My six-week appointment with the surgeon who did my knee replacement scheduled this week promised to put us fifty miles closer to the state line. Rooster and I decided to make the most out of our trip to Indianapolis. We planned to keep going until we reached Springfield, Illinois. A long weekend in the Land of Lincoln might be the perfect cure for our wanderlust. Thus, we found ourselves going to Illinois on a rainy afternoon.
Bad weather when we started our trip to The Land of Lincoln
Rooster and I drove to Indianapolis in a steady downpour of rain. The windshield wipers on our Spark had a hard time keeping up with the moisture falling from the sky. It made the road impossible to see at times. I got a little worried we’d have to white-knuckle it to Springfield, but by the time we pulled into the parking lot of the clinic, the rain stopped.
Results of my doctor’s visit
My confidence was up when I walked through the front doors of Ortho Indy. I’d worked hard in physical therapy. They even gave me a cookie with the logo, “no pain, no gain,” written on it in blue icing. I guess the saying holds a great deal of truth. After they took an x-ray of my new knee, I was called in to see the doctor. He showed me the work he did during the operation and said I was healing. I walked out of the doctor’s office feeling a sense of relief.
Our first night in The Land of Lincoln
Rooster booked us a room at the President Abraham Lincoln Springfield-a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. The idea went along the lines of us being within walking distance of all the Lincoln attractions this city offers. Lincoln started his legal career in the Illinois state capital. During the election of 1860, Lincoln became our 16th President. After his assassination, his body returned to Springfield. The Lincoln tomb is one of the cities many attractions.
We thought the center of Springfield’s vibrant city to be filled with great restaurants. Rooster and I discovered a downtown with a complete lack of life. The only businesses open were the marijuana store on the corner and Recycled Records. After we checked into our room, we decided to go for a stroll in hopes of finding a place to eat dinner. There didn’t seem to be much foot traffic on the sidewalks. I found this surprising because there are a lot of government office buildings in the area. It dawned on me that most government employees are working from home. The restaurants in the downtown area hadn’t opened up yet or went out of business for lack of customers.
Our short experience at Recycled Records
Rooster and I couldn’t pass by this junk store and record shop without stopping. The shop owner said they closed at five. There wasn’t much time for us to browse, but we did see a few interesting items. Neither one of us ventured upstairs, but I heard they have at least two thousand record albums up there. If you are looking for some old vinyl to add to your collection, you might want to stop by 625 Adams Street, Springfield, Illinois. Recycled Records might have what you are looking for in their massive collection.
Our adventures in The Land of Lincoln
From where we stood outside Recycled Records, we could see the Lincoln-Herndon Law office. We decided to walk the extra block to see if it was still open for visitors. Rooster and I were both disappointed to discover it was closed until further notice. The Old State Capitol sat across the street. I got excited because this building is where Lincoln practiced law. We discovered it was closed for renovations. None of the restaurants we found were open for business. Rooster and I walked around a little longer. My knee started to bother me. After we walked back to the motel, we drove to a chain restaurant for dinner. The meal was less than satisfying.
In conclusion
It makes me sad to think COVID-19 has stolen the soul from America. I know there is a deadly virus out to kill us, and yes, we need to be cautious. I only wonder if we are ever going to get our mojo back again. We know The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum is open. Also, the Ace Sign Company has a sign museum that should make for an interesting visit. In this COVID-infected world, we need to be grateful for small blessings.
Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh. To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.
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