Day two of weekend from hell

So at 6:45 we are all awake with no option for a few more minutes sleep. Matty's mom had made a coffee cake. And drove it from RI. So that we wouldnt starve in the morning. Since we have no food and no means to get any. Oh right. (Oh I totally forgot, the ceiling was painted and beautiful and remarkably not smelly when we got home on Friday.) So at 9 am on the dot the parents arrived and we all piled into the van. And off to Limerick. Now Matty had suggested this since we dont know what else to do outside the city. Because we live in the city. Because we like the city. But whenever they come down they offer to bring us shopping since we really dont have a whole lot in the way of inexpensive clothing shopping in Philly. Of course I did not think it was a great idea for them to drive from RI to Philly, then 45 minutes outside the city to go to The Philadelphia Premium Outlets which are the same as the ones in Wrentham (45 minutes from their home). Especially since Mr. Gallagher doesnt like to shop. But that is what Mrs. Gallagher decided we were going to do. Which worked out since the weather was supposed to be crappy (including tornado warnings). So out to Limerick we go. They had brought a TomTom with them and we had Google Directions. Which both bring you the fastest (not most direct) way. And Mr. Gallagher apparently can't follow directions. So there were some wrong turns and we drove through residential Limerick some. But whatever. Whatever? Well guess what else happens to be in Limerick, PA? The Limerick Nuclear Power Generating Station. Guess who are not fans of nuclear power? Did you guess that Gallaghers? Bingo! So that was fun. I thought it was pretty cool. I had never actually been that close to cooling towers before. They are HUGE! Absolutely enormous! But yeah. So that just added to the fantasticness of the trip. The outlets are really nice. And they were practically empty. Possibly because we arrived 3 minutes after they opened. Maybe. And there were storms heading in. We were given an hour to shop. An hour. We drove 45 minutes outside the city. So that we could get some much needed clothes shopping done. And were given an hour to do it in. Well we got to the Gap and actually did surprisingly well. And Puma. And both got really cool shoes. And that was it. 150 stores and we got to 2. We managed to talk them into letting us stay a little longer and managed to get to a few more, between the torrential downpours. It was pretty successful for Matty and I. Marisa was bored. So we left and then had to find somewhere to eat. Because we had planned on eating at the Outlets. But we were given the option to shop or eat. So back into the van and towards King of Prussia since we knew there was stuff around there. Another detour due to lack of direction following and we got to Kildare's. I decided that this was ok since it is a chain, but a local one. So that is ok right? Sigh, I know. But the food was pretty good. So it was almost 3 by this point. So we were asked point blank what our plans were for dinner (well unfortunately our plans had been completely screwed up and so we didnt actually have set plans. But I will explain all this later.) We said "We are planning on eating dinner, but probably not until 8 or so since we are eating lunch so late." The response? "Ok then." Great right? Just wait. So Matty and I split a chicken and cheese boxty and half of a veggie sandwich. Because Mrs. Gallagher could only eat half of a sandwich. Because she has been on a diet ever since I have known her. So instead of us splitting a sandwich between us, she ate half and we split half. The storm came back and we lost power 4 times while we were in the restaurant. That went over well. When we left Matty and I split an apple since we were still hungry. Then we tried to figure out how to get to Valley Forge National Historic Park. Unfortunately since we were planning on doing this in the morning we did not have directions to the park and had to do some mapping while sitting in a gas station parking lot. Which did not go over well. Also something (I have no idea what) did not agree with Marisa's stomach. So she was sick maybe? She wouldnt just tell us what she needed, just snapped at Jamie for asking. So that was fun. We did ask for directions at the gas station (which lead to a lot of really funny stereotypical jokes about Indian convenience store owners. Really racially sensitive and totally spot on of course.) So we finally got directions and headed to Valley Forge. Which was actually really cool. We got there right around 5 so a lot was closed. But we drove around the park with a little map and got out and saw the monuments and took pictures and there were dozens and dozens of deer all over the place. And the weather turned perfect absolutely beautiful and it was really lovely actually. And everyone seemed to be in a good mood and I thought it would all work out . . . . sigh. So then came the inevitable "Now what?" We thought the Art Museum and Boathouse Row might be nice. Jamie wanted to see the Rocky stairs and statue and it was so nice out. Well that would have been fine except 1) Mr. Gallagher was tired and hungry. 