a document on my trip to Pittsburgh (Beaver County, PA)
Friday 02/18: 12:00pm:
I left my house with the intent on hitting the supermarket and the bank before i hit the road. i spent quite a while at Stop n Shop looking for treats for the trip. I wound up purchasing some mixed nuts, 2 luna bars (chocolate pecan pie, of course), Crasins, and dried (sugared) pinapples. not entirely healthy, but a whole lot better than the Milano cookies I was eying. While checking out I realized that through the power of the debit card I could get cash right there at the register therefore cancelling out the necessary trip to the bank. I got 50 bucks, which now i realize, wasn't enough, and headed out. It was snowing huge flakes until I got westbound on the Southern State, which I'm not sure, but I think is really called the "Southern Parkway." Why I've always referred to it as the "Southern State" is beyond me, but I like it, so I shall continue to call it that for as long as I shall live.
Westward bound now it was 12:20pm. I listened to Suzy Radio from the moment I got into my car, well into Pennsylvania. The only confusion/traffic I faced was on the Cross Bronx Expressway, but after that it was smooth sailing. There was a little hesitation while trying to find 80, but i just kept hearing over and over in my head the 4 or 5 people that instilled in me that I must "STAY TO THE LEFT" after going thru the toll booth. I did, and I made it onto 80 without a hitch. Speaking of hitch, I'll get into that later.
I was making beautiful time when I my gas light came on at around 4pm. I found an exit with the little gas pump sign, indicating that this exit did, in fact, have a gas station, and got off. It was exit 185, I have no idea what town I was in. I had to pee, terribly, so I parked the car in a spot to the side of the gas mart, and quickly made my way inside to find that there was no one occupying the ladies room, thank heavens. I did my thing, and before exiting bought a "double espresso" in a can to keep my tired little eyes alert and on the road (rubber side down). The girl that checked me out was a sweetheart, and suddenly I had the Bouncing Souls "quickcheck girl" pleasantly bopping around in my head. Good tune.
So I got back into my car with the intent of pulling up to the pump to fill up, and as I was backing out of my spot there was this 20 something guy jumping around and waving to me like some kind of monkey. I laughed as I inched closer to him (he obviously thought I was leaving). I pulled up to the pump right next to him, and got out of the car. He walked over and apologized for making a fool out of himself, and told me he was extremely embarassed because he didn't expect me to stop. I reassured him that I didn't mind and I found it quite humorous. He then told me he just thought I was "pretty" and wanted to see if he could get my attention. I told him he did a good job. He then asked me where I was headed, and I told him to Pittsburgh. He thought I was nuts because I still had a good 3 hour drive ahead of me. He sweetly asked me if I thought he was cute, and of course I said yes, who can resist a guy in a skull cap and carharts? He told me that he "fixed cows feet" like a veternarian, but he didn't go to school for it. He was so sweet and genuine. He then asked me if I knew anything about upstate new york, and I told him I went to school for a year at Oswego. He was shocked because he grew up in Utica. He said it was destiny...how adorable. He said it was "nice to meet me" and he was very gentleman like throughout the entire conversation. Needless to say, he made me smile. I left the gas station with a grin, and a perkiness that was lost more than 3 hours earlier. I felt rejuvinated and strangly satisfied. It's nice to be called "pretty." Damn, it was cute.
After that I walzed with numerous 18 wheelers as they beeped their airhorns, flashed their lights, and waved to me. Of course I waved back, it must be hell to drive all day like that, I'd like to give'em a little thrill, even if it's just a silly wave.
Finally, in record time, I arrived in Chippewa where I met my brother at the pizza place he works at. To my surprise there he was, full mustache, and scraggly beard. now when I say scraggly, it's because he can't grow a "full" beard, so it looks damn silly. I barrated him to the fullest extent for the entire weekend, I mean, he looks like mario from the bros. haha.
we went to his apartment, i showered, and we went out to a bar named Sal's. We met his coworker Kiel, and Kiels friend Matt, and we sat at the bar and bullshitted about tattoos (Matt's completely covered) and entrepruneurship. We bought gold shamrocks to fight muscular distrophy and watched the bartender tape them up center stage on the bar. I played a few songs on the juke box (LA Woman, Say Goodbye, Suzy-Q, and The Scientist). I was thankfull that mine got played, so to take a break from the constant country music and odd brittney spears songs.
We left Sals (I was drunk) and made our way to the IMBS (some Italian club). Kiel and Matt were members, and knew the waitress, who was about to close, but kept the bar open just for us. I don't remember purchasing any more alcohol, but somehow I always had a beer or a shot sitting on the bar. Needless to say, I was wasted. We played some pool, shot the shit, and played some good tunes. The bars close at 2am here, so that's when we left. We sang "Sunday Morning" by Maroon 5 on the whole drive home, which is about the only thing I remember of it.
I was asleep by 3am...onward to Saturday...