An Expensive Picture

Pat and I at the LOVE statue Philadelphia November 2013

The photo above was taken at the LOVE statue in Philadelphia during the first visit Pat and I made to Philadelphia in 2013 during my birthday in November.

I had only met Pat the previous August during his visit to Delaware after he retired from his job.

After I met him we both decided we wanted to see each other again so we began a ritual of getting together four times (quarterly) a year. 

My birthday in November and springtime we meet in Philadelphia. 

February we meet in Palm Springs during Modernism Week.

Labor Day week we met in Pat hometown of Hamilton, Ontario Canada.

Because of COVID restrictions and my caregiving responsibilities Pat and I haven't seen each other in person for two years now. However, we do "see" each other every day via FaceTime and Zoom calls. 

I remember well when this photo was taken. A young man approached us as I was taking a picture of the LOVE statue. He asked "Would you like me to take a picture of both of you?" Oh, how kind! "Yes!" I said. Well, that obliging young man hustled us both out of $20 each. He was good. He did it so fast we didn't even realize what happened until he was bopping away looking for the next sucker.

How did he do it? After he took the picture with my iPhone he siddled up to me and whispered "$20." I realized what happened and thought "Why not? Just a young man trying to earn a few bucks." Of course I knew I was being hustled but blamed myself for being such an easy mark. I gave him his $20.

I told Pat. Pat said "He got me too for $20!"  Well, that was fast. I didn't even see him talking to Pat. 

Pat and I decided that he deserved the $40 because he was so good at what he just did to us, two old men tourists ready to be taken advantage of.

The sad part of this story though is the next year when we were at the City Hall Square, a young Asian man offered to take our picture. I was ready this time and asked "Sure, how much is this going to cost me?" He gave me a shocked look and said "Nothing, I'll take your picture." But he did look hurt when he took our picture. 

I've always wondered since then, was the second guy on the up and up for a thwarted con guy? Probably on the up and up.

The other guy, not the first time my natural good nature has been taken advantage of and probably not the last time. It is sad that there are always those people among us who are always looking to lie, cheat and steal and take advantage of the inherent good nature of most of us.

At least he took a good picture of me and Pat.

Week In Philadelphia

Here is a short video compilation of our week in Philadelphia. We always have a grand time.

"Clarence" drives me up from my home in southern Delaware, over two hours away.  I meet Pat at the Barnes and Nobel book store after he has taken an overnight bus trip from his home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Thus we began another wonderful week in Philly, staying in the guest suite of our friend Don McK's cooperative at 21st and Chestnut Streets, right in the heart of the vibrant center city Philadelphia life.

For this trip Pat rented a car and we took a drive out to visit my brother in Downingtown which included a visit to my old (tiny) bedroom at the family home where my brother now lives. Then we got on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and drove out to Hershey Pennsylvania to visit the antique car museum.  

The rest of our all too short week in Philly, we patronized some of our favorite restaurants like the Marathon Grill (both of them), Hip Veg City, Green Eggs Cafe (Pat loves their scrambled tofu) and the Cheesecake Factory.  On every trip we visit a new restaurant (or two). This time we went to an authentic South Philadelphia Italian restaurant called Ralph's Italian Restaurant. When we were there we discovered Ralph's is the oldest Italian restaurant in the United States. This restaurant has been patronized by such celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and yes, even Taylor Swift. By the way, we had a fabulous Italian meal.  

I also took time to help our friend buy a new iPhone and help him with any questions he had about his iMac. 

Pat and I visit Philly twice a year, once in the spring and another time in the winter. We love Philly. I'm going to try and talk Pat into visiting more often next year. Time is getting short. 

On my ride back I had a new driver, "Maria" with her girlfriend "Sunshine."  My regular driver was with his family for Christmas in Virginia. 

Nest trip, sunny Palm Springs in February. We're living the dreams folks. I'm so glad I can relieve these memories via these video compilations. I love taking the videos and pictures and creating them.  Enjoy!



Enjoy!

Philadelphia Tomorrow

This time tomorrow I will be on my way to Philadelphia for a week's stay visiting my longtime friend Don Mc. The video above is from the last time we visited Philadelphia this past spring. I was walking Pat to the bus station early in the morning on June 9th for his 24 hour trip back to his home in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Don lives in a co-operative in center city Philly (21st and Chestnut Streets).  They have a guest suite that I rent at a very reasonable price. 

Twice a year I visit Philadelphia, my former home and place of employment in my previous life. For many years I worked with Don at Girard Bank, then Mellon and finally First Fidelity Bank. 

I visit Philly in the spring and winter.  

My Travel Buddy Pat takes an overnight bus from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada tonight. 

My ride will pick me up here at my home tomorrow morning in Milton Delaware for the two and a half hour drive to Philadelphia. 

Of course my biggest decision now is what to wear. I always take too many clothes and end up wearing the same outfit for my whole stay.  Pat travels light, wearing only one change. I've tried to do that but still end up taking too much. 

For our stay in Philly this time we will visit our favorite restaurants and try a few new ones. We're also going to take a day trip to Hershey, PA to visit the antique car museum. Pat loves those old classic cars. On the way to Hershey I plan to stop in my hometown of Downingtown, which is a suburb  thirty-seven miles went of Philadelphia.  I plan to visit my younger brother Isaac.  I have his old school pictures that I had accidentally scooped up when I absconded with all of my Mother's old photos when we shipped her off to our other brother's home in South Carolina lo these many years ago. I also plan to visit my former boss Dave S. who I have named as executor of my estate.  Dave will  be responsible for distributing the millions of dollars of my estate to my twenty-four nieces and nephews (at last count, they're reproducing like rabbits lately, even my grand-nieces have children now).

As I always do on these quarterly trips I will take many photos and videos. Lately I haven't been sharing them as much on this blog as I have in the past. I don't know why, maybe I'm just too lazy. I actually take them for myself because I like to relieve those moments. I'll try to share more in the future, especially those short movie videos that I like to put together. 

What I love most about my trips is being with Pat and our always interesting adventures, which I record for posterity.  Wonder where those pictures and videos will end up after I'm long gone?  Something to ponder. Oh well, this blog will live on long after I am gone.  Maybe I'll have some grand-grand-grand niece or nephew who will find them of interest. 

Next blog post, Philadelphia!

Pat talking to Don at Don's apartment this past June during our last visit