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randadrives · 4 months

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Salem - Witch City

"Still making history"

If you’re anything like me, a millennial spooky kid obsessed with Halloween, you probably also grew up watching the standard movies annually in October: Scream, Halloween, Beetlejuice, every zombie and Halloween (the franchise) movie possible, and the reigning classic, Hocus Pocus. If you’re one of those weirdos who hasn’t watched it, the family-friendly feature is set in Salem, MA – home of the famous witch trials of 1692. Thanks to the dense history, the town being a Maritime National Historic Site, as well as pop culture such as Bewitched, Hocus Pocus, and later the terrible Hubie Halloween (2020), the New England town of Salem has boasted an increase in tourism, causing an extra MILLION visitors just last October. Now I’m going to take you through my firsthand visit to this beautiful city I adored visiting.

An old friend of mine and I decided we wanted to take a long weekend trip somewhere we could drive in the spring of 2023. Several people who had already been to Salem suggested going at a different time of year than the normal September/October time to avoid the crowds of tourists, as it can be quite congested and the prices of everything goes up as well. Early May sounded perfect for decent weather to experience all the city had to offer, and yes – Ten hours (Pittsburgh to Salem) is a perfectly acceptable distance to drive for a 4 day trip, in my opinion. We found an Airbnb (which may or may not have been haunted) in Marblehead, which was a 15-minute drive from downtown Salem. Marblehead is where most of Hubie Halloween was filmed, which may be a severely poorly rated Adam Sandler movie, but I still watched it 5 times. This aesthetic coastal town is rich in history. It’s arguably the birthplace of the U.S. Navy, and a great deal of the original architecture is still present today. We had a great time walking the streets and seeing normal businesses, such as dentists and law firms, in buildings marked with their original purpose and the year they were built, the oldest being 1663! Our first stop on the evening we arrived was the restaurant Sea Salt, because you know we were looking for seafood. If I had not taken photos, I honestly might not remember our experience here. The service was great, and the atmosphere was very nice. The food was a little pricey, but that was expected. I remember having fantastic Brussel sprouts as an appetizer, and tasty cocktails, but can’t tell you that much more about it. My favorite places to look for when I’m traveling are locally owned coffee shops and bakeries/donut shops, so in the morning I pulled up Google and found a café called Maria’s Java Sun that was just a 5 minute walk down the street. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that we ended up walking down there 3 mornings in a row for coffee and a breakfast sandwich or pastry! They were delightful. We had opted for an Airbnb because of course my two adventure dogs were making the trip with us, and I had to be sure they would be comfortable while we were away for a few hours at a time. It was a goal of mine for them to experience the ocean, so I looked up a dog-friendly beach nearby. The second morning we were there we took them to Devereux Beach just a short drive away. It was a Saturday, so the beach was full of families with A LOT of dogs. Mine are dog reactive, but we were able to get to a more secluded portion for some waves and sea salt to ourselves. Another staple of Marblehead that sticks out in my memory is our trip to the liquor store. I have never before this seen a liquor store of this massive proportion. By the end of our stay, my friend and I agreed we would visit the Marblehead area again in the future. In May, it was serene, the landscape was gorgeous, and there appeared to be a plethora of things to do there, many related to boating and fishing.

Now the main, wicked event! On our first day driving into Salem, we had two main items on the schedule: the Satanic Temple headquarters, and a walking tour of the city. Other than that, we knew we would meander and do some exploring, as well as chow down on some seafood again. We drove to the Satanic Temple first because it was not in walking distance of other attractions. I take full responsibility for this idea, forcing my friend to play along with me, and I do not regret it. The towering, charcoal colored Victorian building was a funeral home before purchased by the organization. It was $13 each to enter as a non-member of the church, and we were not too sure what to expect. If you’re interested in who and what the organization is, I’ll let you do your own research as that could be a lengthy essay itself, but I’m a big fan. In short, the headquarters building is essentially an art gallery with some rotating and permanent exhibitions. I was enchanted by the art on display, captured many photos, and left with a few trinkets from the gift shop. I sat on the statue of Baphomet, I’m not sure what else could have made my visit any better! My friend was also pleasantly surprised by the experience, agreeing it was enjoyable and worth the stop.

