Julia asks.
“We haven’t been on the road for thirty minutes. Seriously, Thorton ?” I shake my
head and grip the steering wheel a bit tighter. It’s going to be a long day.
“Well? How much longer?” She’s
whining again.
I try to ignore her until she gives my upper arm a sharp
slap to get my attention. “Four hours,” I grumble out.
“What’s the plan when we get there?”
“We should arrive no later than two this afternoon. We’ll
park the RV near downtown. Then set out on foot to check out the Freedom
Trail.”
“Seriously?”
After switching lanes, I look over and notice Julia is
fidgety. “You should be glad. We’ll be exercising,” I offer. “Say, Thorton , how about search the GPS for a secret Boston
Tavern. I’ve found it one time before but I can’t remember.” I try to distract
her with this. I know exactly where it’s at. It took me a week to locate it. I
know it’s lying again, but I really need a quick distraction and this is all I
can come up with.
She starts punching things in the system rapidly then
rambles off a tavern.
“That’s not it. Trust me. It’s going to take you some
snooping to find it. You may need to make a few phone calls to be sure.” She
goes back to searching, and after a few phone calls and some Internet searches
on her phone, it takes Julia nearly an hour to locate the authentic secret
tavern I want to visit. Don’t ask me the name of said tavern. It’s a secret…
After she completes this, I talk Julia into making me a
sandwich. This gives her another task to occupy her, even though she grumbles
through that.
“You know I’m not much for this type of stuff.” She fusses
from the kitchen counter as I drive along.
“It’s just a simple sandwich, Miss Celebrity. Even your
prissy butt can handle it.” I manage eating a decent sandwich and try
unsuccessfully to get Julia to eat something. She’s not having it today. Not
even a protein shake.
We eventually make it to Boston around two as scheduled. I
couldn’t get us here fast enough. Julia just won’t lay off today. I’ve
whispered a plea to God to please let her chill, but she’s a stubborn one.
Maneuvering this big boy around the tight areas around the harbor is no easy
feat. I end up having to park a good ways away from the Boston Common. I guess
the long walk will do us good, though.
It’s late April so the tourist season is starting to gear up.
The streets are pretty packed, but that doesn’t distract from the awesomeness
of this town. It’s tight. I’m pulling Julia along the red stripe on the
sidewalks and street. It’s perfect. If only she would get into the adventure of
it. There are tour guides dressed in authentic patriot
attire and I can just imagine this place during the American Revolution. There
are even some red coats strolling around. I feel like a kid in this place. I
could get lost checking all of it out. Every time I slow to study something
else, Julia tugs my hand to keep us on course.
We pass by the Park Street Church and I stop in my tracks at
feeling homesick for my home church. This building is majestic with its deep
red brick and massive white steeple. I let go of Julia’s hand and bring up the
history of the church on my phone. I read a statement declared by the church.
“ Park Street History - We hereby covenant and engage ... to
give up ourselves unto the Lord ... to unite together into one body for the
public worship of God, and the mutual edification one of another in the
fellowship of the Lord Jesus: exhorting, reproving, comforting and watching
over each other, for mutual edification; looking for that blessed hope and the
glorious appearing of ... our Savior JESUS ...” (from the Park Street
Church Articles of Faith and Government, adopted on Feb. 23, 1809)”
After reading the powerful declaration in awe, I slide the
phone back in my pocket and notice Julia is unimpressed. “How can that not move
you?”
“I don’t see what the big deal
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