Blog Bio Trip, a surprise and Star trek

Keith had an idea. He wanted to surprise Jeff and Gloria Geiselman who’ve been our friends since college. Whenever we’ve needed help, they’ve always been there. It was more than that. The surprise had to do with an interest we all had in common. It included a special trip after Jeff retired. Once we knew when he was officially retired, we booked the trip—many months in advance. “Save the date,” Keith told Jeff and Gloria.

Late August we packed everything into our car and headed out. They knew we planned to eat in Omaha, so Jeff drove that first lap. Keith took over after that stop. We headed mainly east on I-80. I knew Gloria needed to know how to pack, so I’d already shared we were headed to a Casino Resort with a pool, hot tub and spa.

We talked, laughed, remembered incidences and friends from the past. Back in college, I was in a wheelchair and the guys took good care of me and included me. After my extensive surgery and relearning to walk, Jeff and Gloria were always ready to lend an arm when I needed more support. Now we’re geezers and Keith isn’t as steady on his feet as he once was.

Eventually Keith told them we were going to Riverside Iowa. That didn’t ring a bell and he asked them not to check on their phones. Even when we arrived and settled into very nice connecting rooms, they had no clue. We were all Star Trek fans. Before and after we married, we got together to watch episodes of Star Trek as well as shows that came out of that original show.

Keith revealed the secret. We brought them to the future birthplace of Captain James T Kirk. In the series, Kirk always claimed his home was Iowa. Riverside became that home. The next day we headed to the Star Trek museum with all things Kirk and Star Trek. No one else was visiting so Alex who was in charge spent his time talking to us and showing us around.

We took pictures of the command chair, the transporter, and much more. Alex even came outside with us to take a picture of us in front of the large mockup of the Enterprise. It was so much fun to share that experience with our friends.

This was also Amish country where horses and buggies were not uncommon on the road. We ate delicious ice cream at an Amish creamery, shopped at unique stores, and later enjoyed supper at a steak house. By then we were ready to return to the resort, I was out of steam, but the others grabbed their swimsuits and went swimming in the indoor/outdoor pool.

After long days, it wasn’t hard to sleep. The third day, it was time to head home, which we did after breakfast. After all, it was a 6 ½ hour drive home. On the way, we found some unique eating places to take breaks and eat. By the time we drove by exits for Grand Island, talk had died down. The only sound came from the radio.

We were tired and ready to be home. We gave thanks for a safe trip, a fun trip, and time together with good friends. We made good memories and took lots of pictures. I am glad we were able to do the trip and surprise our friends. Now we can look back, remember and smile.

What can you do to make good memories for family, friends, or even a total stranger? Try it. Make some good memories of your own.

(c) 2022 Carolyn R Scheidies

Feel free to share

Blog Bio Before the KSC/UNK campus was accessible

Recently my oldest grandson and I exchanged emails. I asked him if he would be able to attend his college courses in person this fall or still have to attend online. He answered that he would be able to physically attend classes, but he preferred online.

I told him I hadn’t had such choices which led to some interesting stories. He wanted to hear them and that got me remembering. Back in the early 1970s, my parents were looking for a college for me to attend. At the time, my father had no church so we were free to move to any place with a suitable college, one with a journalistic program and one where I could get around on campus. (I had one year at a community college all on flat ground.)

Getting around to classes was no small thing as I was in a wheelchair I couldn’t even wheel myself, though I could peddle a bit with my feet. Also, there were no ADA laws making it clear that colleges and businesses needed to accommodate those with disabilities.

After visiting what was then KSC (UNK), we were told they would help me get to my classes. Obviously, no one really considered what this meant. Nevertheless, my parents, my younger brother Paul and I moved to Kearney, which felt like home right away. (My older sister was married and lived in Kansas.)

After we settled in Kearney, my pastor father was once more called to serve a church—this one in Canada. Since we all loved Kearney and Dad would soon retire, Mom and Dad decided only Dad would leave to serve the church, while the rest of us stayed here in Kearney.

That created an interesting problem since my mother did not drive, leaving my high school brother as our only driver. He took me to college on my first day and got me to my first class. Somehow, I did get from class to class that day. At the end of the day the person wheeling my chair left me outside a building that is no longer on campus. I wore a warm cape, but the skies were threatening and mist threatened to become rain.

Paul was supposed to pick me up, but he didn’t. I tried to turn around. I saw he and two friends entering a building too far away to hear if I called. Obviously, they were looking for me. I was getting cold, praying, and wondering what to do. A woman saw me out of the window and took me back inside.

We tried to call my home but got no one. There were no cell phones. She knew who I was from church and decided to take me home. I was so grateful. On the way home we passed Paul who’d gone home to check if I were there. When I wasn’t, he headed back to the college.

He saw us and, thanks to the kindness of a stranger I was OK. When he got home, Paul added to the story. After unsuccessfully searching, he contacted the security office—campus cops.

He explained the situation. “My sister’s in a wheelchair and I need to find her.”

The officer on duty appeared bored. He glanced at his watch. “I’m going off duty now. If you haven’t found her by morning, let us know.”

Thankfully, unlike Campus Security, a stranger cared enough to get me home.

The old administration building consisted of three or four floors with no elevator. When I had classes in the ad building, I’d call my professor and explain I was in a wheelchair and couldn’t do stairs. Most professors assigned young men to wait at the bottom of the stairs and carry me up chair and all. Those were some wild rides.

These guys were kind and treated me with respect.The problem came during test time. As soon as someone finished the test they were to leave. No one thought—including the teacher—how that affected me. It left me at the end of the day stuck on a top floor of the ad building, mostly emptied of teachers, students and almost everyone else.

Paul would never find me, though by then he pretty much knew where I’d usually be for pickup. I had one option—prayer. It was frightening to be stuck with no options. Suddenly, up the stairs came someone I knew.

For some reason, she had business up there that afternoon. She was surprised to see me and shocked at my situation. It didn’t take her long to find some strong arms to carry me back downstairs. I was so grateful!

I can’t say how many times I needed a ride and how thankful I was for the kindness of complete strangers who helped me get around when I “got stuck.”. That was especially true in Winter when sidewalks were cleared with only a narrow path for walking.

I graduated with many good and some scary memories and a heart of gratitude that I would remain in the town that, for the most part, welcomed me—Kearney NE.

© 2020 Carolyn R Scheidies
Published in Kearney Hub 8/31/2020
Read my autobiography The Day Secretariat Won the Triple Crown