Next was our walking tour, but first we had to tackle the issue of parking. The infrastructure of Salem is not necessarily built for the influx of tourists. We ended up parking in a parking garage near the Peabody Essex museum and decided that was it, we would be walking anywhere we needed to go from here, no matter how far. There was a visitor center across the street where I learned Salem is a Maritime National Historic Site. Pro tip: if you have the National Park Passport, you can get a stamp here! I didn’t bring mine, so I bought one of the .99 cent sticker sheets to take a stamp with me.

As much as I would have loved to do an after-dark, ghostly tour, we both knew at our big age we would be back at the Airbnb watching documentaries at that point in the night. I let my friend do the online research and choose the walking tour, so I can’t remember which it was, but there are so many that you probably can’t go wrong with choosing. We met our group at the Town Hall. It was a small group led by a Salem native who was knowledgeable and passionate about the history of the city. From here we saw key spots such as the Bewitched sculpture, the Witch House, several churches, buildings that had been used by affluent figures of society, where they would hold parties and meetings, the Ropes Mansion, ending at the old cemetery and monument dedicated to those that were killed for allegations of witchcraft. It was interesting to have someone who grew up here share the information, and she had so much to add we probably could not have learned from Google. And she shared with us all the ghost stories! As we walked the city, we also couldn’t help but gush over all the residents, not just the businesses, who seemed to embrace the culture and had witchy decorations up that time of year. At the end of the tour, we insisted she tell us the best spot to go for a lobster roll and she was happy to oblige.

This leads me to my favorite stop for food, The Lobster Shanty. Looking online, I believe there are two different restaurants called the same name, but this one appeared to be a dive bar, full of locals, cheesy coastal décor, and a boisterous bartender who seemed more than happy to have us there. The lobster rolls were amazing, as were the cocktails we ordered, and I’m grateful our guide suggested this little place over the best rated online, which was a fancy (and extremely expensive looking) restaurant we would not have been as comfortable in. Several other places we stopped for drinks while exploring that weekend were The Derby, a horse racing themed bar that we had just missed a drag show in, and Rockafella’s, a casual restaurant that claims many hauntings from local spirits, and not just the liquor type. My friend’s favorite restaurant we went to was the Howling Taqueria, where we enjoyed steak quesadillas and blood orange palomas at the suggestion of our waiter. We ended that evening with a couple episodes of “I Survived” and wine on the couch with the dogs, naturally.

The next day, after our Maria’s and beach stop, I had to be the nerd I am and go to the Salem Police Department to trade patches. So far, I believe they do have the most badass patch with a witch on it. Then we took in some of the Salem Witch Village shops. There were metaphysical stores, tourist traps of souvenirs, antiques shops, gift/specialty stores, art galleries, and very niche horror themed stores. One store I was upset with myself for passing on was Black Craft, as I didn’t realize the largest witch statue is actually within the building. I was afraid of spending too much money unnecessarily on clothing!

We cut off our browsing for a scheduled appointment time we had with the Salem Witch Museum. The museum seemed to be busy at every time of day, so if you make this part of your sightseeing, be prepared for large crowds. Tickets were $17.50 each for adults and nonrefundable. It’s a massive, visually appealing building, and not actually a museum but more of a theatrical production and history lesson. To be completely transparent, I didn’t learn anything new that I hadn’t already learned from our walking tour or just reading information around the city. Also, it was a rushed, guided tour. We were disappointed we did not get to take our time in the portion where there were artifacts to look at. The entire thing just seemed like they wanted to herd us in and out as fast as possible, and the only portion we weren’t pushed through was the gift shop at the end. I would not suggest this one for small children, as there are some graphic depictions of the hangings (and rock smashings) of the victims of the trials. I personally would not say this stop is worth the price and time.

We had seen most of what we set out to at this point, so we decided fuck it – we are in Salem, let’s go do something witchy. We chose a random metaphysical shop to go have our tarot cards read, and lucked out because the two mediums were available at the same time. It was roughly $40 each, which seemed to be the standard when I was comparing shops. I had a really fun reading with a young woman who was empathetic, bright, and obviously had a great time interacting with the people who came to her. She told me I could record my reading if I wished, and I regret not doing so! I encourage embracing being a tourist once in a while and support the local economy.

