THE WINSLOW SAGA: 1981 - 1996

The first stop, as always, is Schultz's General Store. Maybe Carl just needs the emotional boost to get him going. He drives around town to burn off time until Denise gets off work. He gets Room 103 at the Price Right Motel, then parks down the street from her work.

Like 1994, the front door to the office is closed but the side door is open.
Unlike 1994, he goes in this time.

A new lady working there gives him a friendly greeting, he tells her who he is and how he met Denise Gottlieb in 1993. For a few minutes, they are the only ones in the room; soon a well-dressed young man named Ken comes in.

Carl and Ken talk for about a half hour; then Denise comes in with a couple of other people. Initially, she doesn't quite remember him; it's almost as if he's meeting her again for the first time. But she takes to him just the same, even asking him to stop by her work the next morning.

He goes back to Schultz's to tell Betty the news. His spirits are high the whole night, eagerly anticipating the morning.

Morning comes. He eats breakfast at McDonald's and washes his truck in a wash bay down the road. Then it's off to Denise's work.

No one seems to be there yet; he assists a young lady in unlocking the door. He's got his video camera with him and hopes to get Denise on tape. Then the van rounds the corner and he sees the silhouette of Denise in the vehicle as Ken drives by. Ken has to take care of some business beforehand so he doesn't stop.

Moments later Carl hears a voice behind him say, "Excuse me, we can't have you around here." It's Denise's supervisor, Barbara Harrison. At first, he's worried that he is doing something wrong, but she tells him that it's a new 'no visitors' policy that the new management has enacted. He chats with her for a few more minutes and then heads back to the motel.

A few minutes later Ken pulls up to the building and Denise asks, "Where's Carl?" Meanwhile, back at the Price Right, Carl is sitting on the bed somewhat depressed.

Shortly after 10 AM, he opens the door and is surprised to see one of the people from Denise's work in the parking lot. He goes outside and looks over to find Ken -- and a few of Denise's other coworkers -- cleaning rooms at the motel!

He chats with Ken, and learns that the reason they didn't stop when they rounded the corner is that Ken had to make a phone call. He asks where Denise is. She's stayed behind at the office unfortunately, so he writes a note to her and gives it to Ken.

Despite the fact that he failed to see her a second time on this trip, he goes home quite happy. He's got a definite plan now. No longer will he have to bug anyone at Denise's work. As far as accommodations go, he knows what motel he will be staying at.

On Thanksgiving Day he makes a somewhat bold move: he calls Denise on the phone, even though she doesn't know he has her number. She claims she never got the note he gave to Ken.

They talk for about twenty minutes. He says he'll try and see her next time he's up.

APRIL 10: Carl leaves Kingman around 8 AM, recording more scenery. A few smatterings of Flagstaff, then Twin Arrows and Two Guns. Around 10:30 he tapes himself getting off the 40 at Exit 253, then it's cut to the Price Right Motel. None of the people from Denise's work are there.

Just for fun, he's brought his cordless phone with him, but it doesn't work on the motel's phone system. Around 4:00 he goes to Denise's work as Ken is getting ready to take some people home. Denise is sitting in the back of the vehicle and happens to look out the rear window as he approaches. He waves to her. He peeks in the vehicle and says hi to Ken. Then he hears Denise say, "I'm over here, Carl!" He says hi to her and asks if he can call her. He tells Ken where he's staying.

A new girl sitting in front of Denise asks, "Carl, who's your favorite hockey team?" He's torn between the L.A. Kings and the New York Rangers, but he'd gone to his cousin's wedding in New York in '94 the night after a big game so he tells the girl it's the Rangers. Then she asks, "Who's a Penguin fan in your family?" He's not sure.

That night, he calls Denise. They talk for almost an hour and a half about everything from A to Z. She wants him to get her something, and suggests Lion King or Pocahontas collectables. He gives her the number to the motel so she can call him if she wants. Sure enough, she does and they talk more.

APRIL 11: After getting some more video, and breakfast at McDonald's, he goes back to the motel, anxiously awaiting the arrival of Ken and the cleaning crew. At 9:53 AM, he hears Denise's voice in the parking lot. As she walks by his room, he opens the door and they wave to each other. He closes the door and turns the video camera on, imitating the narrative style of Jerry O'Connell's character Quinn Mallory in the series pilot of Sliders, and excitedly says that Denise is here.

Opening the door (and leaving the camera on), he piles a bunch of clothes into his seabag so the room will look presentable, and flips on the radio to give the place a festive atmosphere. At 9:54, with camera in hand and country station KAFF playing in the background, he gets video of Denise and friends cleaning the room, and shows Ken his copy of the book Sliders. He leaves the camera on until the tape runs out. He tells the proprietor he'll be staying another night.

Around noon, he drives to Flagstaff Mall -- a good 60 miles. It is snowing lightly when he gets there. He goes into a store and finds they are having an incredible sale. He buys not one, not two, but a bag full of Disney stuff -- about $50 worth -- for $19.05.

When he gets to Denise's work, she thanks him for the Disney stuff. Later that night she calls him at his room. He heads home the next morning, his time in Winslow well spent.

By chance, Carl runs into Ken at Arby's and they chat. He shows Ken some photos he took on previous Winslow trips.

To pass the time, he stops by the Pilot truck stop and contemplates buying a gold-plated Eisenhower dollar, but changes his mind. He goes to The Reminder, a shop located on the famous "Corner", and buys a few souvenirs.

Later that afternoon, he goes to Dairy Queen and has a small Blizzard snack, which he takes with him. He drives around a bit, then parks down the street from Denise's work just as she is about to go home. Around 4 PM, he says hi to her as she's coming out the door.

As Ken is getting ready to take people home, Carl and Denise chat briefly. She tells him that he can't call her tonight because she's going out. He shows her some souvenir pins he bought at The Reminder. Moments later, Barbara Harrison comes walking around the corner.

Caught off guard, he awkwardly asks, "How ya doin' Barb?" She says hello, then says apologetically, "I'm sorry, we can't have you around here." She goes on to tell him that Denise's sister and stepfather have requested that Carl not be allowed around Denise. He has done nothing wrong, but after all he is a stranger and they are naturally suspicious.

Disappointed but not surprised, he tells Barbara that he understands their position; after all, he did push his luck with that Merry Christmas message and the Disney collectable stunt.

Realizing that he has been a little too kind to Denise too soon, he says farewell to Ken, shakes his hand and starts back toward the truck. Carl and Denise manage to wave goodbye to each other before he walks away.