The Castaway Hotel: Next Generation Book 4 - 9. Chapter 9 – Finishing Up In Philly.

I woke up before Ricky and Tiffany on Sunday morning, so I went out to see what was on the news until they eventually came out to join me. After we’d all said good morning, I offered a suggestion.

“How would you feel about going out for breakfast this morning? It will be my treat.”

“That’s a great idea, but we’ll pay this time,” Ricky replied. “You paid for most of the things we did yesterday.”

“I don’t mind paying for it.”

“But we do, so if we do this then I’ll pick up the tab.”

“Ok, then how soon before you want to leave?”

“Let’s do it now,” Tiffany urged.

After we changed into nicer clothing, Ricky drove us to his favorite place to get breakfast, the Penrose Diner. They had a great selection at reasonable prices, and we all found something to our liking. As soon as we finished eating, we went back to Ricky’s apartment for a while.

“Thanks, that really hit the spot,” I said as I sat down in one of the chairs.

“Yes, it did,” Ricky agreed.

“And don’t forget that we have leftovers from Friday night for lunch,” Tiffany added. “And what do you think about going out to play mini-golf after that? I thought it looked like fun when I saw the others doing it yesterday.”

“Haven’t you ever played miniature golf before?” I asked.

“Maybe when I was younger, but I haven’t done it in a long time,” she answered.

“Dad used to take us boys to do it for a change of pace when we were on trips, and sometimes we also did it as part of our birthday parties,” Ricky told her. “If Dad is willing, it sounds like fun.”

“Sure, it sounds like a great idea.”

After that had been agreed to, I thought I’d fill them in about my other plans. “I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning and heading to Allentown to visit with Frankie.”

“Why are you leaving so soon?” Ricky challenged.

“It’s because you two have to work and I’d just be in the way around here.”

“No, you wouldn’t, and Frankie will be working too.”

“I know, but I thought I’d find something to do along the way, so I wouldn’t get there too soon.”

“Please change your mind and spend a couple more days here with us,” Tiffany requested sincerely.

“Do you stay here with Ricky during the week?”

“Not usually, but I brought a few things for work with me on Friday and I keep a few other things here just in case, so I thought I’d stay with Ricky until you left.”

“And you don’t have to worry about the parking,” Ricky continued, “because I got it cleared for you to park in one of the visitor spots in the parking garage for the entire week. I also made sure there’s enough food in the fridge and even more in the freezer so you can eat here during the day, or you can go out if you want. There’s also enough so we can eat dinner here as well and I think it would be great if you’d spend a little more time with us.”

“As long as you two put it that way, then I’ll wait and leave on Thursday morning instead. I can’t leave any later than that, because Frankie told me that he and Carolyn have used vacation time to make sure they would have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off for my visit.”

“Ok, that works for me,” Ricky agreed.

“And me too,” Tiffany chimed in. “I can always run back to my place after work tomorrow and pick up a few more things so I can stay here with you and Ricky.”

Now that this had been decided and agreed to, we relaxed and watched a movie on Netflix, and then Tiffany and I heated up the leftovers for lunch. They weren’t quite as tasty as they’d been on Friday night, but it was still good, and then we got ready to go out to play miniature golf, or as they call it now, mini-golf.

It was the same course that we’d seen on Saturday at Franklin Square and it was in really good condition, so we had a great deal of fun playing. I guess the muscle memory in our bodies must have worked similar to riding a bicycle after a long absence, because Ricky and I did fairly well, although he did a little better than me. Tiffany did all right as well, although she struggled on a couple of holes, but she still enjoyed herself. When we finished up, we returned the putters before talking about what we were going to do next.

“As long as you’re staying until Thursday, I’ll get on my computer when we get back and see what’s going on over the next few days. Once I see what’s happening, I’ll see if we can get tickets to go to some of those events. I’m not sure what will be available at this late date, but I’ll give it a try.”

“Ok and I’m willing to pay for whatever you can line up.”

“I don’t want you to do that, but I know you won’t give in easily, so what if we split the cost?”

“Ok, that works for me.”

When we arrived at his apartment, Ricky jumped online to see what our choices were, and then he came out and spoke privately with Tiffany for a short time before he asked me what I thought.

“I can get tickets for Les Miserables tomorrow night, and we can go to see the Rolling Stone Concert on Tuesday. It’s being held at the Lincoln Financial Field, which seats more than 64,000 people, so they probably won’t be the best seats, but it’s a band from when you were young, so I thought you might enjoy it.”

“I didn’t know they’d be here this week.”

“Yeah, it was rescheduled after they had to cancel the June date cuz of Mick Jagger having heart surgery earlier in the year.”

“Damn, in that case this might be my last chance to see them, so I’m game.”

“And I can get tickets for a production of King Lear on Wednesday.”

“Isn’t that going to be rough for you and Tiffany by having to do all of these things and then go to work the next day?”

