June 2nd, 2004
Nothing but trains
Wednesday would be the first of two travel-only days, where I would get off in Chicago and find something to do before getting on another overnight train to Dallas. For breakfast, I had Pop Tarts that I brought (I also brought cookies) and then basically just listened to CDs until we got to Chicago. I had about 3 – 4 hours to kill there, so I just sat in the lobby looking for good radio stations. I eventually started to get hungry, so I looked around for food and found a McDonalds. First off, I have to say I love the Chicago station, easy to find info for trains and easy to find anything you’re looking for inside the building. Second off, I had witnessed something I had never seen before: less than a minute serving time at a McDonalds. It was amazing, there was like 5 registers each open and taking orders, and I was able to place my order immediately since one person just got their’s. I ordered a combo meal, paid and got change, and saw on the display of the register that average serve time was 28 seconds or something like that. I laughed to myself just before the order was handed to me. I was shocked. They forgot my drink, but the cashier noticed and got it after she finished taking the order after mine. Even with that added time, I had spent less than a minute there. Thumbs up to you McDonalds workers in the Chicago station, keep up the phenomenal work. I waited for my train after I ate and got on with no problems. I did see yet someone else I recognized in Chicago though, it was my MUS 211 professor. I couldn’t believe it, but after looking for a while, it had to be him. I didn’t feel like leaving my seat to talk to him, but it was interesting to see one of my professors in the station. Before passing out to sleep on the train, I listened to CDs and played some GBA, noticing that all data on Super Puzzle Fighter II was somehow erased, which kinda pissed me off. One for the obvious, two because I had unlocked everything the Friday night after it came out while pounding vodka shots. I was very proud of acomplishing my record for shots (11 or 12 I think) and clearing the game while in that state, so I wasn’t too happy seeing that all gone. I decided to clear it while I waited in the Dallas station for hours (since Tiff and Derek still had to work that day) and eventually drifted off to sleep.