Two Nights in Sandusky

In August 2007 I went to Ohio on business. Those few short days were a success. Business was conducted with results that made us feel that we were really on our way and starting to grow. We offered the right things and it reached people. It was very satisfying, even as I was more the spectator than the participant. But it was not all business. What I remember from just those couple days is that, as we do too rarely, we allowed ourselves to enjoy the moment, or more precisely since we were in Sandusky, OH, to enjoy trying to find a moment to enjoy. During the middle of summer, it is said that Sandusky is pretty hopping… Cedar Point and Put-in-Bay draw the crowds. By the time college kids go back to school, the town shuts down, dead beyond dead. Two nights in Sandusky:

Night one, after the non-alcoholic cocktail party to kick off the event, we raced out to see the late showing of Superbad, which had just opened. I don’t like all stupid movies, but I know when I’ll like one, and this one was a definite with my hero Michael Cera in the lead. The movie was put together by the creator of Freaks and Geeks - never a commercial success, but it was great, find it online or on DVD or somewhere. It’s the kind of show that is almost too real and painful to watch. It churns up unresolved issues of teenage awkwardness as well as anything I can think of, outside of my own recurring dreams. The movie kept us out late, but energized… you can have it both ways, and you should always try to.

Night two, desperation sets in quickly and we much too seriously consider going to Superbad again. Cooler heads prevail, and we decide to drive past the strip and into town. Downtown Sandusky. It’s up on the lake there, closer to Cleveland than Toledo, closer to trash than treasure. At this time, we don’t know about the ghost town that awaits us. On our way in town, I place a call to the father of friend who fishes up near here to find out what’s worth seeing/ doing/ eating. I leave a message. Downtown there are no cars on the streets, it’s quiet, too quiet. Always interested in, though only occasionally searching for, good live music, we go into a few bars to see what we can, well, hear. One stop was an Irish Pub. As I recall, they were playing classic rock over the house system. No live music, not even appropriate canned music. We ask where we should try for some local music. We get a few suggestions and ultimately are directed to a bar that often has metal bands (we are in Ohio, where “metal” still lives). Surprise! There is no live music, but there is a DJ turning out an assortment of loud noises to an empty room. It reminded of bad club gigs where the stage lights, or even dim bar lights, reflect off the floor, unblocked by unseen crowds of adoring fans. After a couple obligatory drinks (you can only walk in and out of so many bad empty bars without taking pity on the bartender and giving them some business) we go back to the streets to wander. There, across the street, as the waves of Lake Erie gently rolled into the concrete shoreline, the sounds splashing into our ears, a marquee catches our eyes and touches our souls - Menopause the Musical: The Hilarious Celebration of Women and The Change. Our disappointment… it is not showing until October. Sandusky, you are quite the tease.

The next day I got the return call about where and what we should see and eat in Sandusky. “Well, there’s an Applebee’s.”