Everything Kaye...Storytelling

Rapturous Vacation

 Nola was from West Virginia. I grew up as far north as my parents could get. We met at a Stylist Gala. Every year our owner would throw a big party, that lasted two days. All the salons would come together for the top salon awards, and product classes, and company performance updates . Nola and I  became friends instantly. My seating place card was mixed up with hers so we decided just to sit next to each other and switch the paperwork. We didn't pay attention to what the speakers were saying that night. We started chatting and exchanging stories and pictures of our kids. At the end of the night we promised to call each other the following weekend. But of course, as parents of five kids between us, it was closer to a month when we talked again. But after that initial call we talked everyday for two years.

 I suggested we should stop and visit, because I had some time off from work and the kids had to go to Florida to be with their father. When we divorced we decided to meet  in North Carolina, since it was the midpoint. I just didn't feel comfortable sending them on a plane alone. So we could meet up before I had to meet Joe and then I could spend time with her and our kids could meet each other. The kids went to Florida every year for three weeks in the summer and it would be a perfect time to come visit. As we drove down I thought this would be a little mini vacation for me and the kids, I had researched a couple museums for us to go to and we were staying at a resort that had a pool. It also had a couple of ponds for fishing and even golf, this would be a nice trip for all of us.

We drove for about three hours before the kids began to get hungry and they had grown tired of eating the little snacks in the car, so we decided to stop at a restaurant. As we got in the car and started driving we were about an hour out before my daughter noticed that she had left her favorite sunglasses at the restaurant.  I told her, it was too late for us to go back. She started to cry.  I had to promise to buy her another pair, before she would stop crying.I told the kids that I had found a museum online that we were going to stop and see some cool stuff, one had a car coming out the side of the building, like one of those quirky little museums on television.

As I  pulled into the museum parking lot, I didn't see any cars. Online it said it was open during these hours.  I quickly learned that  small mom and pop stores and museums run by the locals, might be open and it may not. I looked through the old the dilapidated wooden door while turning the cold rusty door knob . I looked at my hand it was slightly red, I rubbed it on my jeans and looked through the window. I gave up when I realized there was no light on. Walking slowly back to the car looking back at the little yellow car sticking out the side of the building. "Sorry kids it doesn't look like it's open." This little vacation was not off to a good start. As we drove away I noticed a young lady walking and I decided to stop and ask her if the museum was going to be open today.

"Not today ma'am, my grandma not up to it."

"Oh", I said very confused. "Will it be open tomorrow?"

"Not sure, maybe", she said as she started strolling down the road again.

I gave up and we drove on. We were about an hour away from the resort. I didn't want to intrude on Nola so I decided to book two nights at the resort. The resort seemed like it would be fun, and everything would be in one place. No driving around in an unfamiliar place. As we passed a park, the kids wanted to know if we could stop so they could play.  It will be a good way to finish off a lot of the food that we brought down with us. We left at 4 o'clock in the morning , so they had slept the majority of the trip. Nola had planned a family brunch for us in the morning, as a way to introduce the kids to each other, and her parents would be there too.

The parking lot was set up on a hill and you had to walk down from the parking lot down a rocky path that led to the playground and the pond. As we finish eating my eldest daughter Stacie, asked for the keys to the car; so she can retrieve her book and her journal. She was at that age where she thought she was too old to play on the playground. My youngest daughter Olivia was walking around eating her cheese curls.

She yells, "mom, geese!"

"Don't get too close to them Olivia."

Srecko Skrobic/Upsplash 

"But I'm feeding them mom."

As I turned around she began to run and scream, the geese had attacked! I'm running after her but I can't catch her. I see my son climbing up to the top of the jungle gym,  I yelled for Stacie to come help me but she just shook her head slowly, too terrified to move. I decided quickly to throw more cheese curls everywhere hoping they would stop chasing her because she won't drop the bag. At this point, the bag is probably empty because she's running around in circles, shaking the bag at the geese. 

It worked they stopped chasing her and started fighting over the cheese curls that were on the ground. Holding her under one of my arms I climb up to the top of the jungle gym. As I was trying to catch my breath, I looked down, and she was still holding the empty bag. I snatched it from her and throw it down to the ground! When I search again for the car and my daughter,  I see her on the roof of the car. Soon a gentleman appears, I remembered seeing him fishing on the other side of the pond, when we first arrived.  He's talking to the geese and waving his pole side to side pushing the geese on. With his help we were able to climb down. I told him," thank you".  We heed back up the hill to the car. Nobody says anything. I look in the rear view mirror and start backing out.  Then to the shock of all of us, Olivia asked if she could  have more chips. We burst into laughter!

There's only one way in and out of the resort. As we entered, I looked for the sign for the office. We pass  some more ponds, my son gets excited and asks can we go fishing? I tell him "I read online that you can rent fishing supplies and equipment" The next morning around 5:00 a.m. my son and myself  climb out of bed, get dressed, and head out to the pond. We see a little wooden shack where you can get fishing equipment and worms; we get our supplies and we head over to the water. The small cultured pond was calm, the only ripples were our lines slipping down into the deep green water. We caught and released about two small fish.

"I'm getting hungry, we better start back."

"Yeah, me too! I hope the girls are ressed, because they take forever,"as he rolled his eyes.

The drive over to Nola's house wasn't that long.  The kids jumped out of the car running and hugging her kids like they've known each other their whole lives! 

"Nola, the table setting is beautiful."

"Thanks, my mom came over early to help."

As she squeezed the life out of me she said, " I hope your hungry."

"I sure am", as I squeezed her back.

I had called Nola from the room(the bathroom phone actually), to tell her about the park incident, we laughed for hours. We had to bring her parents up speed on what had transpired,  and we laughed some more. Her dad had been more reserved till I told the story about the Great Geese Chase, he laughed till he cried. I told Nola how beautiful West Virginia was. "I've been thinking about moving up north, to a bigger city, with more opportunities. " I told her we would love to have her". My salon could use a colorist like her. She said she'll let me know after the next school year.

The weather was kind of cool when we left the room to go to Nola's house for breakfast but it was hot and humid when we came back to the room.

 "How about a swim?" 

They begin to run and jump on the bed, all excited. My son ran in the bathroom to put on his swim trunks. I told them not to be too loud, I know the resort is not full because they are still building it out, but there are other guests. We had gotten a discount on the room because they were still building the resort, we were staying in the presidential suites, since they were built first. As we started walking over to the pool area with our swim bag and towels I noticed that everyone was walking around with blue towels, we had white! Oh this is one of those resorts where they have pool towels. I asked my son to run these towels back to the room. They were a little confused,  but I explained to them later that there were towels that guests use at the pool area and you don't have to bring your towels when you go to certain resorts or hotels. They thought that was pretty cool, but I think I liked it the most. No wet towels to drag back to the room to lay out. Nola, her kids and her mom came to the resort to say their good-byes, because we were heading out early the next morning.  We hugged, I told her I was going to miss her and she said, "same." Nola's daughter and my daughter exchanged addresses so they could write to each other, she promised to send her seashells from Florida.

The exchange with the kids went well. I told them to have fun and I would see them in a couple weeks. As I drove home I thought of my friend Nola and her kids, we were both trying to make our way in this world.  Both newly single and each with a new career. Our little ones watching every step we make. It's nice to have someone that understands the life you have been given without judgement, but with encouraging cheers. I knew, my life was going to be a little easier with Nola's gift of friendship.

 k

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