THE TRIP THAT NEVER WAS
or
The Dream That Got Away in 1993

At Christmas time we said, "We'd like to go to Sweden, sort of a "Finding Our Roots" journey" since we are all half Swedish. Kristin, would you like to go with us?"

Eager smile, "Yes!!" And all the rest of the family chimed in, "We'll all go!" Envision seven individuals burdened with luggage, all with different tastes and interests --one young woman of 22 just graduated from university, one actress-singer-dancer of 17 ready to start at Barnard, one very teenage 15 yr. old granddaughter, two well-traveled career-oriented parents who barely have time to vacation, and two stodgy grandparents wanting to create a Super-Memory.

Glen and I had always been the guests of others who planned our trips, his fraternity, Rotary, his Sociological meetings and his Japanese hosts. So to vivacious Alberta Wort, owner of Yonkers Travel Agency we repaired. We were entranced by the brochure of RENAISSANCE CRUISES, which glowingly pictured a cruise on the Baltic Sea with dawn pinks and sunset on the water by Copenhagen castles, Stockholm seaports, and most mysterious and wonderful of all a 2-day stop at St. Petersburg -- a dream of mine to set foot on the soil of Russia! The ship had a swimming pool for our champion swimmer Kathryn, entertainment of cabaret style for Kysa, gourmet buffet for chubby Glen and me, and relaxation for the driven Yuppies. Alberta called at the beginning of Feb. (or was it the end of Jan.) breathlessly enthusiastic, that she had obtained three cabins for us on the Aug. 7 sailing 0f this 99 passenger luxury cruise!

Ted spent a day arranging the flights with his frequent flyer free tickets including Marriot hotel stays, and we were off in dreamland anticipating a glamour experience, the high spot, culmination of our Life -- the opportunity to be with our five dearest, most treasured people in the whole world for a whole week! Ah, how crafty of us to get to be with them, the busy, frenetic lifestyle they pursue having often made our hours together rare indeed. (We are always chary of bothering or imposing on their time.) Ah, bliss! The idea of sleeping on the ship without moving luggage to various hotels appealed strongly to Ted and none of us had ever been on a CRUISE -- a sojourn on the WATER!

The months went by ... March, April, May, June ... I said to Glen, "Why don't you call Alberta and find when you have to put down money?" He, always annoyed when I sound like a school teacher admonishing her student, replied, "She'll call us when she knows." Alas, the Bomb! Alberta called and said, "The cruise for Aug. 7 has been cancelled!" The Dream demolished!

You see, it wasn't so much that we were educationally motivated. We didn't want to motor all over Sweden-finding our ancestors in graveyards, arguing over which restaurant to eat in. Rather, we wanted a carefree epiphany of togetherness unsullied by missed trains, heaving luggage, etc. etc. A sentimental Romantic, I envisioned lounging on shipboard talking deeply and rewardingly with my three Angels about their hopes and plans.

Epilogue

Kysa is going to act in a play at Princeton with University students in August. Nancy's company wants her to fly to California. Kristin is invited to be in a Wedding in Evanston (?) Life's mundane activities go on. Glen has his United Way, Rotary, fraternity and UCC church meetings to absorb his energies. Maybe I am the one who adjusts the most poorly.

It was going to be the crowning glory/culmination of our life, a belated celebration of our Fiftieth Wedding ANIVERSARY which slipped by unnoticed.

Can we still go next summer on Midsummer's Eve?

Indeed, the trip was rescheduled and completed the next year in 1994, with all 3 generations!