All Good Things: Part Five
"You ready, man?"
Joe dropped off Adam and me at the Beech Creek Library, an old church in southern Clinton County. Adam ran the place for the Ross Library; he unlocked the door and we went in.
"Oh, yeah," I said. "I'll just go over my notes."
"Thanks for coming out," he said.
"Oh sure. I'm glad to give a tour of Beech Creek for you. You know, this is a historic date. It's the first time I've ever given a walking tour outside the Lock Haven city limits."
"No kidding! And I got you first for the Summer Reading program. You're kicking off the whole thing."
"Well, that's cool, too. You know I got three tours in three days coming up? Today, tomorrow, and Friday."
Adam did some paperwork while I studied my notes. He'd asked me to do a tour of Beech Creek for his library, and I'd done some research and come up with some good stories. As the next hour went by, people came in. I wound up with about eight people going on the tour, clouds in the sky, but rain holding off.
Finally, at three-thirty, I stepped outside and faced the crowd.
"Hi, everyone," I said. "Thanks for coming today. Let's learn some history."
"I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight," I said. it was Friday night, and I had a pretty good crowd for my usual walking tour. "Tonight we're going to learn about the local railroads. Now, I will admit I'm giving a speech on Downtown Lock Haven's annual train ride tomorrow, and I'm basically sponging off that. Follow me."
I led everyone down Church Street to the railroad tracks. I stopped and talked about the old repair shop, and pointed out the old ruins by Fourth Street. I talked about the canals and how the trains had taken over, and then walked across Bellefonte Avenue and talked about the old depot that had stood there. And we walked over to Liberty Street, to the old machine storage building ruins.
"Is that a bear?" one of the people said.
We looked. It was. A black bear, running around the church and the hotel.
Hunh. Another new experience.
We watched as the bear ran around on the grass. It took off heading west along Clinton Street. I said,"Anyone have a cell,phone? Call 911."
"I got it," said Chris.
"Everyone, cluster up," I said. "Gather together. Just in case."
A moment later, we saw a cop car zip by. Everyone pointed which way the bear went. The car took off after it.
I'm glad Diane's on vacation. I have no idea how I'm going to explain this to her.
In all fairness, I can't exactly be blamed for not forseeing this.
"This is a historic moment, folks," I said. "I've never encountered a bear on a tour before."
Joe dropped off Adam and me at the Beech Creek Library, an old church in southern Clinton County. Adam ran the place for the Ross Library; he unlocked the door and we went in.
"Oh, yeah," I said. "I'll just go over my notes."
"Thanks for coming out," he said.
"Oh sure. I'm glad to give a tour of Beech Creek for you. You know, this is a historic date. It's the first time I've ever given a walking tour outside the Lock Haven city limits."
"No kidding! And I got you first for the Summer Reading program. You're kicking off the whole thing."
"Well, that's cool, too. You know I got three tours in three days coming up? Today, tomorrow, and Friday."
Adam did some paperwork while I studied my notes. He'd asked me to do a tour of Beech Creek for his library, and I'd done some research and come up with some good stories. As the next hour went by, people came in. I wound up with about eight people going on the tour, clouds in the sky, but rain holding off.
Finally, at three-thirty, I stepped outside and faced the crowd.
"Hi, everyone," I said. "Thanks for coming today. Let's learn some history."
"I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight," I said. it was Friday night, and I had a pretty good crowd for my usual walking tour. "Tonight we're going to learn about the local railroads. Now, I will admit I'm giving a speech on Downtown Lock Haven's annual train ride tomorrow, and I'm basically sponging off that. Follow me."
I led everyone down Church Street to the railroad tracks. I stopped and talked about the old repair shop, and pointed out the old ruins by Fourth Street. I talked about the canals and how the trains had taken over, and then walked across Bellefonte Avenue and talked about the old depot that had stood there. And we walked over to Liberty Street, to the old machine storage building ruins.
"Is that a bear?" one of the people said.
We looked. It was. A black bear, running around the church and the hotel.
Hunh. Another new experience.
We watched as the bear ran around on the grass. It took off heading west along Clinton Street. I said,"Anyone have a cell,phone? Call 911."
"I got it," said Chris.
"Everyone, cluster up," I said. "Gather together. Just in case."
A moment later, we saw a cop car zip by. Everyone pointed which way the bear went. The car took off after it.
I'm glad Diane's on vacation. I have no idea how I'm going to explain this to her.
In all fairness, I can't exactly be blamed for not forseeing this.
"This is a historic moment, folks," I said. "I've never encountered a bear on a tour before."