It started with many tears from my daughter. “Mom, did you mean it when you said you would come and get me if I wanted to come home?” “Sure, I said, just let me make arrangements and I’ll call you back with the plans.”
After several calls and searches on the internet I bought my ticket and packed my clothes for a two day stay and went to bed.
Next day, Thursday, Bronco took me to the Airport and dropped me off (he was on the way to work) It was 8:00 a.m. and the place was almost deserted. I wandered over to the Inspection Station and was asked to give my bag and purse to the Security personnel to put through the x-ray machine. They were very nice and and I asked what kind of deal is this?
They explained that sometimes people would sneak contraband in on their shoes. O.K. let’s get on with it. The Lady wearing rubber gloves me to raise my arms and my eyebrows shot up and I quipped “are you going to do a full–body search??” She laughed and said I could keep my clothing on except the shoes.” She went over every inch of my person with that wand. Funny how much metal one wears. Zipper on my pants, rings, watch and a silver cross on my neck all made the wand “ding”. Then when I thought they were through, they took my tote bag and purse and dumped everything out and completely searched them, picking up and examining them one by one. Good thing I was early and it wasn’t crowded. I just lost a tiny knife I had forgotten on my key-chain. No big deal.
After being dismissed and putting my shoes back on, I started up a ramp to the waiting area where I struck up a conversation with a lady from a neighborhood close to ours. She was going to a wedding in Chicago.
Finally the plane for Cincinnati arrived and after boarding the one little boy traveling alone and one lady in a wheel chair, we were allowed to board. Now I have been on small planes before, but this looked a whole lot bigger on the outside than it was on the inside. I’m 5’7” and had to scrunch way down to get into the seat! Talk about cramped. I was sure I would have a stroke before we got to our next change.
Arriving in Cincinnati we were taken by a bus to our concourse and from there we were shuttled by oversized golf-carts to the waiting section for the next flight to Salt Lake City. I didn’t get settled in the chair before our flight was called.
Got my bag stashed and seated in tiny middle seat over the wing (blast!) and found I was in charge of Emergency Door! Oh no! They knew not what they were doing here!
I almost hyperventilated when the man on my right said he would trade places with me and take responsibility.
Thank God!
This is the flight where I was supposed to get lunch. I didn’t see a tray anywhere, where the heck were they gonna put my lunch?
I needn’t have worried as we never did get a bite of lunch.
Up, up above the cloud cover this time. Looks like somebody’s washer overflowed and soap was everywhere.
The flight was a little rough this time. They gave us another bag of pretzels.
Over the Rockies I almost bawled, they are the most beautiful mountains in the world to me. I looked like we were somewhere north of Denver.
The movie was a good one I guess, they wanted $5. for the hearing apparatus that looks like a stethoscope, so I just watched. I had to budget my cash this trip.
Salt Lake City’s Terminal is HUGE!
I’m sure it was at least 5 miles to our waiting area, most of which was in 100 degree heat!
I boarded another tiny plane for Reno. One more hour and this nightmare flight will be over. WRONG!
Got into Reno at 3:30 p.m. I had to walk carrying my tote bag and make-up case and purse all of which felt like they weighed a ton!
The heat was almost unbearable. It was another half mile on and off the conveyor-walker.
I saw Di before she saw me and I hollered “lookin’ for someone Lady?”
Dianne and I proceeded to the Truck rental place. Believe me if you ever need a small truck to move from one end of the country to another use Penske.
They are the cleanest and best maintained I have ever used. (And we have used plenty in 45 years of changing jobs, etc. They took my credit card and some cash and we were out of there in 10 minutes flat!)
We trekked a few blocks to Di's house and proceeded to view the problem of getting all her stuff into that small van!
Fortunately, she had decided not to take everything. She left what her” Ex” might need. Too generous to a fault since she had bought almost all of it!
He sat the whole time watching T.V. and drinking a beer.
Whoa! I tried to have a conversation, no luck (no brain).
A good friend of theirs helped her take her stuff out and put it in the van. We couldn't have done it without him. What a guy!
She took her dresser and a dinette set, her clothing and gardening tools. I made a mental note to take it easy on the corners.
At one time during the loading process Di was standing on the narrow tailgate and fell off on her behind.
She said it only injured her dignity but she sure had one heck of a bruise later.
She went to say good-bye to her "ex" and he came unglued! He proceeded to call us names and I never could resist a come-back so I called him a Jackass and we pulled out and left him fuming on the front porch, same one he had thrown her off, I found out later!
If I had known that, I would have added a kick to Jackass. I guess he thought she was kidding when she told him I had come to get her.
He thought she was moving somewhere in town!
That night we figured we had worked hard enough so we stopped at the motel at the Alamo truck stop in Sparks.and Di dried some stuff she had left in the dryer at the house. Last minute thing.. We enjoyed a good dinner and rested well.
Next morning we pulled out early after fueling up and made over five hundred miles driving 65 and 70 mph. It was easy driving and we spelled each other every three hours or so. Di is a great driver and did more than her share.
