The best kind of spontaneity.
It is 3 p.m. on a winter Friday in Washington, D.C. I call my boyfriend, Kelley, from work where I am an Assistant Account Executive at a small PR firm. My first job adulting after graduating from college. I am on my own, on a very limited budget (example: I eat a turkey sandwich every single day for lunch for one year), but honestly I am living my happiest life as a new college graduate. I definitely am the person who hit their stride AFTER my formal education ended. Anyway, back to dialing Kelley up at his think tank job on the office phone.
I am bouncing around animatedly in my chair slightly (maybe not so slightly). I excitedly ask Kelley if he wants to drive as far south as we can in one night. I am smiling and thinking this is just the best idea in the entire world. I explain that all I want to see is a sunrise and a palm tree.
He says of course we can.....YEAH! He says let's find a weekend in a couple of months to plan it out and go..........Now I am really enthusiastic because he doesn't understand what I am asking him. I explain that we wouldn't go in a couple of months - we would go....that night! Perfect, right?
So, I ask again - how would you like to drive as far south as we can in one night, tonight? His answer? A very lukewarm......maybe? He replies that we should "think" about it and "see" how things progress over the next couple of hours at work for the both of us. I hang up the phone, a little less enthusiastic, with reality settling in a bit.
I continue my work day.
Less than an hour later, my phone rings.
At 7:30 p.m., we pack our small bags, some cassette tapes, a camera, a few snacks and hit the road in my white 1987 Plymouth Colt hatchback. A car I would own until I donate it to the Salvation Army in 2001. At 3 a.m. we realize that my car needs 3 quarts of oil. That's right....3 quarts. At 5 a.m. I cross one goal off the list - I see my palm tree. You see the palm tree is THE symbol of vacation, of relaxation, of seizing the day! It was THE POINT (well one of two) of this outing. At 7 a.m. I realize that it is cloudy, a bit rainy and alas, there is not a sunrise to be had. I have done the majority of the driving but Kelley has taken a 2-3 hour shift in the dead of night to allow me some rest. At 7:30 a.m. we cross the border into Florida. 7:30 (am or pm) seems to be the time of the trip.
Now what? We have driven 12 hours and it is Saturday morning, cloudy and misting. Do we turn around and drive home? That doesn't seem right. We start thinking and we start seeing more and more signs. Disney World is ONLY 4 more hours - let's go there!!! But first, let's call some friends and family from the pay phone to alert them where we are. Once that is done, we formulate a plan. We get a cheap hotel, take the shuttle to Disney and spend the day on the rides. It is not crowded due to the time of year and the weather so we enjoy the day. We have officially been awake for over 26 hours and we finally crash.
The next morning is a beautiful day and we are ready for the trek home. We stop in Savannah, Georgia for an amazing crepe lunch outside in a beautiful square. We arrive home to D.C. around 7:30 p.m. and go to work normally on Monday. A fantastic weekend!
Not the best kind of spontaneity.
Kelley, my two daughters and I travel to Boston for our planned Christmas holiday this year. In the new world in which we live, we take our Covid tests the night prior to our departure - all negative - and we are on our way. Our first flight is canceled so we are arriving a bit later than anticipated on Christmas Eve. We feel the crisp air as we depart Logan. We easily find Papa waiting for us and excitedly see a dusting of snow upon leaving the city. We run into my brother and sister in law's house with open arms. Hugs abound, a few emotional moments of reunion, laughter ensues, crack artichoke dip, wine and a phenomenal dinner around a beautiful table. Family at its finest.
Christmas morning, 6:30 a.m. Sage comes into our room and explains she has just gotten sick, has a sore throat and is feeling miserable. She is definitely warm to the touch. She climbs into bed. Kelley and I look at each other and say - well she tested negative and this is what typically occurs for Sagey. She runs herself down, gets a sore throat and a very short-lived fever. The sore throat turns into a cold and no one in the rest of the family gets sick. BUT.......new times, new protocols. We test her once. Positive. We test her again. Positive. Whoa - OK. Time for Plan B.
Rent a car, Papa and Kel go pick up said car and throw everything back in our bags as quickly as we possibly can. Jojo quickly assembles turkey gobbler sandwiches for the road.
We depart around 3-3:15 p.m. I take first shift with much needed caffeine. The shift lasts 10 hours. Of course we begin in Massachusetts. Connecticut-check, Stop at gas station for obligatory junk food-check. New York-check. We go over the George Washington Bridge and a quick glimpse into the City which is always a highlight for me - a happy place for me. New Jersey-check. Delaware-check. Maryland-check. Skirt around D.C.-check. Virginia-check. A quick 2 hour break for me and back in the driver seat for North and South Carolina, and finally Georgia. We are timely in giving Sage medicine to treat symptoms and to make her a bit more comfortable. She is feeling miserable.
We begin to see palm trees in South Carolina. This time though the sky is clear and we see the sunrise just beginning to hit the sky. Pinks, purples, oranges. Beautiful. Once again, at 7:30 a.m. we arrive home. 17 hours. Close to 1000 miles. Home.
Two different trips. Two forms of spontaneity. Two reasons for the spontaneity. Still, spontaneity.
Music to put on: South London Forever by Florence + the Machine
Book to read: The People We Keep by Allison Larkin
Recipe to cook: Artichoke Dip aka CRACK
Choose kindness. Every gesture counts. Peace and love.
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