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A Little Detour... Harriet: No doubt by now many of you have noticed the liberal sprinkling of "dammit's" through the Augusta octet's postings. Here's the story, which will no doubt lose something in translation: On Saturday night, before we left to go across the river to Washington for supper, Kate mentions to me that she needed to find a filling station since she only had a half-tank of gas left. I tell her Washington is a big town, and she can buy gas there, or she can wait til Sunday morning and buy it at the general store in Augusta. So following dinner, during which I develop a massive headache (which follows on the heels of the nasty upset stomach I had had all day), the caravan leaves the restaurant. We come to the intersection where we are to turn left to go back across the river, and Kate turns right! I'm surprised, but then see the service station a few blocks down the street. Mind you, it's on the same street she takes to get across the bridge. You can practically see the bridge from there. I had overheard Sadie say she knew the way home, if they spotted a station. So I am going to just head on home, when Susan says, "You can't just leave them here. They'll never be able to get home." "Sure they will!" says I. "No, really! I think we should go after them and wait." Becky, meanwhile, is consumed with laughter, bubbling over in that throaty voice that is uniquely Becky's. And I say, "No, Susan, I'm going on home." "You can't!" she cries. "You're abandoning part of our group!" "All RIGHT, DAMMIT"!! I'll go the the f***ing service station!" And I swing the car across two traffic lanes and head to the station. By now, poor Becky and Jan are gasping for breath, they are laughing so hard, and Susan has joined in. Even I am laughing by now, even though my head is throbbing. As soon as we stop, Susan hops out to take a ciggie break, and when she comes back out of the station, I start the car, and we cruise past her, waving goodby. You should have seen the look on her face! We finally stopped after making a huge circle and let her in. We all agreed at that moment that "dammit" should become an integral part of the WWWomen language. See? It's nowhere near as funny in the retelling, but will live forever in four memories, dammit! Becky: Oh Harriet, I'm cracking up again! I have never laughed so hard, thought I was gonna pass out before I could get my breath back from laughing so hard that night. Throaty voice! hum?! Love Ya (helen, lol)! susan: It truly was a "tribal moment"...having arrived at the American Bounty Restaurant, as a group of eight, it is only natural to leave as a group of eight. My thought at the time is, hey Harriet, do they know how to get back...the response..."They are grown women, susan, they have made it half way across country." "OK...let's ask them." Windows rolled down cars, side by side....I ask, "Hey ladies, do you know the way back?" "Hmm, have no clue where the gas station is...ok we'll follow you." Not wanting the sistren to lose any time of the few remaining hours getting lost on the long and winding roads of Augusta, I am relieved the mayor has opted to stick with them. As I step out of the car, I entertained thought of tattling on Harriet, "Hey did you know she was just going to leave you guys in Washington..." Think better of that. Having finished that smoke, try to get back in the car and off she pulls. Laughing hysterically at this point, I say to sister Kate, "Thought she was tring to get rid of you guys, but I guess it was me..." Harriet, this is for you...picture this, tongue sticking out thumbs in ears fingers waving ....na-na-na-na-...lol! In the mayors defense I will add: The possibility of susan being a little panicked at the thought of separation might be related to a suppressed memory separating from a group of eight, early on in my life...He&&, Kate are you on the clock yet... ...and now you know the rest of the story. Harriet: Now that I've met you in person, Miz SusieQ, I have a perfect picture in my mind. F#*@ you very much for your kind thoughts and deeds! :-)!!! Pat: I was in the car with Kate, Sadie, and Cindy, so we were not a part of the party Harriet just told about. BUT, I did hear Herzonner say the "f" word in person. That and something about sucking as hard as she could :-) I have pictures to go with the sucking comment, too. What am I bid??? Harriet: I was afraid someone would remember that incident. We were having a nice quiet supper at Ashley's Rose restaurant in Augusta when the conversation turned to straws. (I don't remember why--someone else will have to fill in here--) but I remember Jan saying something about a straw with the bottom blocked, and not being able to draw anything through it, even with a lot of effort. I merely said, "I'm suckin' as hard as I can, Honey!" and everybody erupted in laughter. What was so funny???? Pat: Susan had just arrived, was seated to my left, and she and I were chatting. I missed the prelude and had just tuned in in time to hear the sucking comment. Yes, we all laughed our collective hineys off. The photo I have is of Harriet and Sadie in tears of laughter. It was a golden moment...one of many. Kate: Prelude...Had something to do with a straw cut into three pieces. What could that have been? |
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