Wicked!

The beginning of a rather bland day ended deliciously Wicked!

Ella spent the day "taking one for the team" and securing Olympic tickets. The tickets were purchased a LONNGGG time ago and today is the first day for pickup -- will call of sorts. Five and a half hours later, tickets were in hand. Apparently the problems with management of people exist everywhere. The company that sorted the tickets the night before in anticipation of us commoners screwed up royally. Oops, didn't mean to bring the royals into this...but it was a frustrating day, particularly for Ella, but for all of us as it ruined the trip to Wembley for Indian food and people watching.

In the mean time, the girls and I gingerly finished a work out. Gingerly due to mild shin splints from I don't know what...greater gravity from a few degrees in latitudes? harder concrete? harder workout in anticipation of higher food volume? Who knows?

Given that Wembley was out of the equation, the girls and I decided to eat the original British delicacy, Fish and Chips. Mr. Chippy's has been in Edgware selling Fish and Chips for a long time albeit under changing management. The original Mr. Chippy was a guy that looked remarkably like Homer Simpon's boss, Mr. Burns. But years blur on and Mr. Burns is no longer and today the store is manned by a punk teenager. The Fish and Chips, drenched with salt and vinegar, didn't last long as we sat outside and watched interesting people. We observed silly teenage girls laughing and screaming too loudly in an attempt to attract boys, a rather non-athletic looking boy skateboarding awkwardly, and other random Edgware locals going about their business. Speaking of Edgware locals, according to my father-in-law, this town has taken a turn for the worse. The window in time observing during Fish and Chips seemingly confirm his rants.

Later in the day, the girls and I joined Ella at Victoria Station in time to have a bite before going into the Apollo Victoria Theater to watch Wicked. Amazing how Hokies travel. Once again, as we were sitting down at a Cafe, a lady gets up and asked my girls, "are you guys from Virginia Tech?" She was eating with her son and unconfirmed family members. Her son, Taneel, a rising Chemical Engineering sophmore had recognized Elena and Kelsey from Virginia Tech. He was too shy to make first contact but a good Indian mom is always ready to meet girls for her boy. Sangita, the mom, seemed nice enough. They are British ex-patriates living in Atlanta for the past 10 years. Go figure.

The play, Wicked, was very entertaining. If you don't know the story, I will try not to ruin it for you -- the wicked witch of the west dies when some kid throws water on her. Oops, I gave it away. It is a fun parallel story to the Wizard of Oz and a must see.

Wicked indeed. There were many neat insights into people and what drives them and how your whole life can change by just meeting someone...