A room with not much of a view

Once again Thomas and I set out for Chicago. We used Simon's new SAAB and, given its history of going into "limp mode", I was more than a little anxious about making the drive. Plus, we had strapped Thomas's bike on the back and, because the seals on the car doors are so damn well made, the bike rack hooks prevented the hatch door from closing completely, which made alarming alarm bells and flashing dashboard lights go off at random moments during the drive. (Not completely random--only when I was having to make a snap decision, like swerving out of the way of a semi truck, or trying to navigate downtown Chicago's 10 loop freeway exchange system. But I digress...) As has been mentioned before, Thomas is a harsh task master: no permission granted to fill up the gas tank ("Gas costs too much in Michigan--wait until we get to Indiana where it is cheaper." (How, our readers may ask themselves, could Thomas possibly know regional gas prices? Good question.) Then, when we got to Indiana and Thomas begrudgingly allowed me to stop to use a bathroom, he again refused to tolerate time to be taken to put gas in the car. ("Are you crazy? The tank is half full! Keep going!") First thing I am doing once I ditch him tomorrow is fill up the damn gas tank. Other than the alarming car noises, the drive was relatively uneventful. The first 10 minutes were the most exciting, when I almost drove completely off the freeway on ramp (I was trying to help Thomas figure out why the cd player wasn't working) and I almost rear ended a San Franciso trolley. (Why was a SF trolley on the freeway anyway?) Then next hour was quiet and then we drove into a massive rain storm--visibility was zero, mainly because I had no idea how to work the windshield wipers. I did figure then out by the time the storm passed---they work mirror image to the way mine do in my car. After that, the drive was quiet. I had brought along some tea to drink and Thomas groused, "Where's my tea?" I had in fact bought myself two bottles of tea but gave one to him without complaint. I then started eating an apple and Thomas immediately whined, "Where's my apple?" I HAD brought along (for myself) two apples, but without hesitation, pointed to the second apple I had brought and offered it to him. He picked it up and grimaced, "You took the better one!" Around dinner time at home, middle of the day Chicago time, we arrived at our usual hotel. I parked in the usual parking lot (which Simon has recorded in previous blogs if you are dying to remind yourself of what a parking lot in Chicago looks like). We did not get our usual 11th floor room, but a room on the 3rd floor. Here it is:

Thomas refused to enter the hotel with me when I went to check in because he was convinced they wouldn't allow bicycles in. So, he stood by the car keep watch on the bike while I got the "all clear." Not only do they tolerate bikes (I would think so, at the rate they charge per room) but the doorman held the door open for me as I wheeled the bike in.) Thomas complained that I had taken the better bed (I had taken the one farther from the bathroom, figuring he'd want to be there since he stays up many hours later than I do) and the outlet I had chosen (despite the fact that he has two outlets right near his bed).  Sheesh.  The manager who checked me in said that, while our room "doesn't have much of a view" it is "very quiet."  He wasn't kidding about the lack of view:

So far the noise levels strike me as utterly average.

After checking in, Thomas mandated that we "rest" (which seemed to be him gaming) for 30 minutes before going out to eat.  (As usual, he claimed he wasn't hungry in the least yet polished his plate.)  Then we went to the car to (a) make sure I had locked it properly and (b) open it up to root out a shirt for Thomas to wear tomorrow and (c) lock it up again.
Tomorrow the plan is: get up, eat breakfast, Thomas go to his dorm and check in, he gives me the "all clear" signal and I drive over with his stuff, we load it into those giant boxes on wheels, he moves in to his room while I park the car again and check out of the hotel, and then we shop at Target to get everything we didn't bring (milk, butter, little cheeses...). Then, if weather cooperates I'll be home before Flint dinner time.