| A – Chicago, IL | B – Lansing, MI |
| C – London, ON | D – Toronto, ON |
| E – Ottawa, ON | F – Montreal, PQ |
| G – Fredericton, NB | H – Halifax, NS |
| I – Portland, ME | J – Manchester, NH |
| K – Boston, MA | L – Providence, RI |
| M – New London, CT | N – New York, NY |
| Flight to Bridgewater, NS | O – Philadelphia, PA |
| P – Cleveland, OH | A – Home |
Chicago, IL
Chicago has been my hometown since I moved here in 1983. Before launching my first journey, I interviewed a few select friends to engender credibility for the project. One city down, 52 to go!
Lansing, MI
On May 1, 2022, I left my hometown of Chicago to visit the second city on my first journey, Lansing, Michigan. And I turned 65 that same day.
London, ON
London is where I studied economics at The University of Western Ontario. It was also the city where I interviewed my first stranger, Harry. The feeling was exhilarating!
Toronto, ON
I entered mustard heaven at St. Lawrence Market in Toronto. Weird, I know. I also interviewed two buddies from my university days. Sadly, the Maple Leafs lost a game 7 to Tampa Bay on home ice in the Stanley Cup playoffs while I was in town.
Ottawa, ON
My daughter has lived in Ottawa for almost three years as a university student. As I was standing in front of The Parliament Building, she called to tell me that Prince Charles was in the courtyard at the same time. We never met.
Montreal, PQ
My daughter and one of her friends joined me on my trip to Montreal so that they could attend the Metro Metro Festival. Jennifer and I also took in a Cirque du Soleil performance.
Fredericton, NB
In addition to enjoying the tranquil drive to Fredericton along the meandering St. John River, I had the distinct honor of being introduced to Dr. Bill Randall. Dr. Randall, a renowned expert in narrative gerontology, wrote the Foreword for my book.
Halifax, NS
Halifax is my childhood hometown. While there, something happened that had never before occurred. At the Leeson reunion, my three siblings, my six cousins, and I assembled in the same room. Remarkable!
Portland, ME
I spent my time in Maine in a rural country home in Amish territory, not far from Portland. There, I met two academics who dropped out and are mostly “living off the grid” on a farm. They declined to be interviewed.
Manchester, NH
Manchester was a mini treasure trove for me – three interviews. It was also the location where, for about 10 minutes, I felt that I had ominously entered the movie Deliverance. That turned out not to be the case.
Boston, MA
Boston is the home to Harvard University, Fenway Park, and The Freedom Trail, all of which I had the opportunity to explore. Better yet, I did not have a heart attack when I was in town. Bad memory from 2012.
Providence, RI
In Providence, I visited with a friend who I have known since grade two in Nova Scotia. Secondly, I attended a lawn concert hosted by The Rhode Island Historical Society.
New London, CT
My former employer, Pfizer, has a major presence in Groton, a town just across the Thames River from New London. I spent my first July 4th holiday as an American citizen with a former colleague.
New York, NY
I could write forever about my first visit to New York City. I met a gentleman whose two uncles perished on 9/11. He paid for my water at a Subway Shop. I saw their pictures in the museum. I also watched a Broadway play, Come From Away. It is about the role the people of Gander, Newfoundland, played during the 9/11 tragedy.
Bridgewater, NS
My unplanned journey to tiny Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, for a golf outing with about 40 high school classmates was a wonderful respite from the quest.
Philadelphia, PA
As a history buff, I found Philadelphia an excellent place for that. The highlights were seeing the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed.
Cleveland, OH
I ended my Eastern Journey in Cleveland after being on the road for 83 nights. I visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and cooked my signature dish, jambalaya, for my Airbnb host and a few of his friends.