April 11, 2006
Just a Couple Stories
With the house open and the fresh spring air, I've become a bit nostalgic. I sat here last night, unable to sleep, entertaining myself with stories of old.
I was thinking about my first boat ride. I taped it to share with my friend Bam. Because I knew her so well, I had a full-blown conversation with her. The folks around when I was taping thought I had lost my mind. But then they saw the tape she sent back. It was of her watching my tape. The conversation was flawless. I know her so well, I knew what she would say or do in any given situation. And my smart-ass remarks back to her were right on. It's pretty funny to watch. I'm going to need to get a VCR just so I can watch that again.
But anyway, I was thinking of that first boat ride. My first time on the Gulf of Mexico. I remember the absolute joy of flying over the water. The wind in my hair. I could feel the every day pressures slippin' away as we sped south.
I remember sitting on a sand bar, just off of Midnight Pass. Watching the tropical fish swim around my waist. I saw a dolphin, my first up close, just a few feet away from me. I could have reached out and touched him.
But what I remember most about that day was that lack of stress. The feeling of freedom. No one wanted/needed anything from me. All I had to do was sit in the boat or water and drink, talk, laugh - be.......
I need to find something up here that gives me that feeling. That release. I refuse to "hole up" this summer. Nope. Not gonna do it.
Another story that ran through my mind was the time Bam and I went to the east coast to check out the beaches in Palm Beach. I told her I am NOT a fan of the Atlantic beaches - I much prefer the Gulf. But...she was dead set on it and there was no changing her mind. So - off we went......
I lived about 4 hours from Palm Beach at the time. Hadn't been there exactly. I'd been to Miami on business several times, but never Palm or West Palm. So - I actually got a map and plotted out the drive. I decided we'd really treat ourselves so we rented a very sporty red convertible. 4 hours one way in the car, might as well get some sun while we're at it.
The morning dawned beautifully. We get in our bikinis, pack a quick bag so we have something to wear at dinner, and hit the road. We were laughing that it was our version of Thelma and Louise. Oh if we only knew........
So - we get across Alligator Alley no problem. Then I turn north at whatever road it is to get to Palm Beach - and we proceeded to get lost. Oh, did I mention that half way there it started to storm? Not rain. Oh, no. STORM. Yeah, that was hysterical. Neither one of us very mechanical, we couldn't remember how to get the top back up. But anyway.....
We get to West Palm, find the beach and I park. She got out, walked to the edge of the beach, looked at the water for, oh about 2 mins. then got back in the car. "OK. That sucked. Let's go home".
5 hours folks (because I got lost). Five flippin' hours for 2 mins at the beach. I was a little pissed off. To say the least.
So we head home. In my infinite wisdom I decide to take a "more direct route" home. Yeah - we decided to head north and then west. Now, I don't remember the details except that we did see Lake Okeechobee at sunset. Breathe taking. Beautiful. Then.....we got lost. Again.
It was dusk. The road had a detour and I misread the signs. We ended up in a sugar cane field. The actual field. I follow the track and come out on the edge of this little town. Now, it had stopped raining so we had the top down again. As we pull into town, two chickies in bikinis in a hot red convertible, we notice that everyone in town is stopped and staring at us. As we get to the only stoplight we realize they are coming towards the car. And they didn't look all that friendly. Bam starts yellin' "Punch it. Punch it. Get us the hell outta here!!!" So I did. I ran the light and just put that car through its paces. Finally we see a sign for the police station. Did I mention they were CHASING the car? No? Yeah, well, they were. So we go speeding into the parking lot of the police TRAILER and slammed on the breaks. The cops come running out, knowing something was wrong but thinking it was "just a snake in the car". THAT hadn't occurred to us, so now we really start freaking out.
Anyway - we explain why we were scared and the one cop just looks at us and asks if we have a death wish. They were amazed that we even drove through the town. (Like we had a choice.) They then told us we had to leave. NOW. Seems they aren't all that nice to people "like us" in that town. Then they tell us a couple of stories of women that just "disappeared" in that area. So we throw on some clothes and they escorted us, not just out of town, but out of the county. FULL escort. 2 cars ahead and 2 behind. A couple county and a couple state.
It was surreal. We finally found our way home. A 16-hour road trip for 2 mins at the beach.
Yeah - THAT I don't need to do again. But it's a memory that never fails to make me laugh. Damn - we had us a real live adventure. I need to do some more of that too.
That's what I'm missin' today....Freedom and Adventure. Think I'll go about findin' me some.
Posted by Tammi at April 11, 2006 08:50 AM | TrackBack