We went to Salem Common to take a walk and some photos, and then found an arcade/bar to have a drink and round off the night. It felt appropriate to shoot some zombies while in Salem, even if guns were not quite Winifred Sanderson’s style. Alas, we were physically exhausted and probably slightly overstimulated from being in public so much, so left right before another drag show started. I was pretty torn on staying for it, but wine and a movie, along with sweatpants, were just too inviting. It was a successful second and last full day in Salem. Due to the recent increase in tourism, the city is strongly urging visitors in September and October to NOT drive into Salem. Commuter rail services have been expanded upon, and there is also the Salem Ferry to utilize. If I were you, I would choose a different time of year. There is still just as much Halloween magic to experience in the area when it isn’t the spooky season, less lines, and lower prices for lodging. If you are going to drive or fly in, there are many Airbnb’s, hotels, and even an RV park to stay in. As always, I emphasize being kind to the locals. This is their home, even if it is a bucket list item or a novelty to you. It especially hit hard when we were at crosswalks and school buses full of children were passing by. I’m sure it can be frustrating, or even annoying, to always have so many people on the streets gawking and taking photos. Be kind, use your manners, and tip your servers! Travel can be a welcoming experience for all involved when every party puts the effort in, and maybe form a calming circle if you need to.

#travel #lifestyle #blog #salem #massachusetts #new england #nature #vacation #marblehead #hocus pocus #halloween #massholes #coffee #foody #history

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freebooter4ever · 5 months

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If you weren't actually meaning to open a convo on the all star game feel free to ignore this!

But I think it just has a lot to do with how the all star weekend involves a ton of media so even if they enjoy the game/events themselves there's a lot of strings attached. Like all your coworkers are posting vacation photos, and you may have even been on vacation with them, but you had to cut yours short to work. Sure the office is also throwing a party but it just isn't quite the same as having those days off.

lol!!! Well its not really a discussion on my part because i will just never be able to understand the player's perspective, but i find it fascinating to hear explanations of why the players dont like it - partially because i wonder if the league was a little more "hip", if it could be salvaged.

For one thing, for some of us salary challenged people 'vacation' is not really a thing - i always used my time off to go home and visit my grandparents. Though quite honestly i'd rather hang out with grandma for five days doing nothing but puzzles than sit on a beach doing nothing for five days. When i lived and worked on the east coast i spent most of the year missing my grandparents and the pacific northwest and wishing i was there, so naturally it was always the first place i went to when i got a chance. Im weird. And boring. I realize this.

Secondly, when i did work in education there was this yearly conference and pretty soon after i became in charge of the art department we started bringing the whole team to these conferences. It was the highlight of my year - im not even kidding, im that much of a nerd. I thought my team were the greatest people ever - a sort of found family if you will - and getting to be stuck for an entire weekend with them in some of the most boring cities the united states has to offer never failed to entertain. You know how when you're with people you love everything just feels more exciting? Even dumb shit like getting lost on the DC subway because the foodie of your group wants to try a very specific japanese restaurant thats in a far corner of the city on the opposite end of where the hotel is located. Or getting lost in Atlanta because we had to walk all over the old olympi*c grounds just to see some old stadium so the sports fans in our group could take a photo. Actually now that i think about it most of our outings involved getting lost while walking places. Im not even going to go into detail about the more boring cities because im embarrassed to admit that i found even the most mundane events Really Exciting with these guys. I had a blast, this was the highlight of my LIFE, i dont have very many friends or get out much, lol. I miss those days. I see some of the team individually, like when i last visited pittsburgh, but its not the same as being trapped in a random city and having to entertain yourselves during the off hours when you're not giving presentations. These conferences were also the only time i ever experienced Popularity. Being able to sit in a hotel lobby and have people come up to me, because they recognized me (or my team) was a blast. This is the ideal scenario for a shy person who loves talking to people but cant start a conversation to save my life. I did not care that most of these fans were educators over 40, they all had interesting stories and hearing them talk about using our program helped me come up with new things to implement next so it was a win-win. I also shamelessly used this time to do research on the history of our team. The group peaked in the 90s/2000s and it was really easy to get the older members to start talking about those days. i could probably write a book with everything i learned over the years. except not because even education nerds have scandal. the thing i always found is that if a person seems boring its just cause you haven't asked them the right questions yet.

