Jane and the Shoes (Madrid 1992)

(cont.)

   At like 21:00 (I had to do it)....we went into another shoe store, because Jane, Kara, and I saw shoes we wanted to try on.  Both Kara and I tried on shoes, and then decided to buy them.  Jane finally got up enough nerve to ask to try on a pair.  While she was trying them on, we three were sitting facing the door.  All of a sudden, a man rushed into the store holding on to another man.  He had him in a headlock, and I just assumed he was giving him a friendly noogie.  I realized my blunder when I saw the blood dripping from his mouth.  It turns out that the bloody man tried to steal some shoes that were outside on clearance, and got caught in the act.
   So the shoe people rushed him to the back room.  Barb was about to throw up because the whole thing was pretty gruesome.  We wanted to leave, but Jane wanted to buy her damn black shoes.  So she got back in line.  I guess those shoes meant the world to her.  I guess she'd never seen anything quite like those shoes.
   Everyone else was running out of the store because the noogie victim was coming back to the front of the store.  But not Jane......the fighter for the black shoes.
   By this time we were begging Jane to leave the store, because the bloody man was screaming (right by Jane).  But she wouldn't listen to reason.
   Barb, Kara, and I ran out of the store.  Jane was the only person left in the store.  They had turned the lights out.  Jane was still in line, ladies and gentlemen.  We yelled at her to come on.
   Finally, ten minutes later, Jane came out from the store, with a bag in her hand.  The shoes were hers.  We asked her if she was crazy, and this is what she said:
 
   "Tricia and Kara got a pair of fucking shoes, and this fucking guy cut in front of me.  I wanted those fucking shoes!!!".......

   Needless to say, the "shoe incident" was just about the funniest thing that happened on the trip.

    (to be cont.)...

cussing sprees (Madrid 1992)

(cont.......)

   So there was this huge mess, because Kara and I had to hunt the Bakers down to tell them that so far the trip was terrible, that there was no way we would go to different rooms, and we finally found them in the lounge.  That was pretty much the first chance that we had to get to know Barb.  She is seventeen, and lives in a suburb of Las Vegas called Henderson .  She is very punk rock and wears Doc Martin boots and vintage clothing.  She was asking us what the matter was, and she asked if we wanted to go out with her that night.
   It finally got arranged that Kara would share a room with Barb and another Vegas girl named Kristen.  I would have to share a room with Jane, who by the way is a hypochondriac.  She suffers from flat feet, toothaches, severe thirst that can never be quenched, and a bladder control problem (evidently when she went to Girl Scout camp in third grade she didn't go to the bathroom even once, because the outhouses were "so fucking disgusting ", and hence the bladder problem).  She is also half deaf in one ear.  Yesterday she was complaining because her feet were "pussing", and her toenail was split in half.  She also can not be around cigarette smoke ( which is a problem in Europe) because her eyes water, and she is unable to breathe through her nose.
   I really feel sorry for her, and I've tried to be nice to her, but it's hard because Kara and I find it all too funny.

   ***Jane also goes on cussing sprees.  For example, "I fucking came on this fucking trip so I could fucking sleep with you guys, and not some fucking girls who can't talk right.

hilarity ( Madrid April 19, 1992)

   (cont.......)........

   This Spanish man wearing these Top Gun sunglasses was in the square pretending to hold a microphone and singing at the top of his lungs.  Everyone else seemed to be ignoring him, but of course Kara and I were hysterical.  Then he was looking at one of us, and we pretty much assumed that we were being serenaded.  Whenever he would pause between songs, he would applaud himself. I started to applaud also, but since no one else in the whole square did, Kara made me stop.
   So then we headed back to the Hotel Regina, where the man at the front desk was rude as hell.  When I asked for our key, he informed me that all three of us would have to move our stuff immediately to different rooms.  I told him to fuck off (just kidding).  Anyway, when we got to our room, we noticed that the maids had attempted to pack our stuff for us.  Then we got a call from Carina telling us to immediately evacuate our room," bring our luggage to the lobby".  I told her to sit and spin (just kidding Jane said that ancient phrase throughout the trip though).

(to be cont.....)

Madrid April 15, 1992

(cont.)

   I hated walking around with the Bakers because they made us stop at every bakery so they could get free samples ( we can't take them anywhere).
   We went to a currency exchange place, and Scott was showing off his Spanish skills by asking a whole bunch of irrelevant questions ( he is such a cutie).
   Then we walked to the Plaza Major, which is exactly the center of Madrid.  It was super sunny, and there are hundreds of chairs set up, kind of like an outdoor cafe.  There were artists who were doing grotesque caricatures of people.  One of the shops had these dead baby pigs displayed in the window, which was disgusting.   They are really into meat here ( we saw a shop here called the Museum of the  Ham (Museo del Jamon).
   Well anyway, Kara and I got sick of following the Barkers (someone called them that, and it kinda stuck), so we decided to sit down in the chairs in the square and just people watch.

