The Arrival

Saturday, 27 January.  I get a call from Bart, the Vermonter that was driving the Airstream down south.  Said he was leaving Monday or Tuesday, and would arrive in Charleston on Tuesday or Wednesday. 

Tuesday, 30 January.  The Airstream was in Hyde Park, Vermont, getting new tires (the tires were the original 1972 tires...so a good thing).  Guess they're not leaving on Tuesday.  Quote of the day (by Bart):  "I need another day here because I've got to get new tires for your home."

Wednesday, 31 January.  10:23 am.  I get a call from Bart.  He was getting ready to leave Vermont.  "Sweetheart" he says, "we'll be there in no time.  We'll only drive 50 mph though, I'm not bringing my big truck." 

Thursday, 1 February. 9:14 am.  Bart calls.  He's two-thirds of the way through Pennsylvania, on I-81.  Said he'd be here in 6 hours.  I'm thinking 12 hours.  He's now talking 'we'.  Ends up he brought his buddy Chuckie along (no, not Chuck or Charles - Chuckie).

Thursday, 1 February.  2:35 pm.  Bart calls.  He's in Roanoake, Virginia.  Roanoke I think?  Then I realized that he took I-81 and that they'll get on 77 (to Charlotte).  Bart says he's gonna 'step it up a bit' and that he'd be in Charleston by 9:30 pm. (I'm thinking that they haven't even hit 50 mph yet - but hey, it's all for the care and well-being of my new home, right?).

Thursday, 1 February.  5:35 pm.  Bart calls, and he and Chuckie are stopping 30 miles west of Columbia to get something to eat.  Chuckie is also thrilled because cigarettes (his only remaining vice) are really cheap in South Carolina, so he needs to stock up at JRs. 

Thursday, 1 February.  9:14 pm.  Bart calls, and he and Chuckie are 100 miles from Charleston. 

Thursday, 1 February.  12:10 am.  Bart calls, and he and Chuckie are at the I-26 - 526 intercharge towards Mt Pleasant.  They will call me again when they get on H-17 heading north.  I am not so sure how it took them 2 hours and 54 minutes to go 100 miles.  Actually LESS than 100 miles, since they are still about 14 miles from downtown Charleston.  So 2 hours and 54 minutes to go 86 miles.  (Do the math).  But I'm okay because Bart told me to remember that the glass is half full, even after midnight.  It's now 12:14 am.  I wonder if they're even off the 526 exit ramp...

Thursday, 1 February.  12:24 am.  Hmmm.  They were at the 526 exit to Mt Pleasant - actually taking the 526 exit when I last spoke with them, but they ended up staying on I-26 (which isn't that hard to do) so I get a call asking if they should get off on King St or the Citadel.  Oops.  They were almost downtown.  So - after doing something that Bart said he wouldn't tell me about, they managed to get back onto 1-26 and are now taking the 17N exit to Georgetown/Mt Pleasant.  Yes, my new home is heading over the new big bridge.  So they are about 18 miles away.  I told them to call me in about 10 miles.

Thursday, 1 February.  12:36 am.  Bart called again.  Twelve minutes after the last call.  They are at the Twin Rivers Bowling Alley in Mt Pleasant.  Not literally, but near there on H-17N.  Not exactly 10 miles, but I was optimistic that they were still on H-17 heading north.  I decide to stay on the phone with Bart for the duration of the trip - wouldn't want them heading towards Myrtle Beach.

Thursday, 1 February.  1:14 am.  The Airstream has arrived!  Bart's arrival quote of the early morning:    "If I were you, I'd set up a port-a-potty outside when I'm living in it."  Hmmm...that doesn't sound fun.  But Bart may have a point...  He and Chuckie come inside, warm up a bit, and take showers.

 

Thursday, 1 February.  1:48 am. Bart and Chuckie have gone outside in their flannel pajamas (with blankets) to sleep in the Airstream.  No, there wasn't any heat.  But they thought my home (with the thermostat set at 68 degrees) was boiling hot.  I head to bed.

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Footnote.  Yes, I resisted the urge to call my brother at 1:48 am and update him via phone.  The first reason:  he was nice enough to think about me when a patient came in needing a whole bunch of crowns who also had an Airstream that he never used.  The second reason:  talking with my brother a few nights ago, he confessed to me a little white lie (truly) that he had told Bart that was about as funny a thing that a man who is close to turning 52 (on Valentine's Day, in fact) could tell - and it still makes me laugh - and I have a feeling that I'll laugh for awhile about this.  It was the little white lie of a 12-year old boy, and it took me back to days long ago when we lived under the same roof and protected and defended each other when we could - and often with a sense of humor...and revenge.  With those days in mind, I feel compelled to post these images of my brother, taken when he was in high school.  I only dug them up because I'll do anything right now not to work on this grant - yes, I'm procrastinating.  But I still have not told Bart anything and I will not - but these photographs?  My brother will only call me and say first that he didn't remember them, and second -- what are you doing posting them on the web?  I will just smile and say that I didn't wake him up in the early hours on a work night (even though I wanted to) and that if he'd rather, I could just give old Bart a call...I mean, acting 12-years old goes both ways.

           

 

 

Comments

[Agricola]

Given Bart's lack of clarity about matters relating to time and distance, perhaps you might want to revisit the whole issue of who will be the builder of the new palace. I actually know a contractor who proudly declares his start dates as "when I get to it", and his completion dates as "some point in the future". For good reason is his business known as the Manana Company. Good work, for sure, but, geez......

[Pam]

Yes - I'm afraid that Bart would drive me nuts! I didn't even bring it up. Guess I'll be needing to meet with some builders over the next few months. What a great name though - the Manana Company! That's pretty funny.

[Joan]

Hey! You got your baby! Aren't they great? Now join me in reciting the Wally Byam creed:

To lead caravans wherever the four winds blow... over twinkling boulevards, across trackless deserts... to the traveled and untraveled corners of the earth.

To play some part in promoting international goodwill and understanding among the peoples of the world through person-to-person contact.

To refine and perfect our product by continuous travel-testing over the highways and byways of the world.

To strive endlessly to stir the venturesome spirit that moves you to follow a rainbow to its end... and thus make your travel dreams come true.

- Wally Byam

[Pam]

Joan: It took me awhile to realize what the numbers were on the back of the Airstream - then I realized it was the Wally Byam Caraban Club! How funny.

I'm still getting to know my Airstream - and since it's all vintage stuff (it's a '72) I'm going to have to swap out the propane tanks and get the nozzles to the tank changed (since all of that has changed in recent years). There's a bit of work to do!