On July 4th, Home is where . . .

JFK (6:20AM) – I got out of the zipcar in my pajamas and gave my parents big hugs. Picked my mom up and gave her a few shakes to the left and to the right. Put her over my right shoulder and then hugged my dad with the left arm. Still hugging him, I jumped up and wrapped my legs around his torso. We looked like a family of acrobats as he carried me to the driver’s seat.


Van Wyck Expressway (6:35AM) – I’m convinced the reason zipcar doesn’t have GPS navigation is because getting lost eats up more reservation time. I got off at Linden Blvd. but I should have stayed on the expressway and gotten off at the other Linden Blvd. I wonder how many times I've said "Linden Blvd" rapping along to A Tribe Called Quest in my lifetime before actually ever seeing the street. I like A Tribe Called Quest and how they rep Linden. Hip hop does not get much better than them.

"Linden Boulevard, represent, represent, Tribe Called Quest, represent, represent, when the mike is in my hand, I’m never hesitant, my favorite jam back in the day was Eric B. for President." (Of course, I change B. to U. in my version.)

En route to la casa (7:10AM) - Dropped off the car and started walking the half mile home. On the car ride, I had mentioned to my parents that they should take a nap when we got home, but they squealed, “No way.” Oftentimes I fear that they don’t know their limitations. I didn’t push the issue because I knew that they must be tired. First of all, I was exhausted and I had slept. They, on the other hand, had not. They both took the red eye and although my mom napped, my dad spent the whole time reading on the flight. So I decided against dropping them off first at home so they could walk home with me. Is this what parenthood is like? Working hard to incorporate extra activities into your day so that your kid is more worn out and will take longer naps.

The fresh air somehow revived them and deflated me. I asked them how they weren’t tired and they said something about drinking “Funking” Dunking Donuts coffee. I couldn’t believe it. Why would you drink that?, I asked incredulously. I couldn’t say “No” when they were giving it out for free, dad replied. Ahhh. They said that they were too excited to be in New York with me to sleep and I felt a twinge a guilt for not having planned better. So I manned up, took a shower while they unpacked, and set to walking and incorporating extra activities.

Walking (8:30am to 2pm) – DUMBO, Flatiron District, Empire State Building, KTown, Central Park, West Village, Soho, Lower East Side, Chinatown. In each area, I would see the red double decker bus taunting me. I wanted to pay for tickets but mom and dad wanted to walk. Subtract their musings on why I should get married, what I need to do to lose weight, how I should get a second job while I'm still young, we had some pretty good conversation.

At one point, I tried to explain how the back end deal that wrested control away from the wireless company and gave it to the phone manufacturer was what was really amazing about apple's iphone. I could see my dad nodding and his eyes glazing over at the same time. He made a funny analogy from the book he was reading. It had something to do with modern age accelerating so quickly that he feels he has more in common with the 1860's in korea, the period of the book he's currently reading, than right now, even though timewise he's closer to my generation. I nodded and blinked slowly and wondered if they were getting tired.


Also, talked about Fort Hamilton. The army base my mom was stationed at for a period of time. I looked it up online the next day and its in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Dad was talking about how they sent each other letters once a week for seven years. I wish I could read one of those letters. Do people have relationships like this anymore? Maybe my admiration indicates that I might be capable of doing this. Don't know. I might be too far past the age of innocence. It's the type of innocence I experienced when I lived in China. They truly are from a bygone era.

Dad also made some comments about his last visit here. It was endearing but I think it was a reaction to me poking fun at him earlier in the day. Walking and talking all day, I realized that, as a family, we are truly gifted at poking fun at each other. My mom laughs the hardest when I make fun of dad and I love making her laugh. All the making fun of each other - I guess it's a good antidote for having too much self-esteem.

Chinatown Fungwah (3:30pm) - After a nice lunch, we walked and I saw them off on the bus for Boston to visit Sis. I knew that they were going to sleep well on that bus even with the driver "switchin' four lanes, wit' the top down screamin' out, money ain't a thing." I fell asleep as soon as my head dented the pillow back at home and woke up the next morning and headed for work.