“If you agree to do this, then we’re going to call our bosses tonight and explain the situation to them. Then we’ll ask if we can take three half-days of vacation on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday afternoons.”

“Do you think they’ll let you do that?”

“I know my boss will, because he’s had to take time off on short notice for his family before and I covered for him, so I don’t think it will be a problem. I’m not so sure about Tiffany, though.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure my boss will let me do it as well, especially when she hears you’re visiting this week and I want to make a good impression on my future father-in-law.”

“Even if they don’t let us take vacation days, we can still do it, but we’ll just have to grab our meals on the go,” Ricky added.

“As long as you’re sure and it won’t impact your effectiveness at work or threaten your job security, then it sounds good to me. However, I hope you don’t think you have to do this just to entertain me.”

“No, it’s something we’ll enjoy doing as well,” stated Tiffany.

“Ok, I can see how it would be the case for you, but I didn’t think Ricky was into musicals or Shakespearean Theater.”

“I’ll admit that I wasn’t when I was younger,” Ricky responded, “but I’ve been doing things like this with Tiffany and I’ve enjoyed it.”

“I’m glad to hear that you’re getting some culture, so does this mean you’re also going to the symphony?”

“We’ve done that with Tiff’s parents a few times, but the symphony only performs on the weekends and they don’t schedule anything over the summer, except for special events. They held a concert for the Fourth of July and I think they’ve got another scheduled for Labor Day, but I think that’s it.”

“Ah, I see. Well, the other things you’ve mentioned sound good to me, if you can get tickets for them.”

“I’ll go see if I can do that online; and if not, I’ll call around tomorrow.”

“Let me know how much I owe you and I’ll run to an ATM before you get here tomorrow or we can do it the following day.”

“Ok. Either will work.”

While Ricky was gone to take care of those things, Tiffany and I chatted about how much Ricky had changed since he’d moved out of the ‘hotel’.

“I have a feeling that you had a lot to do with his transformation,” I stated.

“I suppose I did to some extent, but my parents and our friends helped out as well, because we did some of those things with them.”

“Yes, I suppose that would help to limit his resistance. I’m sure he would have wanted to make a good impression on your parents, and at the other times, I’m sure he would have given into peer pressure from your friends.”

“And he’s really sweet and did some of those things because he wanted to please me.”

“I’m glad to hear that too, but down deep he’s always been a really sweet kid who tries to please. He just has a mischievous streak that sometimes interferes with his sweet side.”

“But he’s been better about that too.”

“That’s good to know, or you probably would have left him by now.” We both chuckled after I said this.

When Ricky eventually returned, he announced he was able to get tickets for each of those events online, so the next three days were planned for us. They also called their bosses so they could ask them about taking some vacation time, which caused me to feel badly that I seemed to be putting them out and causing problems. It was their idea that I stay longer and do these things with them, though, so that helped to ease my conscience. I wonder if all of my trips will work out this way.

We decided to eat at home that evening as well, rather than go out to a restaurant again, and I offered to help Tiffany fix the meal. While we were doing that, Ricky and Tiffany told me about talking to their bosses and that they were approved to take half a vacation day for the next three afternoons. In response, I offered to fix something each day so we could eat quickly when they came to pick me up, because it would help to save both time and money. They both agreed with my suggestion. After we ate, we watched a couple of shows on TV before turning in.

The next day after Ricky and Tiffany left for work, I checked to see what Ricky had in the fridge and freezer that I could use to fix our meal. He had a few things I could use, but not everything, so I went out to the grocery store to pick up a few additional items. While I was doing that, I also stopped at an ATM and withdrew some money so I could give it to Ricky.

I had dinner ready by the time they arrived home from work and we ate quickly before heading out to enjoy a production of Les Miserables. It was quite well done and very enjoyable, but it was also quite late by the time we got back to Ricky’s apartment. Since they had to go to work in the morning, we merely said goodnight before turning in.

When we got up the following morning, I fixed breakfast for all of us while they were getting ready, and then they ate quickly before leaving for their jobs. I didn’t have to go to the grocery store this time, because I’d picked up a sufficient number of items the previous day for what I had planned for this evening, and I had dinner ready by the time they arrived. After we hurriedly chowed down, we headed out for the Stones concert.

We got there in time to enjoy the opening acts as well, and then the Rolling Stones took the stage. Even though they were older now and I thought they might have slowed down a little, I was mistaken. Mick Jagger was still pretty rambunctious, especially if you considered that he had heart surgery three months prior, and they still sounded pretty good too. Not only that, but they sang some of my favorite songs, such as It’s All Over Now and Time Is On My Side, although I’m not so sure that last title is accurate any longer.

When the concert ended, we headed out to Ricky’s car, but before we got there we noticed a commotion and heard one of the guys make a comment.

“What the hell is that?” he asked as he pointed into the nighttime sky.

