Lesson.

Yesterday Sam and I got up silently and with great fury at 5am. We spuffled into our shoes and walked in utter darkness the quarter mile to the beach. Utter darkness that is, until the floodlamp from a giant trashtruck came out of the black like the killer in any horror movie you may have seen.

We avoid getting hit by said trashtruck.

We stand on the beach after arranging Shamova in a very appealing "adopt me young child" pose at the base of the stairs by the beach access.

We then walk down the beach toward the north to wait for the sunrise after we realize that we have perhaps arrived approximately half an hour too early.

I based my judgment on sunrise time off of sunrise time three weeks ago when Robyn and I went and got wet and fancy in the river.

Time has passed.

So we wait until all of the sky is rosier than before. We have realized we will see no such sunrise this morning as there are clouds everywhere.

Then we load up the car with our two blond sons and more luggage than should be discussed and begin to drive.

We proceed to drive for 14 hours.

Along the way we stop at Stuckey's. I stop myself from buying a glittery ceramic mermaid on a rock.

We experience three "tampoons" which is a new word for heavy rainstorm.

We drive through the base of Virginia at 160 miles an hour and drop Joseph and Perry off at the airport where they collect a rental car and depart to maybe have breakfast with Katie Ukrop.

I realize that it is still breakfast time.

Sam and I go to Hopewell, where I hug and kiss my mother, zip up my sundresses in a garment bag and steal a Fiber1 bar. Which are now my new favorite thing.

We go to Petersburg, where we attempt to raid the refrigerator but fail as it contains naught but coke and yogurt, steal a brooch from Sam's mother's store and I roll around in the floor with Petra.

We then go and utterly confound the employees of the Colonial Heights Burger King by ordering veggie burgers.

I consider driving by the Mill just to ask Tom if I can borrow a Sunkist.

We then drive to New York.

I will say nothing on the topic of this leg of trip except to mention that Sam and I should be cast as Coalhouse and Sarah at once and I think they rename the rest stops on the Jersey Turnpike every few years as they used to be recognizable, like Molly Pitcher, and are now things like Janice Butts.

We go through the Holland Tunnel.

Sam chains me to the bumper while he unloads our luggage into his apartment as we did not find a parking space in front and having me as an accessory would doubtless discourage most car thieves.

Sam then leans down with a face full of despair and bags and hands me the keys. I go inside. He goes to pick up his friend Ali and drive to Philadelphia.

Texted him this morning to make sure he made it in once piece and he did. He is full of cheesesteak and exhausted beyond any understanding of metaphor. I tried.

I met his subletter when she strode directly into Sam's room from the front door and was met by the vision of me in his bed without my shirt on.

Met her.

Feel sure she spent at least ten minutes back in her room shaking her head and muttering, "I would have SWORN Sam was gay."

Slept.

Woke up.

Took a brief shower so as not to contract feral rust cancer from the showerhead, dressed, loaded up my trusty backpack (thank you Scott- for that anyway), and set off.

Walked 914,637 miles. Decided to teach myself New York today.

Have a debit sized card with a map of Manhattan on it. Promised myself not to look at it.

Went to bank, park, considered asking the softball players if they needed a first baseman then remembered I was wearing a short skirt.

Sweated a lot.

Developed a fearsome boiling toothed rash on my thighs.

Smiled at a lot of people. Said hello and was friendly to those waiting on me. Enjoyed it. Have someone very particular to thank for that.

Went to the movies. They have seats here that are sitting by themselves. Joy.

Saw a movie where you are shown how it will end REPEATEDLY throughout and everyone sobs anyway. I did not sob. I kept trying to figure out Angie's obsession with Eric Bana. He is a very handsome man.