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| This is the view from the Kings County Court house in Brooklyn. My mommy took it. |
Wednesday, Day One: The 17 Hour Road Trip
I honestly don't remember a lot from this day.... Most likely because I was so jacked up on Dramamine so I didn't hurl in the back of anyone's car. I remember getting up that morning, at 5 FLIPPING A.M., throwing what I thought was my stuff in my car, and driving over to Scott's house (in the freezing rain, I might add) only to be shuffled into another car, and we were on our way. Thats when I got out my Snuggie, Smartwater (I really dont think it tastes better than regular water, it just hold more), and Dramamine. And I was out like a light.
The first stop was...Well, I have no idea. I vaguely recall it being McDonalds, and still wet and cold, but thats really all. Oh, and I had to pee. I really, REALLY had to go pee.
Back in the car, back to sleep for me. Now, let me just explain something here. I was in the all boys car. Except for Miss Sue, who was driving. I can handle them on a good day. Usually. Well, at least one of them.
But you don't touch my teddy bear and live, buddy. NO. Harvey is sacred. And yes, he is a stuffed panda bear who wears a suit-vest. I know, I have problems. So naturally, when said boy decided he thinks it would be fun to try and grab Harvey out of my arms...He gets smacked around a bit.
What? I blame the drugs.
That's really the last thing I remember until we hit Pennsylvania. And may I just say, I don't know how those people survive. THERE IS NO FOOD WHATSOEVER IN PENNSYLVANIA. Nowhere. Especially up near the Jersey state line, you know, Quakertown?
On that note, did you also know they have buggy parking at Walmart in Quackerville? It was an experience.
After roughly 12 hours of pretty much straight driving, we decide we have to eat, or else we will die. So, we start looking around for ANYTHING except McDonald's, as we've been to three already that day. Now by that time, my drugs had worn off. And I was starving. Really, really starving. I mean, I'd been dead asleep for the entire 12 hours we'd been driving, except for when they managed to drag me out of the car and into a gas station or whatever. At one point, I don't think I even bothered to put on shoes.
Me + Car Sickness Drugs = Hilarity for everyone around me.
Where was I? Oh yes. Food. We got off on EVERY SINGLE EXIT around the state line, and we could not find food. At all. And then, it starts raining. Again. So, you know, more fun.
And FINALLY, 2 feet from the state line, we find this little...I guess you could say town, but that's not the word I would use. And we think, "SURELY, somewhere in this town there's a place to eat."
So we park, get out of the cars, in the rain. Now, let me just say, that when I'm hungry, coming off of sleeping drugs, wet, and cold, I'm not exactly a fun person to be around. I just wanted food and out of the rain. Huddling under Stephanie's umbrella with her, we start out. And we pass by quite a few businesses, a post office, ATM machine or two, and about 16 different dive bars and 3 Irish pubs. But no restaurants. By this point, I couldn't tell who was more irritable, me or Stephy. So we're bringing up the rear, in the pouring rain, mostly completely soaked.
I don't recall the exact details, but I think Michelle finally sent Scott into a campaigning office to ask for directions.
And so finally, we get to this tiny hole-in-the-wall diner. Well, more like a pizza shack. If you've ever been to a city, you'll know what I'm talking about. When you first come in, there's the kitchen and where you pay, with only enough room to squeeze by the counter in a single file line? Think "Pizza My Heart", and then think smaller.
So, we get in, get to a table in the side part of the pizzeria, and sit down. After about 2 seconds of being in the place, you could tell we were almost in Jersey.
"SYLVIA, YA GANNA STAND AROUND AND YACK ALL DAY, OR ARE YA GANNA PICK UP THE ORDERS?"
"ALRIGHT VINNY, I'M COMIN'! DON'T GET YOUR KNICKERS INA BUNCH!"
Add a heavy south-side Jersey accent, subtract EVERY SINGLE "r" sound, and there you have it.
I nearly DIED laughing.
After we wait around for 15 minutes, we finally get our order taken. I don't remember what I got, or if it was any good, but at this point? Food was food. I do, however, remember there being dirt in the water. Yeah. Welcome to New Jersey, where nothing's actually "new".
After that, it was back on the road. Vivian and I switched, so I could sleep. I knew after eating, the boys would be off the wall with energy, and I figured she would be too. So there was the fun car, and the sleeping car.
I bet you can guess which one I was in.
A few hours (okay, 4 or 5 or...I have no idea), I wake up to the stopping car. Apparently, when entering New York, you have to pay a toll. I didn't know this, so I wake up, freaking out that I'd missed the New York skyline. I look outside and see...smog. And industrial buildings. We're still in Jersey. So I make Scott promise to wake me up when we get close. And back to sleep I go.
Now, let me just tell you this. If you've never seen a New York skyline, make sure you put it on your 'To Do Before I Die' list. Because even at midnight, covered in a bit of haze, its amazing.
Then we entered the city. It really is the city that never sleeps. People rushing everywhere, vendors, taxis, sirens. I fell in love.
I am a New Yorker. Every pore, every fiber of my being is a New Yorker. I love the noise. I love the dirt. I love the smell. I love crazy people. I love every single thing about New York. It just makes me, me.
Taxi drivers, yelling, honking, policemen breaking up various fights, neon lights of open signs, everything about it screams "LIVE HERE". But that's another story for another time.
We finally got to the hotel, drug out stuff in, and stood around in the lobby while someone checked us in. You know whats really nice about posh hotels? Airline pilots that stay there. Because they are REALLY cute.
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| Morning after the great hunt for ice. We suck at taking pictures. |
Next time, we talk about Day Two. Practice, hotel hallways, and exploring the city.
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