238. “That Minneapolis skyline.”

Got up, took a tepid shower and headed downtown. Since I was in the city I thought I’d try to visit some pals:

Went and had a square meal at the Ideal Diner with Jon Baugh of the Target Corporation (9am-5pm) and Baugh and Baugh, Hopkins Offices (5pm-9am). This guy could warm up even the meanest of mother-in-laws. He even took me by “Rex Mills Printers” and man, I plan on doing business with them very, very soon. Letterpress mastery, with a smile.

239. “Rex Mills Printers.”
240. “Big Smiles: Rex Mills Jim.”
241. “Jon surveying the monstrous wall of samples.”

I then went and sat with Aaron Dimmel of VSA Partners, Minneapolis. An old ally from my “days of scanning” for Chuck Anderson, we usually catch up “kinda yearly” for some shit talkin’, maybe a meal or maybe just some “show and tell” of our latest Gocco action. Dimmel is doing real good, with work and family, expecting a third little critter very soon. “Third one is on the way. And that’ll be it,” he added with a weary grin.

242. “Fellow “AD” initial-haver, Aaron Dimmel.”
243. “Big buildings with all kinds of businesses.”

He pointed across First Ave and showed me the sky high offices of Aesthetic Apparatus. I checked the meter for Big S, and ran up to knock on their door. I met Dan and Michael, a couple of well-spoken Midwest fellas. I mean, it ain’t an easy thing having me just sorta “show up” and all, but, they were very nice and amicable. We shot the shit a bit about soft subjects like “two color indie rock poster community sociodynamics” and “starting your own gig” and even a little bit about the “wonders of Gocco.” All good stuff. I bought some posters and thanked them for the amazing work. I’ve been a fan for some time now. They have good spirit. Just a couple of fellas doin’ it their own way, on their terms. Real Good.

244. “Nice fellas: Dan and Mike, Aesthetic Apparatus.”

I jumped in the rig and in no time was screaming east on that I-94 towards Wih-sca-sin, crossing that border and hammering it all the way down to Chicagoland.

- - - -

That wind was whippin’ pretty good, as it was in Minneapolis, just about blowin’ me off the road a couple times. Kinda sketchy.

245. “Michigan Avenue.”

Took me a good six hours to get down there. Pulling into that big-ass city, I thought about a handful of things, Jim Coudal, the Magnolia Electric Co. band, where Jeff Tweedy might live, my cousin Melodie, PJ Chmiel’s karate kicks, those White Sox and their big win, Uncle Buck and of course, Mike Ditka. That fucker’s face is everywhere. Ditka ribs. Ditka casinos. Ditka, Ditka, Ditka.

Took a cruise downtown, looked up some large buildings and then took 41 south as far as it would take me until I hit I-90/94 and got going towards Gary, Indiana. I sped past all the industrial wastelands and up around the lakeshore up towards the Michigan border in record time. It was late, y’know.

- - - -

I got a second wind when I saw that “Welcome to Michigan” sign and punched it up I-94, to where it splits of to 31, up the coast, past the depraved, “once somewhere worth living” hamlet of Holland, Muskegon, Manistee and Ludington, all the way up to Lake Ann and mom and dad’s compound, rolling in just a little past 6am.

Came in woke Gary and the parents and watched the sun rise.

246. “Michigan back deck sunrise.”