Her face looked like carved marble but was soft as cotton. My pursuit
of her was pure folly. She wasn’t just out of my league, she was
playing a completely different game.
I was drunk and
barely coherent when I saw her at the bar, sitting alone, and went
over to ask her out. It took a couple tries before she understand
what I was trying to say. She took my phone out of my pocket and
entered her number.
My friends tried to
convince me to wait to call her. I ignored them. We went to dinner
that night.
Checkout time is 11AM. Pat was the first one awake, at 10:20AM. Rush, rush, rush. We were only a few minutes late out the gate, but now we’re all exhausted.
We stopped at a WalMart which turned out to be in New Jersey. The problem with that is they charge you $6.50 to leave New Jersey. Cause nobody would pay to get in.
9/26/19
– Fixins
I fixed a couple things around the RV today. Got some errands done online. Pat did some cleaning. It’s not all fun and games in the big yellow truck.
9/27/19
– Amish Country
We’re in New Holland PA. Just east of Intercourse. We saw buggies and honor-system produce stands and lots of hefty women in long skirts doing yard work. And big horses. Like, can pull down a barn all by themselves big.
Because of the nice weather the campground is full and we are stuck on the back lot which can only be reached by going the wrong way down a one way street. No cable or wifi on the back forty, just drainage ditches and darkness.
9/28/19
– Black Vultures
Walking Abigail in the woods today we were swooped upon by what I thought were giant crows or ravens. We weren’t being attacked. They just wanted to scare us away. Turns out the birds were black vultures. They have five foot wingspans and tiny heads. A bit smaller than turkey vultures but way cooler-looking.
9/29/19
– Intercourse
We drove through Intercourse PA today. My inner teenager insisted.
9/30/19
– Yo Yo Weather
We are in a strange place. Rather than a continuous temperature arc, it wanders up and down all day and night. Dress in layers, y’all.
10/1/19
– October
The summer is gone. The month of my birth is here. We are in Delaware. Not far from where the rest of my family had a get-together last year. I couldn’t make it then. Bad timing.
Seriously, we are at the Sodom Mountain Campground. Pat has yet to turn into a pillar of salt. That means a lot to me.
I tried climbing the mountain but only made it about half way up. Above that the trails were too steep and loose rocky for me.
Next stop Gomorrah Valley?
9/20/19
– Hopewell Junction
Hopewell Junction is not a town. It is a “hamlet” within the town of East Fishkill, which is of course, just east of Fishkill New York.
9/21/19
– Writing Day
Got a whole bunch of writing done today. Perfect day for a bike ride but no safe roads around.
Pat is making pumpkins.
Abigail complains that we aren’t feeding her enough but the vet says she’s a good weight.
I’ve been sitting in this chair for too long.
9/22/19
– Pennsylvania
We are in Stroudsburg Pennsylvania. No two people pronounce it the same. When you point that out they all say that they pronounce it correctly and the other people must be from New Jersey. New Jersey is two miles away.
The woman checking people in at the campground is extremely bored and makes jokes to pass the time. The old couple in front of me were not amused. She was so happy when I joked back.
9/23/19
– Bonking
Went for a long bike ride today. Too long. I had to change my route due to poor road conditions. This happened a couple times and added many miles to my trip. Oh yeah, 90 degrees. In addition the hills were again much larger than Google Maps suggested.
I finally got to the bike trail I was aiming for and it was wonderfully flat. For the first five miles. Then it was a nightmare of impossibly steep hills with horrible surface. The trail was dirt, covered by gravel, covered by moss, covered by rotting leaves.
When I got back to the paved road it leveled out a bit, but I was so worn out it took me over an hour to go the last five miles. Such fun.
9/24/19 – Rest Day
Took a day off to nap and do nothing.
PIX
Ice cream truck in a childless campground
Someone ignored the no grills on the wooden table rule
The torrential pain swept across her body. She did not scream. There
were no tears. A slight tremor. The ghost of a wince. She sipped her
tea and contemplated her cards. Her cardmates gossiped on, unaware.
Later, back in her
room, she takes three of the gray pills her nephew sends her from
Mexico. She drowns them down with the vodka her neighbor with the
limp leaves in her milk box every Sunday Morning. She leaves money
for him but he never takes it.
Nobody else knows
what has become of their former mayor. Praying for death. Weeping for
relief.
Tags: pain |
Comments (0)
| Author: Tom
| Published: September 21, 2019
Tom Week – UPS heroes
9/12/19 – UPS Hurrah
“The” UPS package came today. Will can sleep better tonight.
Did some laundry, including my cycling clothes. Pat’s prayers have been answered.
Wrote a whole bunch on what I’m now daring to call my new novel. It’s a glorious mess. So far I’m able to not self-censor so it’s going quickly. Rewrites will be extensive.
9/13/19 – Feme la Lune
A full moon on Friday the 13th. Got a lot of writing today. It will be a book. Maybe not a novel, but a collection of short stories with all the same characters.
Pat’s leg is slowly healing. We may be able to get back on the road in a few days.
9/14/19 – Blood on the Rug
Abigail has a growth between her tail and her anus. We found it by following the trail of blood she left around the RV. Took her to the vet. It’s not dangerous but we are having it removed on Monday unless the vet can’t fit her in.
Pat’s leg is part better, part worse. No fever, so that’s a good sign.
9/15/19 – Better
Pat’s leg is much better today. Hazzah!
Went for a wonderful wander on the bike. Just took roads on a whim. Much fun. I need to do more rides like that.
9/16/19 – Good day for Abigail
Went to a new vet today to arrange surgery. After several hours they looked at her and don’t think she needs surgery. Hazzah again! Now maybe I can stop worrying and get some sleep.
9/17/19 – Happy Furniture
For the first time we got to witness Ann and Jenn transforming a pile of junk into a beautiful piece of furniture. Amazing.
9/18/19 – Dented Roof
Returned the rental car and they found two little dents on the roof. No idea how they got there. Online stories suggest it’s a scam but without evidence I had to call my insurance company. Bummer.
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