Billboard outside of Fenway Park, Boston, MA.
We have left Boston. We're on the road.
Something significant happened that i left out of my last entry. I think because it needs more attention than just a quick sentence. So, as i said when i was with Jed, he told me of Donnie O'Duggan, whom i believe is my great, great uncle - aged eighty-five. Donnie would be the best person to speak to as he was old enough to remember what happened. Jed also said that he had been interested in our family's history and knew a lot about it. An added bonus is that his daughter, Kathy, has embarked on an extensive genealogy research project about the Duggan family history. It's not completely relevant to this project, but it would be interesting to hear what her research has turned up. I wouldn't be surprised if all of my family actually traces back to Ireland. With surnames like Duggan and O'Donnell, and the fact that Boston is so densely populated with the Irish, it seems pretty likely.
On Friday afternoon, i finally got hold of Donnie. After two days of ringing, and ringing, and leaving voicemails, i had almost given up. I told Jed that i hadn't been getting through, so he forwarded me his mobile number. After so many attempts on the other line, i was pretty shocked and unprepared as Donnie picked up immediately this time. I garbled my way through who i was, my reason for ringing and what i was doing. I was not tremendously clear, which seemed to set a tone of confusion for the rest of the call. He told me that he wasn't in Boston at that moment, he was in Cape Cod, in hospital. For what exactly, i'm unsure, i thought it would be too invasive to ask but made sure that he was okay. Donnie told me that he had been in for a while but was to be released tomorrow.
The confusion continues when i asked him if i could visit.
'No'. '
No?', i thought, panicked. Is he not interested in meeting me? I want so much to meet my American relatives and he seemingly doesn't want to. Donnie then explained that he couldn't drive back due to his condition, so he was unsure when he would be back in Boston. I never clarified, but i think this was his reason for saying we couldn't meet. I hope it is. I said my goodbyes and told him i would ring him another time when he was home.
A few days later, when we had arrived in New York City (don't worry, quick diary catch up to follow!) i received an email out of the blue from Anne Marie (Duggan? I still don't know), the sister of Jed. He had told her about me and she was excited to get in touch. The email was headed 'Joey O'Donnell', she said they had been pretty close. Unfortunately though, we had already left Boston where she lived. We didn't have time to go back and she wasn't available for when we stop over on the way home. Instead, we organised a time to speak on the phone later in the week. I'm pretty nervous for this, as i was about Jed. First impressions are stressful. But i'm also anxious to find out more about Joey's life from someone who knew him better. Hopefully she can fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge about his later life. She had also spoken to Donnie, whom had said he was interested to speak to me. Phew, that seemed to confirm my thoughts about our conversation.
I guess in leaving Boston, i should speak a little about my experience there. It wasn't quite the city i had pictured, i'd built it up to be this happening, lively city. I imagined it to be a city that never stopped moving, to be edgy and possibly a little cold. Instead, it welcomed me with a warm hug and a toothy smile. The pace of life seemed slow, easy to get into the rhythm of. It's people had manners like none other - strangers on train platforms rescued us from our transport confusion, people stopped in the street to chat with us. Everything seemed wholesome, almost child-friendly, even the bars. The streets were completely clean, almost sterile. I felt bad smoking in the city, as though i was smoking in a stranger's house. In no way is this a negative comment, it's just that i couldn't imagine Joey ever living there. Perhaps that's why he left for Reno. It is quite possible that the city was much different many years ago, but it seems hard to imagine. I felt at home there, in a strange way. I bought myself a Boston Red Sox t-shirt before we left.