Hamilton was much more fun with the girls
By TheRealDawn
@dawnald (85137)
Shingle Springs, California
November 7, 2021 4:28pm CST
I went to see Hamilton in San Francisco a couple of years ago with my girls, and we had a lot of fun. Last week, I took dad and Jane to see it in Reno, and not so much.
I knocked off work early so I could get everything together. I got her portable oxygen compressor charged and waiting by the door, got her backup machine in the car, got the charger out of dad's car and put it in the car, got the walker in the care, went on a last minute errand for her, and went back into the house three times for things Jane had forgotten. She wanted me to shorten the oxygen line for her, but I told her we just didn't have time. "Not important", she said.
So I carried the machine and walked her to the car. Dad had taken her seat which was closer to the house, so I walked her to the other side. We had dinner at Black Bear Diner in Fernley, and she could barely walk from the handicapped space to the restaurant and back. And I was worried about how we were going to manage this.
My sister called with directions and Jane tried to butt in with alternate directions. We told her we were meeting up so that there were 3 people to help, and not just me. Jane likes to park at the Italian restaurant across from the venue. There's a handicapped space there. It's slightly closer, but not much, and Wendy said it was full anyway.
So we pulled into the public lot across from the restaurant and caddy corner from the venue, and Scott helped her out and got her on the seat on the walker. We put the compressor on the shelf under the seat, and Scott pushed her on it.
We stood in the long line where they were checking ID and vaccine cards, also purses, etc. We got inside and got seated.
That's when Jane decided she wasn't comfortable without the backup battery for the compressor and sent me back to the car. Which meant I had to find someone to stamp my hand. Even so, I had to stand in the line all over again. so I barely got back to my seat in time for the first half.
Come intermission, I'm thinking maybe I should hit the restroom when Jane decides she wants headphones and candy. Wendy goes and gets the headphones and I get the candy. At this point, there's no time for restroom.
I come back with the candy, and dad hands me his headphone, which is set on loud.
During the second half, Jane keeps asking dad for more candy (she gave it to him to hold). Picture this. We're at the most popular musical in the country, and you hear someone whisper loudly, "more candy". The other person says, "what?" Louder, "MORE candy". All through the second half. People were staring.
Meanwhile, the guy next to me wants me to turn down the headphone because he can hear it, so I have to figure it out in the dark.
After the show, Wendy and Scott want their drivers licenses back (they had to turn them in to get the headphones), and I'm really in need of a bathroom. So Wendy turns in the headphones, Scott waits with the parents, and I run for the ladies room.
I catch up to them halfway to the car. When we get there, we load up the parents, swap out the battery, and I start driving. Which is when Jane decides to give my mask back to me (she forgot hers) as I'm backing up. It was very hard not to be snappish.
We get home, unload everyone, get Jane on the house oxygen, and I go to bed.
The next day, I find out that Stephen turned the oxygen down on Jane's compressor, which is no doubt why she was so exhausted on that outing.
Dad liked Hamilton. Jane didn't. Something about not being able to hear the words. 

5 people like this
4 responses
@kaylachan (84784)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Nov 21
Sounds like they made the outting more of a chore than it needed to be.
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
9 Nov 21
That sounds like quite the adventure. At least, your father enjoyed the show.





