Another Reason to Crow

My younger son, Jesse, is currently on a 3-week European tour with one of his bands. They're being treated like rock stars, put up in hotels that belong to the venues or in apartments with 4 BR and bath (more than any of them have in their dorms or apartments) and a fully stocked fridge, AND an unlimited tab at a nearby restaurant. (I would say, 'Though they're not old enough to drink," but then I remembered that in parts of Europe, the drinking age is 11.) I had urged Jesse to take a sleeping bag because I had pictured them being put up in youth hostels, or the like, and even advised him to eat a lot at the free breakfast so they wouldn't have to buy lunch. Instead, in about 2 weeks, he's spent only 70 euros.

Meanwhile, when Witt plays in the U.S. at 21-and-up clubs, the boys, who are all below that age, have to stand in the parking lot waiting until their set, and then are ushered out immediately afterwards. And when they tour in the U.S., they don't make sleeping arrangements -- they call whomever they know in a particular city (and Jesse seems to know someone everywhere he goes apparently, surprisingly, even in Poland) and ask if they can crash on the floor. Otherwise they planned to sleep in the car/van but we suggested that Motel 6 for $69 was a worthwhile investment for the night. Conveniently, though, our goddaughter lives in Switzerland, and they've spent 2 nights there -- on the way from Germany to Italy, and back from Italy to France. She made them an 'authentic' Swiss fondue. (I need to ask Jesse about something he said when he was much younger. We were in Switzerland, and though we hadn't ordered the cheese fondue, other people had. He wrinkled his nose and said, "Smells like old people." I've never quite made the connection).

And since I've already embarrassed Mike with the picture of him in the last blog entry (how bad could it be if I got away with using that picture as part of a yearbook ad when he graduated?), it's Jesse's turn, though his photo, which he knows quite well, is edited for the purpose of using it here. He knows what's missing.