David and Aunt Kathy Shop at Apple Store

Running errands with Aunt Kathy led to an entire afternoon unexpectedly spent in suburban corporate-land.

I always ask Aunt Kathy what things she can use a hand with just before I come visit her in Chicago. Usually that means moving furniture, clearing out closets, or answering technical questions about using her computer.

This time, she had only one request: to help her buy a new computer. Aunt Kathy's old model had become sluggish. Even basic web-browsing and reading e-mail was frustratingly slow. Streaming video was completely impossible.

We drove out to an Apple Store to buy a replacement. The nearest store might have been some other location in the city of Chicago, but Aunt Kathy prefers not to drive in the city. So we drove in the opposite direction to a location in the suburb of Oak Brook that was probably about the same distance away as driving into the city center would have been.

David and Aunt Kathy Post-shopping

I'd compared models ahead of time so choosing was fairly straightforward. We could have just ordered on-line and paid the same amount to save ourselves any trip to the store. But, Aunt Kathy wanted to test the new model in order to avoid any surprises that might lead to buyer's remorse. Aunt Kathy plugged her USB mouse into the side of a display model. She found that using the machine I recommended--despite being crafted from aluminum rather than plastic--didn't feel as alien and different to using her existing model as she feared it might.

A salesman patiently answered all of our questions. I had far more and far more specific things to ask, mostly about the hardware, than Aunt Kathy. Was this model one that we could still open up ourselves to upgrade the RAM or swap out the hard drive? How did the processor on this laptop compare to the speed of the low-end Mini model? Once everything had been answered Aunt Kathy made the decision to buy what we'd come in for. We were given a significant "educational discount" upon presentation of my McGill student ID card.

Aunt Kathy stuck her credit card into the payment machine--but the charge was declined. It was obvious that the bank issuing her card must have suspected fraud given such a large purchase amount well above the range of her normal spending patterns. I offered to use my card, instead: but that too was declined for the same reason.

How could we pay with both of our credit cards being declined? Contacting the bank turned out to be not such a difficulty. Between the two of our cards it was easier to reactivate mine. To unlock the hold I was able to click a link from an e-mail message that my bank sent to my phone. Without a smartphone, it was a far trickier task for Aunt Kathy to get her credit card re-activated. To do so she eventually had to call her bank and navigate through a voice-mail maze.

David at McDonald's Headquarters

Once payment on my card had been accepted a sleek box containing Aunt Kathy's new computer was handed over to us along with a large plastic shopping bag with an Apple logo on it. I can tell that she and I have opposite sentiments toward new technology. I'm eager to open that box up, connect all the cables, and transfer the data over from her previous machine. She was clearly exhausted by the shopping experience alone, let alone the prospect of any configuration.

Tired as she was (and eager as I was to set up her new computer,) we did make one unscheduled stop--at the location of yet another major American corporation--before returning home. On our way into the Apple Store we'd driven past a huge office building flying a large flag bearing a connected pair of golden arches on a red field from atop a pole parallel to two others flying the national and state flags. I hadn't realized that the worldwide headquarters for McDonalds was just a short drive from Aunt Kathy's Oak Park condo. After leaving the Apple Store I asked if her we could stop there on our way back.

Restaurant next to McDonald's Headquarters

While McDonald's is not a place I often seek out I have certainly spent my share of time in many of their locations. Being out on the road anywhere on the planet today means stopping into a branch of McDonald's is nearly inevitable at some point to use the washrooms, connect with wi-fi, order something cheap and quick to eat, or just to pass the time waiting for a nearby train or a bus to depart when there's no better option nearby for a place to linger. I'd be curious to pop in for a tour of the world headquarters--if they offer them--the next time I call on Aunt Kathy.

I knew Aunt Kathy wouldn't be interested in (nor likely have ample energy for) taking any corporate tour after buying her new computer. But, I insisted that this time we ought to at least stop for a cheeseburger at the restaurant adjacent to the office building to satisfy my curiosity.

That outlet was much flashier than any other McDonald's location I'd seen. Away from the counter it had several seating sections including one cozier area with a fireplace; a more open area with a circle of loudly blaring TV screens hanging above (which reminded me of a sports bar;) and another large, airy upstairs area that was closed off when I came in. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the McDonald's restaurant at their world headquarters was less its varied design and more the fact that its clientele was made up of far, far more middle-aged white guys wearing suits than I'd seen eating in any other McDonald's restaurant.

Jia-yi Re-Boards Cleveland to Chicago Bus at Rest Stop

Calling on other friends around town will have to wait a few days. I'll return to Chicago after attending another conference, this one back in Madison, Wisconsin. After I get back from that I'll visit with Megan for a few days including over a Hallowe'en party she'll be throwing at her place. I hope I have enough time to get together with Jia-yi again, too.

Now, it's time to configure Aunt Kathy's new computer. After setting that up I'll ride the L's blue line to Union Station where I'll catch my bus to the conference.

In keeping with charting my ticket prices for the 2015 Grand Overland North American Tour here are details of how I got here on my most recent leg:

Ticket Origin and Destination: Cleveland to Chicago
Carrier: Megabus
Length of Journey: 7 hours
Price: $1 USD
Total Ticket Cost to this Point: $30.74 USD

Next stop: Madison