2) Marisa had to pee. 3) You actually have to walk. So back into the van and back to our place. Now it was about 7 and so the metered spaces were all taken. And there was no way we were going to be allowed to drive around for the 10-15 it would take to find a spot. So our newest plans for dinner (actually have them spend some time at our place and grill or go to Yello'bar were immediately dashed.) We were dropped off to drop our stuff at the apartment and figure out what the hell we were supposed to do. So here was the thing. When we said we would eat dinner around 8, apparently Mr. Gallagher decided that meant we would have eaten by then. (7 pm) No one else was really all that hungry because we had just eaten lunch 3 hours prior. We had to find a place outside the city because finding parking in the city and then a restaurant (preferably "American" chain restaurant) that could immediately seat a party of 6 at 7:30 on as Saturday night within 5 minutes walk of the parking was not guaranteed. The only restaurants we actually KNEW that might be acceptable (Marisa's stomach might act up at any moment, so nothing too crazy) were sports bars. And there was a Stanley Cup game. And a Phillies game. And Mrs. Gallagher wouldnt want a sports bar anyway. So we decided to drive down to Oregon and then drive East because we knew there were some Chili's and Applebees down there at the West end and we thought there were some other places further east. So we decided that instead of driving East to Broad, South to Oregon, West to 22nd then possibly back East again, we should just go straight down 21st. It was still light out. It is a safe neighborhood. It wasn't that far. So we mentioned that it was a different part of the city than we had been in. And south we went. Biggest mistake on the fucking planet. Starting a Christian the comments started. "Where the hell are we?" "Next time bring us the long way" "What the hell were you thinking?" "Are we going to get shot?" "Look at the this" "Why would you take us this way?" "Next time the safe way please" And then from Matty's mom "So what is this part of Philly called, besides the bad part." And out of my stupid fucking fat mouth came, "It isn't bad, it is poor. And it is called Point Breeze." As soon as it came out I felt like one of those Southwest Wanna-Get-Away commercials. Silence rocked the van. Oh my god I could not have felt worse. And then! There was a car unloading in the street. And since everyone was convinced we were going to be killed immediately we went east to 19th and then south. So when we hit Oregon we were already east of what we thought was our best option. But if we were wrong we were going to have to turn around and it was already tense. So we just went east and prayed. And unfortunately there wasn't a lot of possibilities until we got to the Oregon Diner. So we just gave up and told them to pull into the Diner. Matty said we would check out the menu and decide. As soon as we got out Marisa grabbed me aside and told me that Matty and I needed to come up with an airtight plan for Sunday immediately and tell everyone exactly what we were doing to when it was happening and have everything planned. Right then. Matty's dad started with "It is already 7:30 where else are we going to? Is this place even clean? What is this? A diner?" And I lost my shit. I had been good. I had tried so hard. I was tired. I needed quiet time. I didnt say anything about the nuclear power thing. I didnt say anything when he complained about the Asian drivers we had encountered. I didnt say anything when he made fun of the gas station owner. I didnt say anything when he totally ignored that we said we werent eating until 8. I didnt say anything when they decided that we had to drive somewhere instead of just parking and eating somewhere near us. But what the hell did they want from us?!?!?!?!? They change plans halfway through and then get fucking pissed when we do not have an answer to fit their view of the world. And the fact that they had so little confidence in us that they thought we would bring them somewhere they were actually in danger to get here. There are bad neightboorhoods in Philly. There are dangerous neighborhoods in Philly. We werent anywhere near them. It was still light out. All the people they saw were, admittedly poor. And black. They were also mostly children. Playing on the the stoops and sidewalks. And then to have it be demanded that I fix it. NOW. I lost it. I dropped my purse at the table, walked into the bathroom and started sobbing. I gave myself 2 minutes to cry and then pulled myself together. I was all set, ready to deal with it and then outside the door was Matty (to check on me) and Marisa to demand that we put together a tour-company level plan for the following day, complete with contingency plans to announce when we returned to the table. So I started to cry again. It was just pure frustration and anger at their ignorance and complete disregard for our intelligence and feelings. I couldnt help it. But Matty and I did it. We pulled a plan out of our ass, I washed up again, and back to the table. Apparently while we were gone (we found out later) Marisa decided that to make things better she would tell Matty's parents that when they come to visit, they stress us out. Because that makes everything better. Awesome. Dinner was uncomfortable but fine. Basic diner food, pretty good, nothing spectacular. We took the long way home. And then spent a few hours bitching and yelling and drinking. Marisa thinks that Matty should 1) Call his dad out when he is being an ass. 2) Tell his mom when things arent going well. This isnt going to happen. Matty's dad will always be an ass and if he needs to be told that he is being an ass to his own son, then he istn going to change. And Matty does not see him enough for it to be worth making everything that much worse. And Matty's mom loves her baby Matty and wants nothing else than for him to be happy. Of course that means living in a house in the suburbs with a car and a picket fence and a high-paying steady 9-5 job. And Matty thinks it is more important for her to be happy and think he is ecstatic with his life than for her to be miserable and worry about him any more than she does. Especially not to tell her that the reason he is miserable or stressed is her!

One more day to tell about. Which went much better. Mostly.