Happy Nev Year!
January 1998 - my pal ldyjne and I decided to take a road trip to West Virginia just after New Years. It was a girls-only trip to lift the spirits and we had SUCH fun :) But something happened that was both exhilarating and petrifying and there is one place I will never dare show my face in, again!
We wound up in White Sulphur Springs for the day. She talked me into going to the Greenbrier. Now... I am in awe of who all has been there (multiple Presidents, etc.) and the elaborate underground facilities that served as the emergency backup for the White House until 1995. Serious stuff goes on here. I also could tell by the swanky vehicles in the parking lot that we were WAY out of our league (room rates start at $460 a night). She convinced me that EVERYone was allowed into the gift shop and we should get some sort of souvenir. So in we go, me cringing all the way.
I am absolutely terrified that I'm going to bump into a display, knock it over, owe millions and get thrown out. She's breezing around like she owns the place. Finally she asks me what's on my mind. On my mind? I'm standing here in 79 cent underwear from Kmart next to a woman in a cajillion dollar fur coat with a diamond on her hand so huge it's obscenely ugly. What's on my mind? Get me the hell out of here!
Finally, we left so I could start breathing again. On our way back to the car, we walked into the "garden" where they had a big ice sculpture - each letter was about 2-3 feet high spelling out HAPPY NEW YEAR, surrounding the giant Christmas tree - great photo op, right?
Remember all the terror I felt in the gift shop? That was NOTHING. I stand between the W and the Y, and barely.. teensy weensy tiny bit.. touch the W. Crrrraaaackkkkk... CRASH! The lovely sculpture no longer says Happy NeW Year, it says Happy NEV Year! Oh. My. Bob. We snapped a couple of pictures and then we FLED.
Oh sure it's funny NOW but I think I died of fright 97 times that day!
Jeezle, it's been 9 years! Jude, it's time we plan another road trip! Where can we do the most damage...
We wound up in White Sulphur Springs for the day. She talked me into going to the Greenbrier. Now... I am in awe of who all has been there (multiple Presidents, etc.) and the elaborate underground facilities that served as the emergency backup for the White House until 1995. Serious stuff goes on here. I also could tell by the swanky vehicles in the parking lot that we were WAY out of our league (room rates start at $460 a night). She convinced me that EVERYone was allowed into the gift shop and we should get some sort of souvenir. So in we go, me cringing all the way.
I am absolutely terrified that I'm going to bump into a display, knock it over, owe millions and get thrown out. She's breezing around like she owns the place. Finally she asks me what's on my mind. On my mind? I'm standing here in 79 cent underwear from Kmart next to a woman in a cajillion dollar fur coat with a diamond on her hand so huge it's obscenely ugly. What's on my mind? Get me the hell out of here!
Finally, we left so I could start breathing again. On our way back to the car, we walked into the "garden" where they had a big ice sculpture - each letter was about 2-3 feet high spelling out HAPPY NEW YEAR, surrounding the giant Christmas tree - great photo op, right?
Remember all the terror I felt in the gift shop? That was NOTHING. I stand between the W and the Y, and barely.. teensy weensy tiny bit.. touch the W. Crrrraaaackkkkk... CRASH! The lovely sculpture no longer says Happy NeW Year, it says Happy NEV Year! Oh. My. Bob. We snapped a couple of pictures and then we FLED.
Oh sure it's funny NOW but I think I died of fright 97 times that day!
Jeezle, it's been 9 years! Jude, it's time we plan another road trip! Where can we do the most damage...