Day 1
Friday, October 8, 2021
2A and my last show wraps. Taking the first flight out of Atlanta worked out pretty well earlier this year, so I booked the first flight up to Boston. Why Boston? Simple, direct flights to New England seem few and far between these days.
Since I was working the night shift, I checked in from work to print my boarding pass. For an extra $50 I could upgrade. All that was available was one window seat by the emergency exit. The one with no seat directly in front. It was an easy choice and sure beat being in the middle seat in the back.
The sun was just breaking through the clouds when we taxied towards the runway.
So, I stretched out my legs, closed my eyes and for once drifted right to sleep.
The next thing I remember, the captain was announcing our “final descent.” The two and a half hour nap was well worth the extra money.
I hate to promote regional stereotypes, but the first thing I saw coming of the plane was a Dunkin. In eastern Massachusetts, they really are everywhere.
I was in and out of AVIS in no time driving a fairly new KIA Sportage. Decent ride and no real complaints.
My first stop of the day was Gloucester. To get there, I had to take the tunnel under the city. Easy enough. At one point I didn’t notice I was in the wrong lane until too late. I was headed up to the streets of Boston’s North End. Eventually, the GPS sorted everything out and I was on my way.
But, it’s true, driving in Boston is an adventure. By now, most of you have seen restaurants using their parking spots in front as outside seating. This makes the streets even more narrow. With nowhere to pull over, delivery trucks are blocking one travel lane to unload. Everyone just worked it out with no honking horns, profanity or bumped fenders.
The rest of the drive to Gloucester was uneventful. With a little time, I drove out to the Eastern Point Lighthouse.
The Gloucester Harbor has been in use by Europeans since 1616. Over the next two hundred years the currents, rocks and even a reported Sea Serpent were responsible for countless wrecked ships. Something had to be done.
The first light was built in 1821. Inside the harbor, it worked just fine. You just couldn't see it outside. In the area of the current light, a grove of large oak trees was being used as a landmark for the harbor entrance. A large stone marker was added to the point. Once again, it worked fine in the daylight.
Ten years after the light was added inside the harbor, construction of a proper light on the point began. The tower was thirty feet tall and Samuel Wonson was hired as the light's first keeper. He and his wife moved into the small brick house alongside.
Ten years later, Keeper Wonson wrote about the conditions of the light for a congressional report. He said, "the tower leaks in every direction." He went on to say, "the walls are coated in ice during the winter, and green mold in the summer."
Congress agreed with his assessment and in 1848, it was torn down and rebuilt. That one lasted forty-two years. That one was torn down 1890. The current tower was built on its base with an additional six feet added.
It was time to go. I was picking up Barry at his place for lunch. Seen from the drive out...
After picking up Barry, we drove out to a local place called C.K. Pearl, right along the Essex River. Great food, staff and view!
For those of you who don't know our backstory, Barry and I started at CNN within weeks of each other. After a few months of my renting a room in a guy's house, I was looking for something else. Barry told me about a cool place he found, but he needed a roommate.
Imagine if you can, a driveway that quickly turns right and heads back into the woods with no visibility from the busy road. Drive around a pond and there's a big house, cut into four apartments. The one we rented included the original, and large kitchen.
Scattered around the property were a few smaller, buildings, also rented out. Except for one upstairs neighbor, we liked it there. That neighbor would come home at 3A on Friday nights. He'd then blast his favorite song, waking everyone up. His kid would start screaming and the weekly fight with his wife began. His song, Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." The landlord found them growing pot on the balcony and kicked them out.
Three moves and ten years later, we were still sharing a place. Barry's been writing books about his life. We lingered over lunch for a couple of hours, chatting with the staff and getting caught up.
I still had an hour's drive ahead of me, so I dropped him off, and worked my way out of town. I did however, have to make one last stop at the famous Gloucester fisherman statue. Built in 1925, the sculpture was created to memorialize all the who were lost at sea in the area. The city has compiled a list and it's quite large.
The drive north was easy enough and I rolled into Hampton Beach around 6:30P. It just felt wrong that it was so dark already.
My home for the night was the Atlantic Sands Motel, right across from the beach. The best thing I can say about the place is its location. While the bed seemed comfortable, two people with bags would have been crowded. As you might suspect, I was in bed and out cold before 9P. Long day, but a really good one.
More about the motel in the morning, after a good night's rest.
Coming Up,
Something Barry mentioned comes true in a big way...
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