We drove through Salt Lake City and since I was very familiar from here on in I navigated mostly. We stopped in Coalville, Utah to gas up, on the other side of “Salty” and as we were leaving a couple of Sheriffs Deputies tried to flirt with us. Ego Trip!
From there we drove to Little America, WY. We sure were glad to get there.
It was suppertime and as soon as we located our rooms we headed to the truckstop there and got us some sandwiches and ice cream for dinner.
While we were seated eating our supper Dianne looked past my shoulder and started giggling.
I thought she was tired and getting goofy and asked her what was so funny? She said “I just got mooned!”
I turned around and sure enough a man was standing at the counter ordering his food and his pants were past the butt-crack!!
We sat there and giggled like a pair of teen-agers. We called Bronco and Deb later and went back to our rooms.
Little America has been there since the ‘50’s I believe and the part where we stayed is very old fashioned but so very comfy and homey.
It was made for families with children on the road. We had small but nice separate rooms and the beds were super comfortable.
It did take 15 minutes to get hot water in the shower though.
We left next morning soon after breakfast. We didn’t eat in the restaurant because the prices were so high. It has white tablecloths and napkins. Always a sign that it’s over our travel allowance.
Our next stop was Gothenburg, NE. We had stopped to gas up about 8:00 p.m.
Dianne had been taking care of that chore and she pulled up to the pump and put the nozzle in and I went inside to wait and pay the charge.
TROUBLE!!
The hose on the handle came loose spraying Di, the pump and all over! I panicked and ran out along with the proprietor.
I was concerned with her welfare and so was he . He had turned the pump off the second it happened.
We pushed the van away from the pump with help from him and another customer and parked
far enough away for safety.
The owners who were from Manchester Eng. were super nice to us. They took Dianne to the showers and made sure none of the gas had gotten in her eyes.
She got cleaned up and we decided to spend the night there in town. They found us a motel and we reserved us a room.
They were so apologetic, couldn’t do enough for us. I paid for the gas that had gone into the Van and we left for our motel.
(The Motel from HELL as we have since referred to it.)
When we got to the motel , Super 8 in case you are ever in that town! STAY AWAY!
It was 11 p.m., Di washed her gas-soaked clothing in the motel provided washer which wouldn’t spin-dry!
She had to wring everything out by hand. Since the dryer didn’t work we hung them as best we could in the bathroom and went to bed.
Tomorrow had to be better than this, we hoped.
Next morning we got up early so we wouldn’t lose much time. I found a door open to the motel’s
Laundry room, went to the desk to find out if we could use the dryer, no-one answered the bell.
It was Sunday, I guess they slept late.
So I went back to the room and told Di to grab her clothes and come on, I had found a dryer. We were desperate!
The dryer was full of dry linens so we removed them and proceeded to dry her clothes.
I went to
the “snack room” and got us our free coffee and we waited for the things to dry.
I moved the van up under the overhang in front ready for a quick get-away and decided to get some ice to take with us in our travel cups.
With the van key in hand I put our cup under the dispenser and Oops! I dropped the van key in the grating, and it went as far as possible out of reach.
Well I panicked of course. I went in search of help and again no-one around.
Loose place this! All this time Di is totally unaware of my predicament.
Finally the ‘Madam’ came to see what the commotion was all about (by now I had gathered a crowd) and she started railing at me that the grating was not accessible except by a handyman who wasprobably in Church.
Well fine, I’m ready to scream, I must have my key! “Call him”, I say.
I was informed that it would probably take two hours to get him there. Now Di has heard the commotion and comes out to see what it is.
She takes one look goes back to the room and brings a wire coat-hanger. She calmly stretches it out and puts it down the grate and Voila! There is the key.
Not being sneaky, I tell Madam the dryer in the patrons laundry isn’t working and we had used the motel laundry dryer.
Oh Good grief! Now she is really excited! She starts her lecture all over again and I let it fly!
“We are the paying patrons here” I remind her.” We are the ones who pay her salary aren’t we? We looked for help and we are not the ones who screwed up the dam dryer!!!! One more peep out of you and you pick yourself up woman!!, We are out of here!”
She had the gall to wish us a “Nice Day” as we went out the door.
I’m embarrassed to report that I signaled her with a “California Howdy!”
We hopped in the Van and drove out of the motel lot fuming.
I asked Di if she wanted to gas up at the station where we stopped last night and she said “I don’t think so!”
So we went across the street. I was just happy that this one was open on Sunday! In Nebraska a lot of places close on Sunday.
We drove on down the interstate to the Truck stop at Grand Island, a great favorite of Bronco and myself. Boy, has it changed!
It was like walking into a Ritz-Carlton after the Motel 8!
It had been completely remodeled, there was a spiral staircase in the Truckers side so that they could go upstairs to sleeping rooms.
There were at least 4 separate sections for Truckers and Tourists.
We just got there in time for the Buffet and gorged our selves on Pancakes, eggs benedict, and sausage, bacon and hot biscuits.
After that it was fairly good going all the way home. We sailed through Missouri, Illinois and into Kentucky where we spent another night in a good motel.
Next day it was on into Tennessee, all the way across that state and down the gorge into good ole N.C. Boy, was I glad to see Bronco again.
Home at last.
Faye
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