We looked up and spotted a couple of strange lights in the sky, which caused Tiffany to ask a question. “Do you think those are UFOs?”

“They’re probably just the lights from a plane or a helicopter,” I offered.

“But I don’t hear any engines from either of those things and they don’t seem to be moving,” she responded.

No sooner had she finished her comment, the lights moved apart and proved they weren’t from a single aircraft. Then, they both moved about in a zigzag fashion before zooming upward and disappearing from sight.

“I don’t know any planes or choppers that can move like that,” Ricky gasped. As I glanced at him, his eyeballs were bugging out of their sockets, showing that he was totally amazed.

“Or that fast,” Tiffany added, equally amazed.

“I’m afraid I have to agree with you,” I relented.

“Then what do you think they were?” Ricky pressed.

“Let’s just say they’re unidentified for now, but I’m not ready to proclaim they were alien UFOs.”

“Then I’ll check the newspaper tomorrow to see what they have to say about this.”

“Ok, that sounds like a good idea, if this garners enough attention to require a mention.”

The traffic was horrendous, so it was late by the time we got to Ricky’s apartment. Once again, we merely said goodnight before heading to bed.

Wednesday started out much the same way as the day before, and when Ricky and Tiffany returned home we ate dinner together. As we were chowing down, Ricky made a comment.

“I checked the newspaper to see what it had to say about what we’d seen last night. The reporter only admitted that multiple people had claimed to have witnessed strange lights in the sky that moved about in an erratic manner, unlike any aircraft currently known to man. The reporter also said the military refused to comment on it and the airport hadn’t picked up anything unusual on radar. However, he added that two employees in the control tower at the airport admitted to having seen the strange lights as well.”

“I guess that’s probably all we’re going to find out about it then,” I stated.

“I still think they were UFOs,” Tiffany stated adamantly.

“They were definitely unexplained flying objects, but I’m not ready to go farther than that. They may have been experimental aircraft the military was testing and unwilling to acknowledge, but I’m not going to say they were piloted by little green men – or gray aliens either.”

“They might have been experimental aircraft, but I doubt it,” Tiffany came back, but she didn’t comment on the last part of my statement and we let the conversation end.

After we finished eating, we went out to see the production of King Lear. I feared it might be amateurish, or at best semi-professional, however I was pleasantly surprised as soon as it started. It proved to be very enjoyable and quite well done; although it appeared that Ricky was struggling with understanding some of the archaic dialogue. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though, and on the ride back to his apartment I made a comment.

“Thank you. I really enjoyed the last three nights.”

“I did too,” Tiffany quickly responded.

“I enjoyed it as well,” Ricky agreed, “but I’m not sure if I understood everything that was going on tonight.”

“What did you think the play was about?” I asked.

“I think two of the King’s daughters were playing him for a fool and trying to get in his good graces, while the other one was being honest with him. It was too bad he listened to his older daughters, instead of the daughter who really cared about him.”

“I’d say you definitely got the point of the play, even if you didn’t comprehend all of the dialogue, but I’d like to make a suggestion to you. Look up the title King Lear online and you’ll find places where you can read a free copy of the play. I know it won’t be easy, but sit down and try to work your way through it.”

“And I’ll do it with you,” Tiffany offered.

“Ok, I’ll do it, as long as Tiff is willing to help.”

“I’m glad to hear that, and before I leave, I just want to let you know that I really appreciate everything the two of you have done for me while I was here. I certainly won’t ever underestimate either of you in the future or forget about any of this.”

“We’re glad you stayed longer and enjoyed yourself,” Tiffany responded.

“I am too.”

Once again it was late when we arrived back at Ricky’s apartment, but not quite as late as the previous two nights, so we had a chance to chat a little longer before we went to bed.

“I’ll fix breakfast for all of us in the morning, but I’ll be taking off shortly after the two of you leave for work. I hope we can get together like this again.” I said once we were all sitting down in the living room.

“We’ll see you at Christmas this year and then again at our wedding,” Ricky replied.

“And I look forward to both.”

“I’m sure my parents would love for you to join us for Thanksgiving as well,” Tiffany offered.

“That may be, but as you probably remember from your time with us last year, we have a huge Thanksgiving celebration with the extended family. This includes more than half of my children and grandchildren join us as well, and I certainly don’t want to miss that, but thanks for the offer.”

We chatted for a little while longer before we said goodnight and then we headed to bed, since we were all very tired.

When I woke up the following morning, I fixed breakfast for all of us again before Ricky and Tiffany left for work. As they were getting ready to head out the door, we said our final goodbyes and I hugged Ricky and gave Tiffany a hug and a kiss.

“Thanks again for everything and I’ll see you both at Christmas.”

“Yes, we look forward to it.”

Shortly after they had taken off, I packed up my things, hopped in my car, and set out for Allentown. I was looking forward to spending the next few days with Frankie and Carolyn.