Nov. 3rd, 2003

goneroundthebend: (Default)
This is expected to be the final entry of the NHB for this trip. We'll be back up here in a little over 6 weeks for the holidays.

The trip Sunday to the Rev.Canon Gene Robinson's consecration ceremony went quite well, despite the gray overcast and occasionally rainy day. Ann and I got out of the house by mid-morning taking about 2 hours to drive to where I grew up. First was a pass by the previous family house which we had lived in from the mid-60's to the later part of the 90's. Then, a quick swing by the old high school to discover almost all of the previous facade was gone or hidden behind new building additions. It had to have grown to at least 3 times its previous size and was still under construction.

We stopped for a few minutes in the "downtown" area which had quite a few new names on store fronts, but was generally the same. Heading over to the New England Center (and fortunately finding a parking spot) we met up with and had lunch with a high school classmate of mine. As it seems with many of my acquaintances, it hasn't always been the nicest of situations that has precipitated the meeting. I think it was that I had seen his father's obit in a local paper some time ago (his father was living down where I am in Virginia) and I decided to see if I could find where my classmate was presently.

To make a long story only slightly shorter, he had settled back in the town where we both had grown up. We reconnected on the phone a while ago, but I had not approached some particular subjects initially. When it became clear that we might actually meet face-to-face, I had to finally say, "Well, gee, I've kind of changed since you last saw me." *^_^* I think many of us could talk a bit about our various disclosure stories, some interesting, some not so pleasant. (hmm, interesting book title there, "The Disclosures", subtitled "Comments Withheld")

Anyway, we met up without a hitch and the three of us had an absolutely fantastic time for the rest of the day. I initially didn't recognize him until he got within about 12 feet or so with a wide grin forming quickly and he confessed later that if I hadn't told him about my transition, he would not have picked me out either. The lunch area was quite crowded and is was quite apparant that a large percentage of the people there were in town for the same reason we were.

We get escorted around campus and shown a few of the newer additions to the University there. Finally around 3 we decide to head over to the arena to get in line. There was an interesting gauntlet of media and protesters ("con" on one side, "pro" on the other side, both behind orange barrier fences) to pass through to queue up. It took about 45 minutes to get in, go through the metal detectors and hand search of our handbags and find a reasonably located stadium seat.

We guess there were maybe 5000 in attendance. I suspect this mornings paper will have some more exact numbers. It was a typically Anglican service where everyone was polite, proper and respectful, well, for the most part. One of the clergy who read a statement in protest of the consecration got downright pornographic. The Presiding Bishop stepped in and said something along the lines, "we get your meaning, please get to your point." All in all it was about a 3 hour service. Ann could provide better and more insightful details as this entry is already getting a bit verbose.

We decided to not have dinner in town and just booked back home where my parents (previously warned since we called ahead) and a great late dinner waiting for us when we finally showed up some time after 9:30pm. Phew, It was a long day. This morning we pick up a morning train back to Virginia and then it's back to "work" Tuesday. deeeeeeep siigh

Profile

goneroundthebend: (Default)
goneroundthebend

November 2012

S M T W T F S
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 17th, 2025 08:04 am
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios