January 28, 1941 (Tuesday)

HENRY ATTEMPTS TO CATCH THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN. HANK SEES GWTW.

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Cloudy - dull day.

We had a telephone call last

night at 10 o'clock from N.Y.

City - The Road Comm gang

called and want Henry

to catch the midnight train

at G.R. and go to N.Y. City of

go by plane - Ernie Thorne

said he would pay expenses.

Henry hustled around got

ready + Hank + Orlo took him

to G.R. but were 15 mins late to

catch train so came back

and Hank took him to G.R.

this morning and after going

to Hospital to see Jen, he took

morning train for N.Y. City.

Jen's doing fine so far.

Still in oxygen tent. I

washed to-day. Hank + Marvin

and lady friends saw "Gone With

the Wind" at Regent.

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Henry had planned to attend the Road Builders meeting in New York City with his fellow Road Commissioners but decided to cancel the trip when his sister Jen required hospitalization and an operation. When he received a late-night call urging him to come to New York by train or plane, following a long day at the hospital on the day of Jen's operation, Henry must have felt comfortable that his sister was doing well and excited to be able to make the trip after all.

As I read Edna's recap of what transpired, I felt the hustle and bustle of activity in the house, the excitement and the urgency to get him out the door and to Grand Rapids in time to catch the midnight train. I was right there with them on the ride to the station. I felt the disappointment that was surely felt upon arriving 15 minutes too late.

I may have tossed in the towel at that point but Henry goes home, gets a bit of rest, and heads back to Grand Rapids, stops to visit to his sister at the hospital, then catches the morning train to New York City.

Edna seems excited that Henry is heading to New York City ...perhaps his first and only trip to the Big Apple. She is equally delighted that Hank and Marvin went to see Gone With the Wind with "lady friends."

I love everything about this journal entry. It is all about love and delight on a "cloudy - dull day."