What’s at the End of the Rainbow

I packed up my office laptop, transferred my bill-paying files from my credenza to my briefcase, recorded an away message on my office phone, then locked my door on the way out. I paid a month’s worth of bills ahead of time. I got my summer haircut, picked up a couple books from Hope Thrift, then instructed our summer intern in the fine art of watering the lawn. I gave Lucy her pre-Maine bath. Spent most of last night packing a suitcase and a duffel. Mostly, shorts and t-shirts, underwear, bathing suits and baseball caps. But, because its Maine, two jackets, four long sleeve shirts and two pair of long pants—you never know when it might be cloudy and not get out of the 60’s. 

Several rooms in our house have taken on the appearance of a teenager’s bedroom. All of this chaos, all of the piles of necessities will find their way into our car by the end of today, hopefully leaving room for Lucy, who doesn’t need much, just a circle big enough for her to turn around three times before curling herself in a ball for long naps. Pam will no doubt remind me at least twice to make sure I can see through the back window. She will ask me several times whether or not I have locked the doors to the house, then before we are even out of the neighborhood she will say, “I feel like I’m forgetting something.”

In exactly 24 hours from now we will be on our way. It will take twenty minutes or so before Pam gets firmly settled in her co-pilot’s seat. When she does, she will let out a long sigh, the first second she’s had to relax in weeks. Sometimes she gets emotional when it hits her that we are on our way. For me, I’m all in on conquering the trip and have no time for emotions, except the kind that burn on the inside—mostly gratitude and relief. Then there’s the thing that hits me every year as we pull on to the interstate, that little boy, Christmas morning thrill of anticipation.

Some time today I hope to get a massage to prepare my body for the rigors of the long drive. At 64 an 850 mile road trip takes a toll on hamstrings and backs. Pam ordered me a special car seat cushion that is supposed to promote better driving posture. It is supposed to arrive today. It better, because if it doesn’t I’m leaving without it. When I checked the weather forecast for Camden, Maine for the day of our arrival—Saturday—it promises to be 75 and sunny. In fact the ten day forecast shows no temperature higher than 78. At night it will be in the upper 50’s, low 60’s. 

For us, Maine is always what’s at the end of the rainbow…