As I write we have pulled into Toledo, this is the area that my Grandmother Mary Washington's family came from, just a little further south from here. We are in farm and industrial country, I do remember watching presidential returns on the television and always being so very surprised and amazed at how many people there were in Ohio. We continue to move west, the day is starting out cloudy. I am surrounded by fields and open spaces. We will move into Indiana the eastern part looking just like the Ohio we passed through.
By mid-morning I will have arrived in Chicago. That will be the end of this train ride. Another will come at the end of the week.
As I drink my tea this morning I am trying to digest what happened on "super Tuesday". I can't understand why Warren's campaign has not caught fire -- I have read several articles in the NYT, the headlines scream two man race. My stomach sinks. I was glad to have a television, streaming and video break. The wifi on Amtrak doesn't allow for streaming and after my initial dismay I was happy to not be embroiled in the pundits and the politicians. I have plenty of time for that and this race for the democratic nominee has a ways to go. I do hope that Bloomberg will quit spending his money on his race and put money into senate and house campaigns. I hope that Elizabeth (who I want to be president) will quit lamenting about billionaires --- no one supporting Trump will lament the absolute gobsmack amount of money and mud that he will be slinging as the race progresses. I want election reform, but we have to get a congress and president that will pass laws that end corporations being "people" and limit the money that can be spent. I am sickened when I think of all the dollars going into mailers that get thrown away, radio ads, tv ads that cost enough to end poverty, provide education, give us access to health care that is good. But enough, I am going to quit writing and watch out the window, see the heartland go by...wave hello to Mayor Pete.
Oh yes, covid-19, when walking from my sleeper car to the dining room, I walk through seven cars, 2 business class, 1 snack car, and 4 coach cars. In one of the coach cars almost everyone is wearing masks, the other 3 not a person. All of those cars originated in NYC, I wonder what made the difference, there were several Chinese women in that car, and they wore masks, but what about the rest of a pretty diverse group of people? I expect that I will see more people wearing masks, I saw some on the top of people's bags and not on their face. I don't have a mask and unless I start to cough or feel like I am getting sick I won't have one, the best they can do is help with my germs and don't seem to be much help in protecting you from other germs....who knows what will change about this as I travel on over the next few weeks.
There will be more after I am off the train, but for now...rolling, rolling rolling...
And we did roll into Chicago...I will share more about Chicago tomorrow. I have just come back from 3+ hours of amazing jazz. The music transported me back and deeply within. It is always a surprise where the music will take you. I was transported back to 1970, Old Town Chicago stirred with memories that have not shown themselves in years. A wonderful evening at Andy's Jazz Club.
More tomorrow. I am glad to be here. I love the lights, the sounds, the amazing buildings, and the Lake. It is always a homecoming.
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