Why We Were Late
Chapter One of the Saco5 adventure
By JON GRANEY
Thursday, August 8, 1996:
It was the eve of our Saco5 trip. I had come to South Windsor to pack, and Jeff had returned to Vernon.
The trip was finally coming together. Plans were made to meet at Jeff's parents' home around 7 a.m. to leave for Maine. I called Jeff to make sure that hadn't changed.
It had.
"You'll never believe what Rich did," Jeff said.
Well, I know Rich. I'll believe anything. But I still can't believe he did this...
He tore the door off his car. Literally.
It seems Rich's sister came by and annoyed Rich, who slammed the door of his Buick Regal. But the door prop, which holds the door open, jammed. The door ripped off its hinges and fell to the pavement at Rich's feet.
Rich was driving us the following morning in his parents' Lumina van, so the broken door didn't affect us, right? Wrong.
Rich had to find a body shop to fix it Thursday morning. So instead of leaving at 7 a.m., I was still in bed in South Windsor. I went to Jeff's house at 9 a.m. or so, where Jeff and Jeff were patiently awaiting Captain Dziadul's triumphant return from dropping off his car.
Rich called Jeff to pick him up after finding a body shop. We packed up the van and headed out shortly before 11 a.m.
The drive to the Saco took us close to four-and-a-half hours, because Rich also drove the speed limit most of the way. But we all smoked cheap cigars and made jokes (mostly at Rich's expense) and got to Saco Valley Canoe in one piece.
In our next chapter, 'Get A Receipt', we'll examine Rich's obsessive behavior on Saco5, and what really annoyed him.
Stay tuned.
"There's nothing like a good cigar. And this is nothing like a good cigar."
~JEFF VALE, August 9, 1996~
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