“I wanna do something stupid and I need an accomplice”

Today was a crappy end to a crappy work week at The Gulag. I finished the project and got a hardy “uh....oh, yeah, thanks” from my supervisor. And I finally heard from the company I interviewed with thinking they were calling me for a 2nd interview. Instead I was told that the position was being put “on hold” and they could not make an offer to me or anyone right now. So basically saying “What a week I’m having!!!” doesn’t quite cut it.

When I finally got to read my e-mail later in the morning, I saw a few e-mails written by friends attending Shore Leave, a SF convention in Baltimore. This year after going for the last 4 years straight, I decided to sit it out this year partly because I was doing a big con this summer in Boston (WorldCon) and partly because I know I would have really gone off my diet as part of the fun of the con is the really cool bar in the hotel that we all spend a good part of time there drinking and socializing with those that we do not get to see too often.

After reading those e-mails combined with the utterly horrible week I had at The Gulag and the news about the other job, I was seriously considering making a last minute run at going down after work, but at the time it didn’t seem likely as the last-minute airfares was, of course, really high. And the fares for the Amtrak red-eye were not any better. I even checked out Greyhound but as attractive the low fare was, traveling 13 hours each way for a 2 day trip would have been really stupid. Of course in all those cases there is the factor of getting to the hotel in Hunt Valley, which is about 20 or so miles from the Airport, Bus and Train stations. In a last desperate grasp I called my friend Beck (the one with the new car) and said to her “I wanna do something stupid and I need an accomplice.” She thought it might be a good idea but she had unbreakable plans for Sunday. Damn.

So, needless to say, I was kinda bumming.

The end of the day came and I ventured out to the car to go home. When I hit the highway, I felt my car running smoothly, had a cool breeze from the window open and had The Sox on the radio.

Then I started thinking………why not? Why not just drive down tonight or take a nap and leave at 2 or 3am and get there for the morning and surprise everyone. The car is in good shape. I just had an oil change done. My AAA membership is paid up. Hell, if Towaway can run his van into the ground going to Shore Leave, why can’t I? And I’ll leave late Sunday night and get home early Monday morning, blow off work and be nice and refreshed for the opening All-Star ceremonies at McCoy that night. Yeah…..why the hell not? I need this, dammit!!

So when I got almost home I went to the gas station at the top of my street and filled up the tank. As I was filling up, I looked at the tires and they were in very good shape. When I got home, I went downstairs, got my overnight bag and started packing. The Wife and Kids were wondering what I was doing.

“Are you going to the gym?”
“Ahh….no.”
“What are you doing?”
“I’m doing away for the weekend.”
“What?”
“Yeah…I had a crappy week and I need to go to Shore Leave. I should have planned to go in the first place.”
“You’re driving? To Maryland?”
“Yeah.”
“You are gonna kill your car.”

She, of course, was right. I need my car as my commute to The Gulag is considerable. But I didn’t care. I was determined. I figured that the 6 or 7 hour drive would be just what I need to clear my head. Then my little one chimes in.

“Why are you going away?”
“I’ll be back Sunday, honey. Dad’s had a hard week and I just need to time for myself.”
“Ok, Daddy. I’ll miss you.”

Believe it or not, this did not change my mind.

I finished packing and went to the computer to print out a TripTik map to the hotel so I know where the construction sites along the way are and to make sure I knew where I was going as I haven’t driven down there in almost 12 years.

As I was printing out the map, I just stared at my PC screen for 5 straight minutes. I have no idea what I was thinking about, but when I snapped out of it, all of a sudden I changed my mind. I was all set to go. My bag was packed, the gas tank was full, and I had directions all printed out. But I changed my mind.

I have no idea what exactly changed my mind. It probably was my “Responsibility Angel” beating the crap out of my “Sense of Adventure” angel. (Stupid responsible angel…always beating up all the fun angels.)

I told the Wife and Kids I changed my mind and told them I still needed to go out for a couple of hours. So to lash out against my horrible week (and that bully of an angel), I went to Fridays, had some buffalo wings, watched rest of The Sox game (they won again! Hooray!) and went bowling. I called Bismo and told him the whole story. He was bumming I didn’t follow through with it but in a way he was proud of my responsible side. I’ll call him a few times this weekend and be there in spirit.

When I got home everyone was in bed. I'll take the little one out tomorrow to someplace fun and take my teen and her boyfriend maybe to see Anchorman Sunday. I feel better now and I’m kinda glad I didn’t follow through with the trip. I would have been worried about the car and spending half the time down there dreading the drive home in the middle of the night.

But I learned one important lesson.....no matter what happens in my life in the next 12 months, I'll be there for Shore Leave 27!!!!