Okay, trek is a bit of hyperbole since we are flying coach to Virginia; but this travel story is not without some adventure. Earlier in the week as we prepare for our noon Friday flight on Jet Blue from Logan Airport in Boston, the Weather Channel is warning that Nemo, the latest storm of the century, is packing a wallop and going to pommel New England like none other; and it’s supposed to arrive Friday at noon just as we are scheduled to fly to Washington’s Reagan Airport.
Not be denied a trip to see our nearly seven month old grandson, Owen, I call Wednesday morning, ready and willing to plead my case to the Jet Blue operator to let us take an early Friday flight because of the predicted snowstorm. Stunningly, she does not even make me kneel and beg and gets us on a 621A flight Friday morning from Logan.
That’s when our son Will steps to the plate. Without prompting, he offers to have us stay Thursday night at his apartment in South Lawrence, MA, a mere 30 minutes from Boston’s Logan Airport (our place in York is 75 to 90 minutes away). And rather than parking our car at Park, Shuttle, and Fly, (and let’s be real, in all likelihood this means having our Hyundai buried for up to a week in their lot after this storm), Will says he’ll take us to the airport the next morning at 430A.
Settled into his queen bed in his second floor of a house apartment, we sleep appreciatively while Will takes the air mattress in the living room. Our 415A alarm has the three of us out of the house by 430A and heading south on I-93 into Boston; arriving on time, we become one of the last ones to get out before Nemo bombs New England. Eventually thousands of flights are cancelled over the next two days.
Fortunately we have three days with Owen and his parents Molly and Tip, thanks in no small part to Will.
As grandparents, we hold back on the child-rearing advice. Throughout the weekend, we both delight in being with Owen in the context of Molly and Tip as first time parents. One thing that is so apparent is that Tip is continually teaching Owen, even at this young age, whether Tip knows it or not, about how to treat women. Want to teach your son how to treat women well? Treat his mother well. Tip treats Owen’s mother with much love and respect day in and day out.
All weekend while we are in Virginia, Nemo dumps a total of 40 inches of snow in parts of Connecticut and 30 more in Portland, Maine and brings life in New England to a virtual standstill. As we drive home Monday from the airport, rain has saturated the 24 plus inches of snow in our yard. We would be digging out for days, except Will’s buddy Nolan generously bails us out by plowing our driveway before we arrive home. Having worked 35 straight hours for his snowplowing business, Nolan still finds time for us, who would literally be housebound for days with such heavy, wet snow blocking our driveway. Nolan’s here when we need him.
For many reasons, Owen is fortunate. One reason, he will have fabulous male role models in his life who lead by example.
Will
Tip
Nolan
Owen’s Omi and Papa thank you.