Canton Cup and Randazzo's.

I did not have to search a lot to find my note pad.

It was alternating between being cloudy and sunny the last two days, more cloudy than sunny and a bit chilly. Also, it was drizzling now and then. This morning was bright, sunny and warm and I went out for a walk after breakfast. I wanted to make the best use of good weather and was not sure how long it would last. In Michigan they say “If you don’t like the weather in Michigan, wait for ten minutes!”
When I returned, I saw an unknown car in the driveway. As I entered the house, I saw a middle aged lady vacuuming the floor. It was the cleaning lady. I believe she comes once a week and tidies up the house. Thanks to her, all the clutter around the computer table had disappeared and my note book was right there in front of the monitor. It showed that I had come out of my jet lagged stupor for some time during the evening of 29th May and had gone to see the Canton cup soccer tournament, in which Dharini’s team participated.



This yearly tournament is organized by the Canton Soccer Club, and it gives an opportunity for boys and girls of all age groups to play. I heard that more than five hundred teams take part and the citizens of Canton working as volunteers make all arrangements for smooth running of the tournament. They hire the available fields in different parts of the city, mark out the grounds and parking spaces, erect tents for stalls and offices, arrange mobile toilets and trash collection and regulate traffic. The parents of the team members are the spectators and they come carrying folding chairs and umbrella shades. There is a festive atmosphere and everybody has a good time eating, drinking, chatting with friends and cheering their teams. It was our first exposure to the American ways and the courtesy they show each other and the disciplined way in which they conduct themselves was very impressive.



The next day I accompanied Vishwa to Joe Randazzo’s a vegetable and fruit chain store. I had heard about the variety that is available but when seen at close quarters, the quantity and variety is astounding. I lost myself amongst the rows and rows of fresh vegetables and fruits, wanted to buy almost everything, automatically converted the prices in to rupees and came back with out touching anything. Vishwa had filled his cart to the brim by then and we returned home. Later I found that half the stuff that looked very tasty was not to my liking and avocados, peaches and nectarine were not as tasty as I had assumed while reading about them in books and magazines.