(to be cont.)

Madrid April 14, 1992

   (cont.).......

   At first things were really bad, and Kara and I were like, "WHY were we stupid enough to go on an A.C.I.S. trip two years in a row!"....Our courier's name is Carina.  She is British, and is nothing like Hugh ( from last year).  I really don't like her, so I am not going to describe her.

   The reason things were going badly is because after we had gotten situated in our hotel toom, which had a bathroom the size of a gymnasium, Carina told us to move to three separate rooms.  We were like, "No way in hell!".  After about two hours of Mr. Baker arguing with her, Jane and I were put in a room with two girls who are part of our group, but not from our school. Kara got put in a room with Barb and Chris.  They are kind of under the Bakers' care because their advisor couldn't come on the trip at the last minute because of a death. 

   I ended up moving my stuff with Kara, Barb, and Chris, leaving Jane with those other girls.  Which isn't nice, but I really wanted to be in Kara's room.
   Anyway, before all the room confusion happened, all of us (minus Barb and Chris) went on a walk with the dreaded Bakers.
   I really like the "Madrilenos" because they seem really laid back--not always friendly though.  Watch out if they're driving, because they will hit you with no remorse!

(to be cont.......)

Madrid April 13, 1992

   Well, it's like 11:00 p.m. here in Madrid, Spain, and I'm in my hotel room with Kara, Jane, and two girls from Nevada:  Barb and Chris.  Barb is a sweety, and is always nice to everyone ( Oh and they're from Las Vegas, Nevada!).  This is our second day here, and all and all things are going well.  It was bad at first.
   First of all, an eight hour flight to Zurich, Switzerland.  Jane was sitting to the left of me, and Kara to my right.  It front of us were Mike (a sophomore who is really uptight), Scott ( the funniest person alive), and Jim Gay( a freshman with a really great last name).
   The Bakers kept stashing airplane food into this bowling bag that they used as a carry on.  They also asked everyone if they could eat their leftovers.  They're so embarrassing.
   Kara and I laugh so hard we practically die, at everything and anything (especially the Bakers).  Our seats were really uncomfortable, and so we didn't sleep.  There was this gorgoeus man who looked like Adam Clayton from U2, but that's about it.
   When we finally got to Zurich, we had a three hour layover, and we ( Jane, Kara, and I ) were so tired, and I felt so dirty.
   Basically everyone in Europe smokes.  I say that because I was people watching in the airport, and everyone had a cigarette in their hand.  Then we finally got on our flight, and I saw the Pireneas (?) mountains through the window, which were so beautiful. They were snow capped....
   The airport at Madrid was FILTHY! ...cigarettes and other trash all over the ground.  We went through customs and got our luggage, and then someone from A.C.I.S. took us to our hotel.  It was sunny and warm, and I love Madrid.  The streets are so narrow--so many sidestreets.  The buildings are close together...........( to be cont.)........

early morning musings

   Ugh....I've been up since five....that's what time I get up during the week....that's what I'm used to.  I feel pretty good....I hurt myself a little using my new elliptical machine....I hope it's cleared out by Monday.
   I was looking forward to sleeping in too!  Oh well.  So my sista is coming into town today with my nephew, Colin, and I'm pretty excited.  Tomorrow she and I have a box of memorabilia to go through.    
I've already found my sophomore year high school journal for Mr. Don Baker's honors English class.
What a hoot!  I thought i knew everything!  I'm going to post some of the entries on this blog soon.  We could all use a good laugh.  I'm praying my Europe trip and Lebanon journals are in there.  Those are priceless.
 

smelly cat

      Laying here relaxing after a busy morning/afternoon.  Louie and Sitzah are with me, and Louie is one smelly cat.  Beautiful.  But smelly!  Oh well, I still love him---I must because I haven't kicked him out yet;).   Now Squishy has joined us..... yes we have three cats.  Don't judge me.
      Kids are home for Polaski day, and we've pretty much been eating all day....and catching up on laundry.  Kind of a balance I guess.
      On the third cycle of my new meds, and it's going pretty well.  Other than some dry peeling skin on my hands, I feel good.  Yesterday I was tired.  Today is better.  This is gonna be short and sweet-- I love comments!