We drove for 5.5 hours yesterday to drop my nephew off at his summer job. He lives in Seattle but decided he needed to work on the edge of my universe. He is a great kid and flew in a couple of months ago for his interview. That time I schlepped him to his appointment, out to eat, home to sleep and back to the airport the next day, which was a walk in the park compared to the 11 hour round trip over two days. But I adore him and he's my older sister's kid and I'm still afraid of her from the time she whacked me over the head with a phone when I was 10. OK, I adore her too and know she would do the same for me.
So off we went, sandwiches packed, car gassed up and more Ipods per person than is legal.
The lodge is called Jacob Lake Inn and has been in the same family for a million years. Long story, but we know the owners and they are some of the nicest people you could ever meet. Best cookies in the world.
We arrived around 7pm and sat down to eat dinner when we realized that 3 out of 4 of our cell phones didn't work. The conversation went something like this:
Nephew: my phone doesn't work
Me: bummer
Nephew: but my phone doesn't work
Me: bummer
Nephew: take me back now
Which of course we didn't. We just left him there like the bad relatives we are, and because its good for him. He'll need a phone card, but probably won't know how to work the payphone. Can you imagine a teenager without a cell phone? Apparently there are only a couple of service plans that work out there, it is a miracle they find kids to work there every summer. Maybe they don't tell them until after they get there and are watching their parents pull away. "Kid, did we mention your cell phone won't work"- followed by an evil cackle. Their parents pull up at the end of the summer and the kids fingers are shriveled up and bony from lack of texting.
The room we stayed in didn't have a phone, or a television- when they said "Rustic Cabin", I thought they meant I had to bring my own shampoo. The lack of television made my boyfriend break into hives. Everywhere we go he brings a gadget that has a lifetime of movies and TV shows on it. We hook it up and after driving for 5.5 hours he's happy to sit and watch Bones, or Star Trek or whatever. Gosh, the guy deserves a break. But no TV. Tragedy. No cell service. World ending. Mine was the only phone that worked and we spent half the night texting the world to let them know they could reach him through me.
The next morning we went on a hike! And saw nature! And enjoyed it!
Simple, rustic, relaxing, fun. Maybe we should all work in a lodge this summer.
Comments