Back at the room we showered, packed, and checked out. We got directions from the concierge on how to get to the fairgrounds by car. She amazed me by just whipping out the directions, which involved several turns. I said at the end, "That's just amazing!"
"That's where I live," she said.
The ride was longer than we anticipated, but we navigated it with no problem. We traveled North on Wisconsin Avenue, and at one point I recognized the area as where Phyl and Jim lived. So, we took Fessenden Street, and I showed Robert their old house. Returning back to Wisconsin, I called Phyl and Jeanie. When Jimmy answered I told him I was on Fessenden, which he got a chuckle out of.
He put Jeanie on the line, and she sounded so not good. "I'm lonely, and I'm bored, and I can't see anything anymore." It was all bad. She did get a chuckle out of the fact that I was calling her from Fessenden Street, though.
We arrived at the fairgrounds just in time to watch the Dolly Madison race, which was great. I wanted Robert to see that event. I think we missed the first group, but Joe and Al were in the third group, so we got to watch them.
We did a couple of dances, but left on sort of a downer. I was waiting for one more set of line dances to come on so Robert could dance, as they had played a couple of sets, but he didn't know two of the dances I did, Dizzy, and the Canadian Stomp. He thought I was waiting to dance another line dance, so neither of us said anything as it approached 2:30. I had wanted to get on the road by 2. Finally I said something, and we both found out that each were thinking the other wanted one more dance. Uncomfortable mis-communication, which we don't normally have.
We took a quick peek in the stands to see if Joe, Jose, or Al were around to give our free concert tickets to. They weren't. On the way out, Robert said, "Shall we see what song they're playing next?"
This told me that he really did want to do "one more dance." I was happy to oblige. Neon Moon came on which was both good and bad. Good in that we know "Cruising" to that song, but bad in that they did "El Passo" to it instead. I pretty much decided we'd do El Passo to it instead of Cruising. If I had it to do over again, I would have done Cruising in the middle of the circle with Robert.
We took the 495 beltway around Washington, and then connected to 95S. We got gas, and then had dinner at a KFC. I finished the last of the cheese balls shortly thereafter. Thank God they're gone. We finished off the flat Diet Coke we'd bought for our Canadian Club.
Later on in the drive, we stopped at an Arby's for a Jamacho shake. Yum. It's not all about the food, is it?
We arrived back at IBM around 7:00, said our goodbyes, and I went up to the office for about a half hour -- long enough to realize it would all still be there tomorrow morning.
I got bed at a decent hour, so as to get up at 6 in the morning, and get a good start on the day to prep for my standing Monday 1:00 meeting.