ABOUT SEPTEMBER AND RETIREMENT

It was the month of September and I had been looking forward to this day for sometime. I had reached the age of retirement, and the pension had just been changed from ten to five years of employment. That was lucky for me because I had made the deadline about six months back. When all was arranged, I had a pension of six dollars and some cents a month. It wasn’t much but it was better than zero. I went home feeling free and in charge of my future. I could now plan on doing things I had dreamed of, maybe travel to exotic places on my small pension? Well, time will tell.

On arriving home, my husband met me at the door with an urgent message from my sister Lucy. She was stranded in New York City, and had lost her luggage and her purse. All she had on her was her coat in which she had luckily hidden her money and her wallet. She had reservations at the Chelsea Hotel for three days where she had had an interview for some position. Was it possible to get there on time to rescue her? We would do our best.

The only choice we had, was to get the RV ready and get on the road. We packed up all the necessities, locked up the house and off we went. We went straight through with each of us taking our turn at the wheel.

We made it to New York just in time and found Lucy sitting in the lobby waiting impatiently. She was in a state of great anxiety, worried about what she should do if we failed to arrive. Now that she was relieved, we took her to the airport to ask about her luggage. Luckily, it had arrived. That brought her another sigh of relief.

Her interview had been unsuccessful, so she just wanted to get back home. However, before leaving New York, she suggested a visit to the Guggenheim Museum. We agreed that as long as we were here, it would be a good idea. After a quick lunch, we headed for the museum. Once there, after visiting and admiring the exhibits, we came across the picture of Freda Kahlo with another exact kind of frame next to her, but that frame only had a mirror. If you looked into it, you saw yourself and could say that your picture was in the Museum next to Freda Kahlo. It was all interesting and fun, but then we realized it was time to get back on the road.

Once on the road, we all began to feel relaxed and comfortable. We had already left New York and were well into PA, when the oil light on the dashboard went on. That meant trouble, just when we were feeling so good. Al drove the car off the road to check the trouble. He opened the hood and found that the oil hose had ruptured and much oil had been lost. What to do? The nearest town and gas station was five miles away. Traffic along this road was sparse at that time, and the few cars that approached us just kept going. All we could do was wait and hope for a highway patrol to come by at some time to help us.

We waited and waited. It seemed like forever, when a motorcycle driven by a long haired fellow went by. To our surprise, after he passed us up, he turned back to ask us if he could do anything to help. He looked so shabby and unkempt that we were rather apprehensive about his offer, but Al told him what the problem was anyway. The young man offered a ride to the town, where he could get the necessary hose and some oil to get us back on the road. Al had no choice but to accept his offer, and off they went on the motorcycle, leaving us alone in the middle of nowhere. Though it seemed like hours to us, they were back before an hour had fully passed. Al opened his tool box and set to work. Soon the RV was ready to go. We thanked the young man for his help and concern. Al tried to give him a few dollars, but he refused, saying that he was glad to have given us a helping hand.

Finally, we were back on the road again. This time we made it all the way to my sister’s house in Michigan. Once there, we decided to stay a few days to enjoy the countryside. After all, I did not have to report for work anymore. We took walks to the neighboring farms and visited some quaint shops. At the farms, we got to feed the horses and the cows, - over the fence, of course. Soon it was time to leave, and after many thanks and hugs, we started for home.

It began as a worried and troublesome trip, but ended happily. It also gave me a chance to visit with my sister, whom I had not seen for some time. I could now get to my dreaming of what I should do, after having retired from the work world. Perhaps a trip to the seashore or some exciting city or country. Or maybe paint a mural or create a sculpture. Mostly, I had to get back to reality and be glad all had turned out well.

Just being home with my family, and making of my days that which I wanted, was going to be wonderful.

Next Chapter: Jerome Drive