The Beginning Read Free Page B

interesting,” he almost whined again.
    “Let me tell you something young man, in my entire lifetime I have only left Pennsylvania a few times. I never got to travel like this.”
    “I know you went to New Mexico to visit Angela for various occasions. Other than that, you’ve been stuck in good old PA.”
    “That’s right, I have. And I have no one to please right now but me,” I said pointing to myself for emphasis.
    “And me,” he whined again.
    “No, my darling, not really.”
    “Why not?” he said looking surprised and offended.
    “Because you insisted on coming on this trip with me. In fact, you pretty much forced yourself upon me as my guardian and protector. Therefore, I have no obligation to entertain you.”
    “Ok fair enough. But if we pass a sign for something I want to see, can we stop?”
    “Sure. Is there a bank nearby you’d like to visit?”
    “First of all, I work in finance, not at a bank.”
    “There’s a difference?” I joked. Really I didn’t understand what he did. I’ve had two finance classes in my college career. Still, I understood nothing.
    “There’s a big difference. For instance…”
    “Don’t start that again.  Let’s talk about what types of things you’d like to see?”
    “Well, I don’t know. I only travel for business. I never travel for fun.”
    “That helps, Frankie, thank you.”
    “I have an idea though. We’re going to stop at a hotel soon, right?”
    “Very soon, preferably. I’m tired and I’m sooo sick of sitting in that truck.” I felt my legs stiffen at the mention of sitting in the truck again.
    “And hotels usually have travel brochures in there lobby, right?”
    “I wouldn’t know, do they?”
    “What do you mean you wouldn’t know?” Frankie asked looking confused.
    “I’ve only stayed in a few hotels in my entire life, honey. And never on a vacation.”
    “Really?”
    “Yes, really.” I started ticking off my hotel stays on my fingers, “The night I got married, the night before your graduation, the night before your sister’s three graduations…”
    “Three?”
    “Bachelor, Master, Doctorate. One, two, three.”
    “Oh yeah, I forgot she’s Dr Angie.”
    “That’s Mrs. Dr. Angie.”
    “Yeah, she keeps reminding me that she puts that whole wife and mother thing first,” Frankie said, sounding just like an annoyed older brother.
    “As did I. Anyway, that’s how many times, five? Less than one for each decade in my life.”
    “You’re not fifty yet.”
    “The first decade counts. You know age zero to ten?”
    He rolled his eyes at me. “Seriously?”
    “Seriously.”
    “But you and Dad took vacations.”
    “Yes and do you not remember what vacations were like when you were a kid?”
    “Yeah, way too many hours in the car. Camping. You mean he still did that when it was just the two of you?”
    “It never changed. And he always insisted on driving straight through, sleeping in the car, taking that damn camper, and/or staying with friends or family. I don’t know what a real vacation is like. I always had to cook and clean.”
    “Even if you were staying at someone’s house?” he asked.
    “Especially then. Otherwise I’d feel guilty.”
    “And Dad never helped out,” he said, “because he worked hard and deserved a break.”
    Frankie’s brain was churning. I could practically see the wheels turning. He let this information penetrate his brain. He looked at me and said, “I think I understand. And no wonder you wanted to go so far south. You wanted to get as far away from that type of life as possible.”
    “Maybe, but it wasn’t that bad.”
    “Ok, I tell you what. I have plenty of vacation time, because I never use it. Let’s, you and me, have a real vacation. Let’s stop and see everything that interests us even if it takes longer to finish the trip.” He was smiling for the first time since we started this trip.
    “Honey. We’re driving a moving truck. That could cost a lot in