I Remember.........................

April 1982. Vacation, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Saturday the 3rd of April 1982 our family embarked on a vacation trip from our home in northern N.Y. State to Myrtle beach S.C. We traveled in a mini caravan with two other families. the temperature at our 4 AM departure time was 34 degrees F.

The plans were all in place (Mary Catherine had every detail worked out to the second). We'd drive the first day as far a Emporia, Va., spend the night there, leave early the next morning and arrive at our pre-rented condos on the beach shortly after noon on Sunday 4 April.

Michelle was 14 , Bobby 9, and Jacob was 4 years old. They moved around between cars when we would stop for gas except for Jacob who's car seat was in our vehicle.

The weather was horrendous until we got into Virgina. There was dense heavy fog all through Pennsylvania, then thru Maryland and Washington D.C. we encountered heavy wind and rain. At one point on the beltway it was raining so hard I couldn't see the front of my car. I was driving a Volkswagen bus! Of course every body was driving 60+ mph. The three cars were staying in touch by CB radio since we could no longer see each other. Mary was the only one familiar with the route and had to keep us appraised of which exit we were to get off at. I remember radioing Jim and saying maybe we should get off the road and wait out this toad choker. It was definitely touch and go for too many minutes to suit me. Finally and unexplainably we got through D.C. and the rain, intact and no accidents.

The temp was now 70 F. and humid due to the rain. Spring was a couple weeks ahead of home, anyway, and it was good to see some lush greenery.

We were running a little behind schedule and everyone was tired , edgy, hungry and anxious to get to our intermediate destination of the Day's Inn in Emporia Va. We had driven 669 miles in unfriendly conditions and we were ready for a meal and a bed.

Jacob was voicing his desire to eat, from his car seat in the rear. It was around 6:30 pm and well past his supper time and we couldn't access the snack box in the rear compartment. It was probably another 1/2 hour before we'd be at the restaurant. I suggested to him that he could draw pictures of cheese burgers on his magic slate and pretend that every time he lifted the sheet to erase the slate, that he ate the burger.

He took my advice and was quiet and well occupied drawing and eating his imaginary cheese burgers. Shortly thereafter, we arrived at the motel, checked in, unloaded our luggage, and made our way over to the restaurant. When the waitress asked Jacob what he wanted to eat he declined to order anything, saying he was too full from eating too many cheese burgers, and could he just have a glass of Pepsi. He was dead serious and in fact did not eat anything.

Now that is the power of suggestion to the max.

Another cute incident involving Jacob occurred a few days later. It was Thursday the 8th of April.
After a long day of shopping and sightseeing, we stopped at an Italian restaurant for Pizza. During the course of the meal our waitress told Jacob that he was cute and wanted to take him home. Jacob looked at her with his most serious face and told her that "I cry everyday and everyday I say naughty things." That was the end of that conversation.

4 yr. old Jacob in Myrtle Beach

Next Friday I think I'll remember the time we ate at Pizzeria Uno in Boston. ;-)