Monday, 9/23

MONDAY, 9/23:

Did you know that early in the morning the Marquette Branch Prison smells like onions?

Don’t worry; 2019 week hasn’t driven me insane YET. Friday morning, after writing my blog, I braved the fog, hopped on my bike, and went for a quick ride to Harvey and back. I knew it would be weird when my glasses got all foggy, and I had to take them off. It became weirder when I got past South Beach and could smell the man-made wonder of the Marquette Wastewater Treatment Plant. That’s always a wonderful odor, especially that early in the morning. Since I was biking (and trying to bike as hard as I could) I couldn’t hold my breath for any extended period of time, so I was resigned to the fact that I’d be inhaling the odor of whatever it is they’re putting out at the plant for a long period of time.

Yum, right? And that’s when I started smelling the onions.

It was strange. Within 30 seconds of biking the smell of onions was overpowering; I mean, it was strong enough to overcome the odor from the Wastewater Treatment Plant, so that must be saying something. You could tell it was coming from the prison, too, because as I drew closer to the Carl Pellonpaa Memorial Toilets the smell started to fade. The onion smell definitely came from the prison.

Now, while I don’t necessarily like the smell of onions (I don’t eat them, either), I was more than happy to substitute the smell of cooking onions for the smell of a wastewater treatment plant. I mean, anyone in their right mind would do that, right? And while I’ve been accused (many times) of not being in my right mind, I think that, at least in this instance, I was.

I’m guessing they were cooking onions at the prison either for breakfast or as prep for lunch; I don’t know how or what they eat there and, in all honesty, I really don’t want to know. All I know is that for a brief portion of my bike ride to Harvey and then for a brief portion on my way back, I discovered that in the morning, the Marquette Branch Prison smells like onions.

And that’s a WHOLE lot better than being reminded that the Marquette Wastewater Treatment Plant smells like, well, wastewater treatment. Trust me on that.

8-)

                                          *****

We didn't get EVERYONE there for my parents' 60th anniversary dinner last night, but almost--here they are with kids, (some of) their kids' kids, a few kids' kids' kid, and assorted spouses.

(jim@wmqt.com)