Kansas City, Missouri 2012 - Day 2

Us at the Starlight Theater

With a pretty flexible schedule today, we wanted to sleep in.  Instead, we laid in bed listening to the loud family in the adjoining room.  We could hear every word they said (only bummer about this place).  A young boy of maybe 7 or 8, named Jackson would not get out of bed and his mom was prodding him to get up so they wouldn’t miss breakfast.  He yelled at the top of his lungs (kids, cover your eyes for this) “shut the f’ing hell up!!”  But he did not shorten that word, and the mom did not correct him.  I just about flew up out of bed to address the situation myself.  But then I realized that I don’t know that family and thought they might not take kindly to a strange lady in a nightgown banging on the door and spanking them all.  Including the mom.  So Chad and I just laid there thanking God for our kids, and being sad for a lot of others.

Finally, around 11:30, we were on the road and found ourselves at The Classic Cookie.  It’s a small café that was packed to the rafters with locals.   But there was one table for 2 open and we were waited on right away.  Chad ordered Painted Porch Pancakes (whole wheat, oats, nut and grains) and ham.  I got the whole wheat French toast.  It was very satisfying and we were reluctant to go back out in the heat.

Breakfast.  The only meal we ate today. 

Our next stop was Union Station to visit the Titanic Artifact Exhibition.  First of all, Union Station is gorgeous and we could’ve spent hours just learning about its nearly 100-year old history.  We visited the Model Railroad Experience, and a Railroads and National Parks Display that was really interesting.  But truly, the Titanic exhibit was phenomenal, and of course, Photography was not allowed. 

We started the Titanic tour by getting our “boarding passes," which were replicas of the original boarding passes for the Titanic.  The first artifact we saw was the actual bell that was rung by lookout Frederick Fleet, from the crow’s nest after the Titanic hit the iceberg.  Wait, you DO know it hit an iceberg and sank, don’t you?  I’d hate to ruin the surprise…

I felt like I was getting a special VIP tour on top of it all, because Chad is a shipbuilder and he taught me so much about laying keels, casting and forging steel, how rivets work... all that good stuff. Do I sound like I know what I'm talking about?  He would explain things so my peanut brain could understand it.  Among the artifacts that have been salvaged from the wreckage, we saw furniture, dinnerware, jewelry, clothes, and other personal artifacts found in luggage.  Oh, and we saw luggage.  There were beer, wine, and champagne bottles, one of which was still full of champagne.  Instruments, sheet music, tools…  THE steering wheel stand from the wheelhouse.  There was even an actual “iceberg” on display.  I know it sounds just like any other list of "stuff," but up close and on display, it was fascinating.  I learned that a first class ticket on the Titanic cost $2,500 ($57,000 today).  A ticket to stay in one of the most luxurious suites cost $4,5000 ($103,000 today).  Even a third class ticket cost $40 ($900 today).  With over 2,200 passangers, think about how much money that is! 

My favorite part of the entire exhibit was the boiler room, where we learned about the hardest working men on The Titanic.  The exhibit called them “the true engines that powered the ship, known as ‘The Black Gang’…their task was vital, their labor invisible, their work an endless cycle...”  It made me think of the blue collar workers in my family and how proud I am of them all.  I would’ve much rather been a member of The Black Gang on The Titanic than some millionaire up in first class.  Okay, so actually, I wouldn’t... but the idea of hard work is appealing.  Okay, so actually it isn’t….  But it was my favorite part anyway.

We headed over to the Power and Light District to get gelato at Balsano’s Gelato Café (another local recommendation).  Every “district” in this town is cooler than the next.  I’m beginning to think I would choose Kansas City over Seattle.  Minus the heat.  It was 103 degrees outside and anything over 95 degrees, I pretty much hate the world.

The Boilermakers headquarters in Kansas

We decided to drive to Kansas City, Kansas to see The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers headquarters.  Chad’s been in his union for almost 18 years and we thought it be neat.  It wasn’t neat.  The building was there (and closed because it’s Saturday) but just about every other building in the whole town was for sale, for rent, or abandoned.  We drove around feeling sort of creeped out and sad by this weird ghost town.  The only people we saw, was a family who had pried open a fire hydrant to let their small kids cool down.  Definitely the place to live in the OTHER Kansas city.

We stopped at Costco to get Chad some socks because the moron who packed his bags didn’t include socks for when he goes jogging.  And then we went back to the hotel to get ready to see James Taylor.

We arrived at the Starlight Theater about 20 minutes before the concert and it was over 100 degrees out.  Did I mention the Starlight is an outdoor theater?  Yeah, well it is.  Luckily, it was a 7:30 concert, and our seats were in the shade.  Aside from some children who I'm sure were attending the show against their wills, we felt like the youngest people there. 

James Taylor (Steve Gadd is behind the crash symbol)

Steve Gadd was fantastic.  So was James Taylor (of course), but we've seen him before--this time was all about the drummer.  At one point, right after Country Road, Chad made a great point about Steve Gadd: "he's not afraid to play nothing.  And he's still better than anyone else."  It was a mellow, laid back concert and we had so much fun, but the best part was getting to watch Chad enjoy it.

Dinner was a pretzel for me, and popcorn for Chad at the theater.  Boo.  We're going to bed tired and hungry.  I'm not complaining, though; the whole Titanic exhibit reminded me that life could be a whole lot worse.

"Iceberg, Right Ahead!" 

- Frederick Fleet

- Chad and Rach