My brother had warned me: one of his company’s owners was making two tickets to the Cub-Brewers game today available last Wednesday through a drawing. If he won them by chance, we had a decision to make.

And on Wednesday, he called me- he had won the tickets.

I looked into airfare prices on Thursday morning to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. And at $1000 a round trip, the reality of that remarkable fantasy of a trip seemed lost.

And then on a lark conversation with a family friend, the whole thing pivoted. She had buddy passes for a round trip on Southwest available for just such an occasion. “When do you want to go? You’ll be flying standby, but it will get you out there to see your brother and the game.” No problem.

And with that, she plugged me in the Southwest system, and a day and a half later, at 7 AM on Saturday morning. I was on a plane taxiing out to fly to Dallas.

It’s 7:30 PM a day later, and it was a busy weekend already.

When I arrived in Milwaukee around 1 PM, I hopped on the 80 Green Line bus at the airport and rode it to the downtown area, where I got off at Michigan Avenue and walked east into the remarkable blocks of the old big buildings of downtown, and beyond them, to the Milwaukee Art Museum, where I thought it would be ideal to burn several hours before I met my brother and his family.

And I am glad I did.

Featuring a collection of paintings and sculptures from European Masters, Realists, Impressionists, and Modern artists, I was delightfully lost in the building for over three hours. It had an impressive array of representative works from a range of major artists. Most impressive, perhaps, was the museum facility itself. A wonder by the lake.

When Scott and his family arrived in the city, I left the museum to meet them, walking some and then riding a few city buses at the generosity and hospitality of several drivers who helped me get to our hotel.

We went to dinner near the hotel at Jalepeno Loco, a local Mexican restaurant that served good food.

After dinner, we went back to the hotel where the evening consisted of junk food, swimming, and watching a few videos my nieces and nephews made while we waited for the loud Spanish music blaring from the hotel’s centralized conference room (which sat against our hotel rooms) to end. At 11:50 PM, the music finally ended. We were all asleep by 12:30.

Today started at 7 AM, where a visit to the hotel’s breakfast hall revealed there was actually little food available to guests for breakfast. We ended up at a nearby McDonald’s instead.

We went back to the hotel to practice what we had time to do together, and what we were the best at: swimming.
At 12, we had to be checked out, so we were. Scott’s wife and kids were heading home, while he and I had a game to go to. Goodbyes were heartily said- several times.

And Scott and I got to Miller Stadium for the 1:10 game start.

It was fantastic. The day was warm and mildly humid. The stadium roof was retracted and open, letting natural light and air wash over the stands and field. The stadium was full of white and blue Cubs jerseys, And it was a full house for the last game in this series with the Brewers.

In the end, late-season Cubs acquisition Jose Quintana pitched a gem- a complete game, 3 hit shutout over an impressive Brewer starter- 11-4 Chase Anderson. The game meant the Cubs took the series 3 games to 1 from Milwaukee and moved closer to securing the NL Central title.

After the game, Scott and I relocated to our new lodging for the night- a Best Western near the airpot- which also happened to be right next door to the Jalepeno Loco restaurant.

Which, naturally, is where we ate dinner again after a short nap.

we’re full, we’re cool in the hotel room, and we’re happy.

It’s been a treat to have this work out and to be able to spend time with my Wisconsin family.

Unforgettable, for sure. In all good ways.

Sharing a room tonight like old times when we were kids growing up, we’ll chill, talk, watch football, and go to sleep, sharing memories and thoughts along the way.