.  I remembered the writing on the fortune inside the cookie… “You will soon receive great riches”.   I laughed.   It doesn’t count if the check is made out to The City of Dodge City Kansas!
 
The lady from World Kinect called me back on Monday, April 1st.  She had no explanation as to why the envelope had been handwritten.  The correct address for The City of Dodge City Kansas was listed repeatedly in their system, however, there was one place in their system where the listed address was my home address.  The check came from the office down in Florida and someone at that location had hand- written my address on the envelope. 
 
The whole thing with Chinese food and thinking about Randy and Happy Inn – a fortune cookie promising great riches – getting a sizeable check in the mail over the Easter weekend and talking/laughing with a real person on April fools, all seemed like a cosmic sized joke… OK Ran – good one!  You got my attention – everything this past week was a series of reminders of the times spent with you.  Happy Anniversary my love and “Thanks for the memories… and the laughs you weirdo!”