Grant's talents at writing news stories landed him a real job directly out of The University of Missouri's Journalism School (aka J-School) as a video content producer at Newsy. He anchored the on-camera delivery of digital news stories, and wrote content on wide-ranging subjects from his desk in Columbia, MO. But, alas, the subject of his affection, Miss Kaileen, had graduated a year behind him and had gotten a journalism assignment of her own in New York City. The bright lights and the bright countenance of his sweetheart beckoned. He needed to find a gig in the 'Big Apple'.
After many on-line inquiries, applications, phone and Skype interviews and several trips to NYC at prospective employer's expense, he landed a good job writing statistics-based stories for 24/7 Wall Street. The company President offered him a job on the spot. Obviously delighted, the big move to the big city (with the promised help from the the old folks) was quickly put into action. Grant starts work October 1st.
There are some logistics to settle first. He will not want or need his Toyota Camry in New York City, just to park a car in NYC costs the equivalent of a modest home mortgage back in Texas. He was also having some trouble with his wisdom teeth, so after a very bad and painful experience in August to remove 2 of the 4 wisdom teeth, he was willing to get the last 2 extracted the morning of his departure to New York. We parents were enlisted to load his pared down worldly possessions (mostly a few items of clothing and personal accouterments, a TV and a minimal selections of books and CD's) into my SUV; leaving his car in MO to be retrieved on our way back to Texas, where the Camry would them be re-titled back to us. He and his mother thought it was a good plan. I had reservations about a transcontinental road trip immediately following oral surgery - but I acquiesced acknowledging that it could work and be expedient.
Sue and I left town Sunday afternoon headed for Columbia, MO; ETA around midnight. Grant was still packing and cleaning up as we arrived. We unfurled our sleeping bag across the bed in the basement of Grant's habitation, the dimly-lit "Wildlife Lodge" and caught a few ZZZ's before the eventful Monday morn was lit by the autumn Sun. We were up a 6 AM, Grant had his appointment with a new, different and much better oral surgeon to finish the tooth yanking job at 8 AM. Sue drove Grant to the medical office, I packed up the 4Runner while Sue then left the patient and went to fill his Rx. Grant quickly had 2 new holes in his head where his upper and lower right wisdom teeth once were. The process was done under general sedation, so with his scripts filled, it was onto visit the notary public to transfer the car title. While recovering from his anesthesia, he was asked to sign on the dotted line to transfer ownership of his car title to his mother. The notary did not question the circumstances.
Mother and son returned to the Wildlife Lodge to drop off the key and prepared for departure. Grant stood in the parking area, spitting blood like a hockey player, changed out his gauze packing and settled into the back seat to sleep as I pulled onto I-70 for the great move. Lunch time would put us in St. Louis. Grant was not too hungry, but suggested eating Italian at "The Hill". A local enclave known for it's Italian food, and according to Yogi Berra, "The only place to get good Italian food in this country outside of Brooklyn". So with that advice from Yogi - as well as the Yogi GPS that directed us toward "The Hill" and if we came to a fork in the road - take it. We did. We enjoyed a fine lunch.
Traveling east on I-70 we cut across Illinois, Indiana and into Columbus, Ohio for the end of the first day. My passengers did a lot of napping, and thus they missed seeing the 'Wold's Largest Rocking Chair', the 'Wold's Largest Golf Tee' and all other exciting curiosities of Middle America in Casey, IL. If we had delayed to see the golf tee, I think we would have been treated to the world's largest mailbox, knitting needle, wind chime. Big dreams for a small town. But Grant has big dreams for a big town, and he was not to be waylaid by these interstate small-town tourist trap distractions. Focus on the Big Apple. Tomorrow all eyes would be open for our arrival in New York City.
If we can make it there, we can make it anywhere.
After many on-line inquiries, applications, phone and Skype interviews and several trips to NYC at prospective employer's expense, he landed a good job writing statistics-based stories for 24/7 Wall Street. The company President offered him a job on the spot. Obviously delighted, the big move to the big city (with the promised help from the the old folks) was quickly put into action. Grant starts work October 1st.
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| Can't bear to be here any longer Kaileen and adventure await in the Big Apple. Start spreading the news! |
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| Grant bids farewell to his Missouri residence outside of Columbia The Wildlife Lodge |
Sue and I left town Sunday afternoon headed for Columbia, MO; ETA around midnight. Grant was still packing and cleaning up as we arrived. We unfurled our sleeping bag across the bed in the basement of Grant's habitation, the dimly-lit "Wildlife Lodge" and caught a few ZZZ's before the eventful Monday morn was lit by the autumn Sun. We were up a 6 AM, Grant had his appointment with a new, different and much better oral surgeon to finish the tooth yanking job at 8 AM. Sue drove Grant to the medical office, I packed up the 4Runner while Sue then left the patient and went to fill his Rx. Grant quickly had 2 new holes in his head where his upper and lower right wisdom teeth once were. The process was done under general sedation, so with his scripts filled, it was onto visit the notary public to transfer the car title. While recovering from his anesthesia, he was asked to sign on the dotted line to transfer ownership of his car title to his mother. The notary did not question the circumstances.
Mother and son returned to the Wildlife Lodge to drop off the key and prepared for departure. Grant stood in the parking area, spitting blood like a hockey player, changed out his gauze packing and settled into the back seat to sleep as I pulled onto I-70 for the great move. Lunch time would put us in St. Louis. Grant was not too hungry, but suggested eating Italian at "The Hill". A local enclave known for it's Italian food, and according to Yogi Berra, "The only place to get good Italian food in this country outside of Brooklyn". So with that advice from Yogi - as well as the Yogi GPS that directed us toward "The Hill" and if we came to a fork in the road - take it. We did. We enjoyed a fine lunch.
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| Some real good Italian food in St. Louis on "The Hill". |
Traveling east on I-70 we cut across Illinois, Indiana and into Columbus, Ohio for the end of the first day. My passengers did a lot of napping, and thus they missed seeing the 'Wold's Largest Rocking Chair', the 'Wold's Largest Golf Tee' and all other exciting curiosities of Middle America in Casey, IL. If we had delayed to see the golf tee, I think we would have been treated to the world's largest mailbox, knitting needle, wind chime. Big dreams for a small town. But Grant has big dreams for a big town, and he was not to be waylaid by these interstate small-town tourist trap distractions. Focus on the Big Apple. Tomorrow all eyes would be open for our arrival in New York City.
If we can make it there, we can make it anywhere.
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