Wapsi Me Again
Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 9:15 pm
After reflecting on the fact that it's been nearly a decade since I found Wapsi Square, I decided to go revisit things - though not literally. This isn't going to have the EWV characters too involved - it's more or less me and Monica, and Shelly, and the "old school" group, with a MacGuffin or two.
---
I guided my car onto the 11th Street exit, and up the long off-ramp into downtown Minneapolis. It'd been a long time since I'd actually driven in the city, but because of the occasion – and because I finally had a bunch of time off to enjoy a drive over – I was guiding my HHR through the streets of Minnesota's largest city.
The mid-morning was crisp and bright – I'd headed out early, with the promise to Sarah that I'd make sure to stop at Tina's on my way home – and the traffic was pretty easy going as I turned to head down 3rd Avenue South.
The sight of the Holiday Inn Express brought back a memory. Had it really been nearly a decade ago, that I'd accidentally stumbled upon the strangest of things – things that I wouldn't have even imagined happening before that? And now – I was pretty much right in the middle of it all.
The light at East 16th, just before the viaduct over I-94, changed and I was shortly after back in the Stevens Square area of Minneapolis.
Or, as I jokingly called it, the Wapsi Square area.
My phone buzzed, and the MIDI sequenced notes of one-hit wonder Tommy Tutone's famed song rang out. Clicking it on and pressing speaker, I carefully guided my car through the narrowing streets.
"Hey there, M," I stated.
"Hey, you," came the reply. "Wherefore art thou? Been waiting on ya."
"Just heading down to Franklin now," I replied. "Should be there in a few minutes. Parking in the back?"
"Yeah, there should be a spot open; I still don't get why you wanted to drive," she was whining a bit. "You have a portal and all."
"Considering what we're doing, it's more appropriate," I explained. "Besides, I have the time and – if I'm really behind – I can bug Glytch about getting it and me home."
"All right," she said. "See you in a bit."
"Sounds good," I said – relapsing into my adopted "Nor'central 'Sconsin" accent.
"Silly cheesehead," she said with a laugh, clicking off the phone.
I turned onto Franklin, heading down to Lyndale. I turned onto Lyndale, then quickly guided my car into the parking lot of what used to be a furniture store – or, at least that's what M had told me. I always smiled when I saw the sign for the shop: ANTIQUIERA. Of course, I was one of only a handful that understood the joke behind the name, but it was a special inside joke. Though I had to admit that the Mayan gear-shaped centograph was always a bit spooky when I saw it on the front of the shop awning.
The ding of the bell on the entry door announced my presence, and shortly thereafter a petite busty Latina poked her head out from a door behind the front counter.
"Be out in a minute," she said.
"Who's waiting on who, again?" I said, trying to act annoyed – and failing. She only giggled as she slipped back into the office. I took the opportunity to browse around the front part of the shop. They had many different odds and ends – a few antique dolls, a display case of black-and-white photos of old-time Minneapolis, and some construction photos of the capital building over in St. Paul.
I went back over to the counter, and saw that there were some older "tech" items for sale behind the glass – including what looked to be a rather pristine-condition Sony Walkman, sans earphones, from the 1980's.
I heard a chirp from the other room, and Monica emerged from the office.
"Hey Joe," she said with a smile. "The statue's in the back by the old receiving area. You find a spot close enough?"
"Yep. Figured you'd be in front, still, so I didn't just go through the back door." She led the way to the back, tapping on a door just beyond the double-doors leading back.
"Tiff? You wanna take counter? Mr. Houk's here," she called out into what appeared to be the break room.
"Sure thing, Miss M," the young woman with the side-hawk and rose-tinted glasses said, rising from the small table with coffee in hand. "Takin' that statue over to the auto shop?"
"Yep," she said. "Finally tracked it down for Brian, and Phix insisted."
"Gotcha," she said, heading out into the main shop.
"Shall we load this thing up?" I asked.
"Well, like our Limey friend's always saying, 'do lets'."
We both had a laugh at the expense of Al, and headed off.
---
---
I guided my car onto the 11th Street exit, and up the long off-ramp into downtown Minneapolis. It'd been a long time since I'd actually driven in the city, but because of the occasion – and because I finally had a bunch of time off to enjoy a drive over – I was guiding my HHR through the streets of Minnesota's largest city.
The mid-morning was crisp and bright – I'd headed out early, with the promise to Sarah that I'd make sure to stop at Tina's on my way home – and the traffic was pretty easy going as I turned to head down 3rd Avenue South.
The sight of the Holiday Inn Express brought back a memory. Had it really been nearly a decade ago, that I'd accidentally stumbled upon the strangest of things – things that I wouldn't have even imagined happening before that? And now – I was pretty much right in the middle of it all.
The light at East 16th, just before the viaduct over I-94, changed and I was shortly after back in the Stevens Square area of Minneapolis.
Or, as I jokingly called it, the Wapsi Square area.
My phone buzzed, and the MIDI sequenced notes of one-hit wonder Tommy Tutone's famed song rang out. Clicking it on and pressing speaker, I carefully guided my car through the narrowing streets.
"Hey there, M," I stated.
"Hey, you," came the reply. "Wherefore art thou? Been waiting on ya."
"Just heading down to Franklin now," I replied. "Should be there in a few minutes. Parking in the back?"
"Yeah, there should be a spot open; I still don't get why you wanted to drive," she was whining a bit. "You have a portal and all."
"Considering what we're doing, it's more appropriate," I explained. "Besides, I have the time and – if I'm really behind – I can bug Glytch about getting it and me home."
"All right," she said. "See you in a bit."
"Sounds good," I said – relapsing into my adopted "Nor'central 'Sconsin" accent.
"Silly cheesehead," she said with a laugh, clicking off the phone.
I turned onto Franklin, heading down to Lyndale. I turned onto Lyndale, then quickly guided my car into the parking lot of what used to be a furniture store – or, at least that's what M had told me. I always smiled when I saw the sign for the shop: ANTIQUIERA. Of course, I was one of only a handful that understood the joke behind the name, but it was a special inside joke. Though I had to admit that the Mayan gear-shaped centograph was always a bit spooky when I saw it on the front of the shop awning.
The ding of the bell on the entry door announced my presence, and shortly thereafter a petite busty Latina poked her head out from a door behind the front counter.
"Be out in a minute," she said.
"Who's waiting on who, again?" I said, trying to act annoyed – and failing. She only giggled as she slipped back into the office. I took the opportunity to browse around the front part of the shop. They had many different odds and ends – a few antique dolls, a display case of black-and-white photos of old-time Minneapolis, and some construction photos of the capital building over in St. Paul.
I went back over to the counter, and saw that there were some older "tech" items for sale behind the glass – including what looked to be a rather pristine-condition Sony Walkman, sans earphones, from the 1980's.
I heard a chirp from the other room, and Monica emerged from the office.
"Hey Joe," she said with a smile. "The statue's in the back by the old receiving area. You find a spot close enough?"
"Yep. Figured you'd be in front, still, so I didn't just go through the back door." She led the way to the back, tapping on a door just beyond the double-doors leading back.
"Tiff? You wanna take counter? Mr. Houk's here," she called out into what appeared to be the break room.
"Sure thing, Miss M," the young woman with the side-hawk and rose-tinted glasses said, rising from the small table with coffee in hand. "Takin' that statue over to the auto shop?"
"Yep," she said. "Finally tracked it down for Brian, and Phix insisted."
"Gotcha," she said, heading out into the main shop.
"Shall we load this thing up?" I asked.
"Well, like our Limey friend's always saying, 'do lets'."
We both had a laugh at the expense of Al, and headed off.
---