There was one instance of a guy my age who came up to me and turned out to know the sculpting program i used, and was canadian so we had the whole pacific northwest thing in common, so after the con was over for the day the two of us went out on the town alone. And stayed out till like 2am, not doing anything wild (we visitd tourist sites! We bought smoothies!) i believe we ended up hanging out on an empty playground and talking philosophy, but im pretty sure that was the closest i will ever get to having a one night hookup. The hookup part did not happen because i was too shy to invite him back to my hotel room, and he was staying in a buddhist temple because it was the cheapest housing available and he was a broke grad student studying machine learning and art. I still remember that night, that was the Best night, partially because it was so unexpected and a random happenstance meeting of two strangers who would normally never come together.

Aaaaaall that said, i do realize we are talking about hockey players here who i imagine are maybe not the best conversationalists, and maybe would much rather be sleeping on a beach somewhere. And most of them are probably not the creative type to make exploring a city new or interesting no matter how many times you've been there. (with the exception of sid*ney cro*sby who as we all know is excellent at scavenger hunts). So all right, yeah, maybe i too wouldn't relish the idea of being stuck in a city with a whole bunch of hockey bros.

I also imagine its very different asking someone like sid if he enjoys the all*star game versus asking some player who isnt the best in the league and maybe just got there because of a voting fluke or the rest of his team is just shitty, and is maybe fairly new to the league and this is his first time going, and holy shit he's sitting next to sid at breakfast. Cmon theres got to be at least one guy having that experience even if they would never admit it because its uncool to fangirl.

#fun fact that stadium in atlanta was in fact the basketball slash old hockey rink where the one time atlanta team used to play #and we were visiting there because we were having a hockey nostalgia moment #a fact that was completely lost to me at the time #i was more curious about the architecture and layout of the olympic spaces because im a planned communities nerd #but anyway when i started learning more about hockey history two summers ago #i had an aha moment and went back and found that photo #and sure enough it was the old hockey rink #my old coworkers would be extremely entertained to find out im into hockey now #but they will Never Find Out at least not from me lmao

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thinkingimages · 2 years

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MELISSA CATANESE — VOYAGERS (THE ICE PLANT)

Where do our minds go when we read books, magazines, and letters? Do we seek an escape, a portal to another world? A secret, a truth, a pleasant distraction? Voyagers, edited by Melissa Catanese (author of Dive Dark Dream Slow), consists almost entirely of anonymous black & white snapshots of people in various postures of reading — in living rooms, on beds, at the beach, eating breakfast. We can’t see what these readers are thinking, but Catanese occasionally breaks the hypnotic typological rhythm to reveal a new photographic element — a pyramid, a starry night, sunlight glowing through a window — giving us brief glimpses of the readers’ potential narrative journeys. A wordless book with the size and feel of a vintage paperback found at a flea market, Voyagers reminds us of the power and intimacy of our relationship to ‘reading devices,’ and evokes an exotic nostalgia for our recent pre-digital culture. As with Catanese’s prior books, the images were judiciously selected from the collection of Peter J. Cohen, a celebrated trove of more than 20,000 vernacular photographs from the early- to mid-twentieth century.

Melissa Catanese lives in Pittsburgh, PA and is the founder of Spaces Corners, an artist-run bookshop and project space. For some years she has been editing from a vast collection of over 20,000 photographs belonging to collector Peter J. Cohen, and is the author of Dive Dark Dream Slow (2012), Dangerous Women (2013), and Hells Hollow Fallen Monarch (2015). Her work has been included in the Mulhouse Biennial of Photography, NoFound Photo Fair in Paris, and at institutions including Pier 24 Photography in San Francisco and Aperture Foundation in New York. Catanese has recently served as the Georgette and Richard Koopman Distinguished Chair at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, as visiting lecturer at the University of Texas in Austin, and as faculty at the Image Text initiative at Ithaca College in New York.

