New York was magical in so many ways. Seeing in person many of the friends I have made on my Hamilton odyssey - Sergio, Nicole, Marianne, Nancy, and others - making new friends like Hamilton re-enactor Scott MacScott and Wanda Lundy - walking in so many of the places where Hamilton once lived, fought, and served, from the Grange to the Morris-Jumel Mansion to St. Paul's Church in Westchester to Trinity Church, Fraunces Tavern, and Weehawken - experiencing the sights and sounds of "the greatest city in the world" - seeing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island - getting to share this trip with my darling wife Patty (I think her feet are still hurting!) and my enthusiastic, young, semi-adopted-daughter Eliza McMillan-Matic - my heart was so full by the time I collapsed into bed Monday night I just didn't think I could take or do anymore.
So on our last day in NYC we spent a truly lazy morning. We watched TV and snuggled until after 9 AM, then reluctantly got up and packed out our room. BTW, a quick shout-out to the Indigo Hotel Downtown on Wall Street - it was a wonderful place to stay, great location, and the staff were so friendly and helpful! Also, I might add, they had some of the most comfortable hotel beds I've ever slept in, and the pillows were just perfect! After weighing our options, we decided to catch a hotel-chartered cab from downtown to La Guardia, and invited Eliza to come downtown and ride with us. Of course, she had to make one last very quick pilgrimage to Hamilton's grave (two blocks from the subway station and about four from our hotel!) before running down to meet us. She got there about five minutes ahead of the cabbie, and then we headed to the airport, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge (for sure this time! I asked the driver.) and then parting ways once we got inside.
The trip home was smooth; we took off around 3 PM from La Guardia, had a 3 hour layover in Norfolk where we ate lunch (good old Burger King!), and then a final, 3 hour flight to DFW airport. We got there around 9:30, and my son-in-law Joseph and daughter Rebecca picked us up just after 10. Of course, we hit construction on 635 in Dallas that delayed us about a half hour, but finally, around 12:20 last night, we got HOME, where all journeys come to an end.
It was a marvelous experience, no doubt we'll be paying off the bills for months, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Thanks to all who made it possible, and of course, to the remarkable man whose life and deeds inspired my book and enabled me to connect with this wonderful band of scholars, historians, and enthusiasts - Alexander Hamilton himself.
If you'd like to read the story that was inspired by his life, here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/President-Hamilton-Novel-Alternative-History/dp/1632137100/ref=sr_1_23?dchild=1&qid=1624931942&refinements=p_27%3ALewis+Ben+Smith&s=books&sr=1-23&text=Lewis+Ben+Smith
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