THE PLAN
This year my SO got a speed run spot on SGDQ! I am so proud of him. All the nights we spent pretty much no time together while he streamed and practiced paid off. Also probably makes him happy because I've become accustomed to spending more time by myself.
So the story goes, my SO wanted to go the whole week. I dropped him off at the airport on Saturday all mopey because I knew he would be gone for a week. He's good at dropping off the face of the planet, and I was already having a rough time (medication swaps). But while I wiped away my single tear while I drove home I came up with this plan. If I could get Friday off, I could leave at 8 or 9 am and make it to Minneapolis by 7 or 8 ish pm if i drove. And I could surprise him and support him!
So then the plan spiraled. I found out I couldn't get a badge because badge purchase was closed weeks before and you couldn't buy any on site. I thought to myself, 'it doesn't matter, I don't need a badge; I just need to be there for support.' So at work I polled my team mates: Should I go or shouldn't I? I got 50/50 answers really so I decided to go forward. As soon as I found out I got Friday off I started planning my surprise. I had said I was going to drive but the problem with that was: I arrive Friday PM, stay up until 6 something AM Minneapolis time to watch, donate and support him. THEN have to drive home Saturday afternoon (he had volunteering to do Saturday night anyway) or at the very least be back in Michigan by 2 pm Sunday so I could pick him up from the airport. That being said, driving was thrown out and I turned to flights.
Random time, random date, random weekend. I only paid a little more than he did to fly out (I dropped my car in the airport lot) in the AM and would arrive to the hotel by 4 pm. Best part? My return flight was the SAME as his so we could just go from the airport home together. I had to do some recon and get the blessing of one of his roommates to stay in the hotel room on Friday and Saturday night. Constantly figuring out what he was doing, his volunteer schedule, his rooming situation and everything else I had to be sneaky about but it was hard. I eventually got all I needed.
I committed and bought my ticket with fear and excitement. Fear I would upset him, excitement to going to a new place and seeing him and supporting him and possibly getting a mini vacation.
THE SURPRISE
Well it was a let down mostly. When I finally arrived at the hotel, I hid myself off to the side. I was going to scheme with our friend from online, who I thought was back at her B&B sick. But since she was sick I was thinking of ways to surprise him while on the plane. I settled on the following course of texts:
"Man I could really use a hug and a kiss after that stressful meeting."
Expected response: "You'll see me on Sunday"
Actual response: "Sorry hun."
"Wouldn't it be funny if I was in the lobby right now ready for one?"
Expected response: *wanders into lobby, finds me, big hug*
Actual response: "Uh, sure. I guess that would be funny."
At this point I couldn't be sneaky anymore...
"Maybe you should check."
Expected response: *wanders into lobby, finds me, big hug*
Actual response: "No troll pls"
I was getting deflated at this point.
"Are you going to check?"
I expected nothing after this but this is what happened.
I got up from where I was sitting, walked a few steps toward the lobby door and instinctively turned around and looked up. Then I saw him and our friend standing there on the balcony. Big surprise ruined. They both eventually came down to meet me and I got a weak hearted hug. I was really bummed. He later told me he was stressed because he thought he needed to take care of me while I was there which just added to his other stress about the run.
THE EXPERIENCE
Friday night I did not sleep, there were 2 beds and 4 guys and none of them chivalrous enough to offer me a bed spot save my SO but I didn't want to be in bed with a stranger or anyone else for that matter. So I squished myself into a nook with a blanket and some pillows and hunkered down to stay up all night so I would be awake for my SO's speed run. His run went fine and I donated and watched on my laptop from the room since they would not make an exception to let me sit in on his run.
Saturday morning we had breakfast together and proceeded to wander around for a while. Then my SO and our friend really needed a nap, her being sick and him having tossed and turned all of the 5 hours he slept. So we went back to the room. They crawled into bed together and I did stuff on my laptop. I got tired of waiting for them to wake up so I went swimming (which turned out to be the worse idea I had. I ended up leaving my swim suit there which cost around $60 and I had JUST bought the top). They continued to sleep and I continued to do laptop stuff. Eventually they woke up and we got lunch. Rest of the day was a blur but since I couldn't do anything I left them to go have fun and headed back to the room.
Terrible mistake. I was running off no sleep and one of the roommates was still in the room. He took over the TV so I was forced to watch sports. But whatever right? That was just the beginning. I went out and got dinner, as did he and I came back to an empty room. I needed to go to bed early Saturday night to make up for lost time so I wanted to take my pills and be asleep by 8 or 9. It was around 6 ish after I finished eating that this dude showed back up with one of his friends. They had beers and started chatting but I had a bed all to myself so I sat there and put my headphones in and caught up on some Rick & Morty. Then another guy showed up. Then they started blasting Korean r & b. Then ANOTHER guy showed up. So I'm in this room of strangers, with no where to hide or go so I continued to try to watch my TV show on my laptop but I couldn't drown them out with the headphones I had at hand.
This lasted until only around 8 pm thankfully, they left somewhere, likely a bar. I was afraid to go to sleep with all the electronics just laying about so I had to wait until 9 when my SO got off volunteering so he could pick it all up and have it with him in the backpack. Eventually that happened, I closed the curtains and went to sleep. What transpired after that I have no idea because I was out cold. We got up the next morning and headed out for our plane.
WAS IT WORTH IT?
I'm still not sure. It was certainly NOT a vacation for me. It DID cost a pretty penny. But I did get to see SGDQ up close and personal. I got to personally and physically be in the vicinity to support my SO. Also I got to meet our friend in person. My SO never admitted to being happy I came, more than likely due to the money it cost over the stress he felt. So I'm not sure if it was worth it. But I did do it. And we can mark another city off the map of places WE have been to together.
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