#Melissa Catanese #Voyagers (The Ice Plant)#photo book #books #photo books

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shakespeareanwannabe · 1 year

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One Hell of a Year: March

Summary: When Molly Henderson makes the move from Chicago to Lockhart, Texas, she doesn’t expect much. A new teaching job, a new community, and maybe a few new friends, but what she didn’t expect was to meet Michael Perry, a man with a heart of gold, October eyes, and a smile that made her tummy do a strange little flip-flop. With Michael by her side, Molly finds that she may just be able to not only find a life in Lockhart, but thrive there as well.

Warnings: language, references to an abusive relationship, use of alcohol, references to failed relationships, references to marriage, references to lovemaking

Disclaimers: Nothing recognizable belongs to me.

Molly watched her hand float through the wind as the old truck sped down the I-79 towards Pittsburgh, a small smile on her face as smooth jazz poured out of the truck’s CD player.

“You really like that jazz album I picked up for you at the hotel in New Orleans, huh?” she hummed, closing her eyes briefly to focus on the breeze cooling her face.

Michael’s thumb gently traced the back of her hand as he adjusted his grip on the steering wheel. “What can I say? You’ve got good taste in music. Jazz and otherwise. I still can’t believe one of your favourite songs is I’m Yours.”

“Like you said, I have great taste in music. And in men…” she grinned, turning her head to squint at him against the bright light of the setting sun.

“And men, if I do say so myself,” he grinned, pulling her hand up and kissing the same path his thumb had been tracing for the past hour.

“I mean, it’s incontrovertible, baby,” she smiled, gently freeing her hand to dig in her backpack that was stowed in the footwell of the truck. With a small huff, she pulled free her digital camera, turning it on to scroll through the gallery of photos that had been taken on their road trip so far. The cab driver of their horse and carriage tour in New Orleans had been nice enough to take a photo of the two of them with his horse, the black mare nuzzling in between them as they tried to kiss, the laughter clear on both their faces. Dozens of candid shots that Molly had snapped of Michael as they took their Ghosts, Vampires, and Voodoo walking tour, and one of Molly with powdered sugar all over her face, her plate of beignets tilting precariously as she laughed. Their single day in New Orleans hadn’t been enough, and both members of the couple had agreed to visit again as soon as they could. The old-world magic charm of New Orleans faded into photos of Michael’s profile as they had sped along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, where they stopped in Folly Beach for a relaxing day of sun and surf.

“Just look at you, baby,” she cooed, tilting the camera towards him so he could glance down at the photo of him, sticking his tongue out at her from the driver’s seat. “You’re adorable, and the only explanation for that is my incredible taste in men.”

“I’m sure my old man will be happy to hear that genetics has nothing to do with it,” he joked, returning his attention to the empty stretch of freeway ahead of him. They were only about an hour or so outside of Pittsburgh, the sun setting quickly, and Michael wanted to make it there before the hotel restaurant closed.

Molly hummed, lost in her thoughts as she continued to scroll through the photos. They had spent an entire day at Folly Beach, something that Molly would be eternally grateful for. Michael’s skin had taken on a sun-kissed glow that made him even more drool worthy, and Molly knew she would treasure the photos of her shirtless boyfriend relaxing in the sun and sand for many years to come.

Her gaze softened at a few pictures of the two of them cuddled up on the same beach blanket, Molly dozing with her head in Michael’s lap as he read aloud from the trashy romance novel that she had brought with her. Michael had snagged the camera out of her bag and taken a few photos of her, followed by the photo of them together. It wasn’t perfect. The background was blurry and neither of them were perfectly in frame, but to Molly it was the epitome of perfection. She hadn’t felt safe enough to fall asleep in someone’s lap since…since she had been a toddler and had gone to a baseball game with her grandfather. She had gotten bored and crawled into his lap, falling asleep before the fifth inning. That was the last time…until Michael had swept into her life and enveloped her in his strength and his honesty.

“Hey…” she murmured, briefly drawing his attention away from the road.

“Hmm?”

