George S May Days Part 1

I am back. I know that is obvious by the fact that I did not post yesterday, but have posted today and you would see today's date (January 27, 2006). I just like to write this stuff down. I am not sure where to go with this today but given the date, I may talk of something that I have not done before.

It was on this date, two years ago, that I left my cold city to go to the Chicago suburbs, just as cold, for a ten day training class for George S May International Company. I was "chosen" out of many to uproot myself and leave my family to be an Executive Analyst in the world of management consulting for this company that served the small to medium sized business market. It all seemed interesting and they paid for the flight, hotel accomodations and a cool $20 US per diem. All I had to do was buy a laptop computer and portable printer and pack for ten days with business attire.

I made the mistake of taking too small a suitcase. Packing after the ten days, getting my dirty laundry stuffed into the suitcase was an ordeal as it turned out.

Anyway, I had the laptop and ran out on the Monday (26th) to get the portable printer in a snow storm. I was awake on the Tuesday as I was leaving around four thirty for my flight to Chicago. I had to be at the airport by around two, so I spent the morning getting my shit together. I had some lunch then ran to my son's school to pick him up. He was not going to see me for ten days so it seemed appropriate that he come to the airport with me. I then had to pick up my wife from work. I was anxious, which given my nature is normal.

The strange reality is that I am a stoic. I can go through life with a poker or stone face. I mean my philosophy is feel it but do not show it. Before we went to the Dominican Republic, I had gone through all the WORST case scenarios in my head. I bring it up to my wife who figures that the worst thing is the plane going down and we all die together. I shudder, because she has not conceived of the possibilty of the plane going down and only the boy surviving. Now, in that circumstance, I realize that I am dead and there is NOTHING I can do, so in that sense it is not so bad, but I would feel for the pain and sadness he would feel, but then again I am dead, so in some ways I got the worse end of that deal. I digress.

I did get a phone call earlier from the instructor. She had a nice southern drawl. She told me that flights were slow into Chicago as they had been hit with the same snow storm, but things were starting to get back to normal. There was also a packet waiting for me at the hotel front desk. I was to be staying in the La Quinta Inn in the Village of Elk Grove Village, Illinois. How lovely, I thought.

I was anxious, it was snowing, so I got my wife, tossed her the keys and told her to drive. She did and we had a nice so long at the airport. Ten days away from my family was not going to be easy. I had a wait at the airport but finally I did get off the ground and hit Chicago.

I got my bags, dragged them and called for the La Quinta shuttle bus. I had to wait for that one, but it did arrive. I got my packet and found my room with two double beds. It was an okay room, but in retrospect, I should have requested a king size bed, but live and learn. Anyway, I did notice a "funny" smell. Not so much a stench like Stinky Guy, though nothing is like the stench of Stinky Guy, but a mixture of disinfectant and crappy potpourri. I thought that I would get used to it. I was wrong!

That smell would haunt me for ten days. Every time I came back to my room, I would be greeted or kicked by that smell. It was nauseating, but what could I do about it? It was only to be ten days.

I had to be ready, in suit and tie, in the lobby for seven thirty (Central time) for the van ride from the hotel to the company training center in Park Ridge. I opened my packet and there was a bunch of forms to fill out and shit to read. I did my best but given my anxious state could not complete them. It was a matter of trying to get some sleep as I was going to be up at six the next morning. I did call home and that was that. I was there and the fun was set to begin.

Want to know more? You will have to stay tuned to the subsequent parts. I will even tell the stories of me on the road, which are funnier. But that was day 1 and have not got into the people that I met. They are more fun. Have a great weekend. Ciao!