day 4 moline

This morning we went to services at the Tri Cities Jewish Center in Rock Island, IL - a nicely landscaped and well funded brick place. Dad had only been there once before but was welcomed warmly back and the Rabbi came up to us a few times and wished best of all, and mentioned him a few times during service. He went up there with all the alta kakas and read the torah, he sang hebrew proudly even though he didn't have the breath for it, beaming with the surprise warmth and even though he walked slowly there was a bit of a spring in his step. The family that has been helping him are a sweet folk, they remind me slightly of the Navy version of Mary and the boys, the middle one having his bar mitzvah next weekend, and the girl and other boys ranting about their fun at camp Mahna Mahna. It was sweet...

Then we went downtown to the John Deere center to buy a tractor, and there was the "taste of quad cities" get fat and eat bbq festival on the street. I had been surprised on Wednesday when I noticed them blocking off the streets for a fair happening three days later... but that's how it works in a small town- they've got all the time in the world to get it right, and it's not like it's inconveniencing anyone.
Lots of pink, pastel colors, John Deere hats and shirts, fat people, mullets...

THEN we went to Bettendorf Iowa to a post-church lunch with a coworkers of Dad's - a pristine American house set on a large green lot at the back of "Manor drive" - huge well to do family homes, giant yards and trees, set between corn fields. The house was... stuffy, religious, clean. Bad generic paintings on the wall. A wooden duck fetish. Antique dolls. A smiling and happy three year old greeted us at the front door with a loud and cute lispy nearly unintelligible babble, and shyly opened up her tractor toy, and ran screaming around the freshly vacuumed white carpeted place for her kitty... We ate a healthy home cooked meal which was quite good, talked about health, etc... one thing that stuck out was how the mother referred to some black people they had staying with them for a night as "the blacks"...
Afterward we went downstairs to the newly renovated garage storage area where immediately I was struck blind by the amount of fluorescent light and office ceiling tile... gah. And the sight of all the Jesus videos and books on the shelf, and a dvd title "only one race" struck me dumb. And the dad told of how he took an axe and sledge hammer to a 100 year old upright piano because he couldn't find anyone to take it out of there...


Buster the neighbor dog. -------------------->

Then, took the old man home to relax and now I'm back at the hotel, about to crack open a beer, maybe go sweat some calories at the gym... I still haven't done the tomato plant thing for Dad yet- chances are I'm kinda over driving around today, so hopefully I can find a nursery open on Sunday - if not, there's always Wal-Mart (which according to the guy are now in Brazil)...