Day 36: What I miss

After that intense workshop Friday night and yesterday, I basically slept all day. I was up for long enough this morning to get in a twist about something and give us a chance to test drive our new compassionate communication skills, which seem to be working thank heavens, and to watch Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, because my very cool friend Rachel put a clip on her blog and got me psyched to see it again. I was surprised to learn that Andy had never seen it. I swear, his cinematic education is going to take decades to complete, but it sure is fun to introduce him to all the movies I love.

Since I spent the day unconscious, I didn’t exactly have time to plan and prepare a nutritious dinner. I had also woken up this morning craving Indian food, so we ordered take out. One of the things I miss most about Philly is the restaurants. All those delicious things being cooked all day every day– I considered it my duty to help eat them. Here in Ohio, not so much. I guess the competition isn’t as fierce when everything is so spread out. There’s more room for mediocrity. If I just have to go next door to get a better meal, I’ll do it. But if I have to get back in my car and drive another half hour, feh, so much effort.

There’s an Indian restaurant walking distance from our house, so you’d think we had totally lucked out, unless you made the mistake of eating there. Gah, terrible. Luckily there’s The Mad Greek, which also serves Indian food, so we ordered from there. It was decent, but nothing like a trip to 40th and Chestnut or a quick fix at Minar Palace. Ah, the good old days, traipsing through the cold of a December Sunday from my little nest at 10th and Pine to go to Minar, glasses steaming up as soon as I walked in, taking my tray down to the oddly cozy basement full of mirrors and tables with white vinyl bench seats. Nostalgic sigh.

We did finally find a wonderful Indian restaurant in Cleveland, Jaipur Junction, but it’s about a 45-minute drive from our house. Not a feasible proposition when it’s 4:45 pm and you’ve woken up ravenous. I might have to make a trip out there soon, though, because it’s easier than driving to Philly. And a trip to Philly won’t be happening any time soon, although the temptation is pretty much always with me.

Even after 6 1/2 years here in Ohio, I still miss Philly so much. Will I ever give my heart to Cleveland the way I did to Philly? Is that even possible now that I live in suburbia instead of the city? Driving down our street when we come home from a trip, I feel happy to see our sweet house, happy to be back, but it’s not like that soaring sense of relief I’d get when I’d take a cab back from the Philly airport and that skyline came into view and I’d think I’m home.

Even things like the messed up scary elevator when I lived at 10th and Pine or the Blair Witch basement at 26th and Aspen, which I had to go into the building next door to access, going outside and swinging my laundry and my legs over the iron rail that separated the two apartment buildings. Here I’ve got my laundry chute, my own private washer/dryer, plenty of beautiful space, four walls not touching anybody, but no easy access to basic human necessities like decent Indian food. I don’t even know what the buildings are downtown. Will I ever learn the skyline here? Will it ever feel like home?