In the summer of 1961, Gramps decided it was time to take a small trip. Needless to say, nothing Gramps did was ever small, and certainly not this trip!
He thought it would be nice to tour America for the summer, but this "little girl" certainly didn't want to go. Heck, I had a boyfriend I wouldn't see until September! That didn't count.
Gramps rented a 16' trailer and said his 1958 Chevy could pull anything. Mama disagreed, but women didn't have much say back then. This trip included my sister, Arlene, Mama, Gramps, Nana and of course, reluctantly, me!
Now most of the trip was rather nice, yet at times quite boring for Nana, Arlene and me. The three of us were stuffed in the back seat like sardines in a can, while Mama and Gramps had the front seat. They were the drivers after all. We were told we could only take the bare necessities! Sadly, 2 weeks into the trip, Arlene had to fly home. She was the first to ever go on a plane, and it took off from Jackson Hole, Wy. That left me to defend for myself!
Well, now, practically every state we drove into, Gramps had to take his car into a garage. Seems his car wasn't strong enough to pull the trailer, and we were always losing our brakes. Mama had said so much before we took off! lol
One of those times was while we visited the Grand Canyon, Az. Being we were stuck in a two street town, we found the only motel to stay in, and that was right next to a coal mine!
After having dinner at the local diner (the only one in town), Gramps went to the local bar and bought 2 beers. It was a tradition for Nana and Gramps each night to have a nightcap... a cold beer with cheese and crackers. Mama didn't drink beer, so she and I settled for sodaa with our cheese and crackers.
After trying to watch the small TV in the room, Gramps went in the small bathroom to take his shower. He was followed by Nana, and then Mama took hers. By the time I went in to take mine, there was no hot water!
Soon afterwards it was time to bed down for a good night's sleep, but I wasn't tired! After all, Nana and I slept most of the day in the car while traveling. Gramps and Nana shared one double bed, while Mama and I shared another. Now mind you, I was used to sleeping alone!
Nana always slept next to the wall, and she fell off to sleep rather quickly. Then it started. She would lay there and proceed to bang on the wall! Thump, Thump, Thump! Jeez, how would I ever sleep? Gramps soon followed, and he's not the typical man. He doesn't snore, but instead he's a poofer! So, I lay there quietly listening to them... thump, poof, thump, poof. Then it was Mama's turn. What would she do? Now she was the one who snored so loudly she could've raised the dead! Again I lay there quietly listening... thump, poof, snore, thump, poof, snore! How would I ever get to sleep with all the racket?
Well, I took the bedspread and my pillow and went quietly into the bathroom and closed the door. One way or the other I'd get some sleep! So, the only place to make a bed was the bathtub/shower!
When they all got up the next morning, they were surprised, cause there was no Ali around. Frantically they dressed and went to town to report a missing/kidnapped "little girl". Now about 15 min. later, I awoke to drilling next door... the coal mine workers! So,, I grabbed the bedspread and left the bathroom, only to find there wasn't anyone in the bedroom! How could they leave me like this all alone?
Quickly I went into town, bedspread wrapped around me and my PJ's, and walked into the diner. Guess in this small town folks always saw a stranger walking around in a bedspread. The waitress came and asked if I needed anything, and I proceed to tell her I had no money, but could I have a glass of orange juice. I had to think this disappearance over in my head! She was kind enough to oblige. Then I heard folks talking about a "little girl" that was kidnapped in town last night! Jeez, I couldn't imagine anyone losing a "little girl" in that small a town.
The local policeman came in and with one look at me asked where I came from. Now mind you I was tired, and a stranger. I wanted to say, "My Mama! Where did you come from?", but I thought second on that. So I explained I was traveling the U.S. Well, he put two and two together and figured out I was the missing "little girl!" Heck, did I look little?
Before I could finish my orange juice, in walked Mama, Gramps and Nana. They were just so happy to have found me. I didn't know I was missing! I told them about my musical evening, and said that from now I they should check the bathroom or the car, and they'd find me. |