She smiled softly. “I love you.”

Michael lifted her hand with a soft squeeze and pressed a kiss to the back of it. “I love you too.”

When Molly eventually got around to scrapbooking their Pittsburgh trip, she’d be hard pressed to pick and choose between the photos she had gathered over their three-day stay.

The photo of the two of them cuddled up in front of Mr. Roger’s living room was definitely a keeper. Both Michael and Molly had gotten emotional at the Heinz History Museum as they strolled through the memories of their childhoods, weaving in between the set pieces that had kept them both entertained for years. When the kindly museum worker had walked by and offered to take their photo in front of the iconic set, they had both jumped at the chance and, as the flash went off, Molly couldn’t help but think of showing the photo, as well as the old Mr. Roger’s Neighbourhood episodes, to their own children one day.

The photo of the two of them on the PNC Carousel would also be going in the scrap book. Molly had managed to snap a quick pic while she and Michael rode side by side on the musical ride. She felt that the photo really captured the essence of their relationship, what with Michael leaning over to kiss her and Molly giggling like mad when he couldn’t reach.

There was a snapshot of Michael leaning over the railing of the Hofbräuhaus, the river glittering in the background as he turned his head to smile at her. It was a memory she was sure to treasure, as much as she treasured the memory of returning to their hotel room that night and making love into the wee hours of the morning. She had been sore during their walking tour of Market Square for sure, but it had been worth it.

The most artistic photo in the collection had to be the photo Molly had taken of their reflections in the fountain at Point State Park. The Sun had come out to play with them and they had spent the afternoon sipping coffee and talking in the park. When they got up to throw out their cardboard coffee cups, they had passed by the fountain and Molly had been quick to stop for the photo op. Michael’s arms wrapped around her waist so tightly she almost felt like she couldn’t breathe, but also felt oh so safe, like the outside world was unable to reach her so long as she stayed in his grasp.

Another kindly stranger had taken their photo at Mount Washington. Michael had surprised Molly early on their second day, dragging her out of their bed before the sun had even arisen, stating that he wouldn’t be a good tour guide if he didn’t take her to see the best sunrise the city had to offer. With coffee in their travel mugs and pastries from the hotel’s continental breakfast, they had made their way across the river to Mount Washington. When she would look at the sweet photo later on, it wouldn’t bother Molly that neither of them had ended up in the shot, their volunteer photographer having aimed far above their heads. She would look at the bright pinks and oranges of the sunrise and remember the sweet good morning kiss Michael had bestowed upon her as his former city came awake.

The final photo that she would treasure was the photo provided to them by the media staff at the PPG Paints Arena. Molly’s surprise for Michael had been tickets to see the Pittsburgh Penguins face off against the Washington Capitals on home ice, an experience he had lamented not being able to do before he left for Texas. Though Molly knew they might come to regret the late night, what with them having to rise early the next morning and begin the near-day long trip home, she was ecstatic that she had been able to give him a gift that he would cherish. With neither of them being novices when it came to hockey, they had screamed and cheered for the boys in black and gold as they battled against Ovechkin and his cohort. When the infamous Kiss Cam had landed upon them during the intermission for the second period, both had been embarrassed but game to participate, leaning in and sharing a saccharine smooch for the camera. As the buzzer rang for the final intermission of the game, an arena attendant had approached them and provided them with the framed photo of their broadcasted kiss, which Molly already knew would be proudly displayed in her bedroom.

All the photos were testaments to the love they had for one another, as well as the success of their first trip taken as a couple.

“I love you…” Molly whispered against his lips, bestowing upon him another kiss before stowing the photo in her purse.

“I love you too, sweetheart,” Michael murmured, nuzzling her neck until the cheers of the crowd poured over them as the Penguins retook the ice.

As he watched the sea of red and gold players battle for the puck, he felt his shoulders sink down and his heart slow. After the game, they’d go back to the hotel, and they’d be out of Pittsburgh by 6 am the next morning. Everything would be fine.

“Baby, the picture’s not going to disappear!” Michael laughed loudly as they strolled the short distance from the arena to the hotel.

“I’m sorry!” Molly whined playfully, tucking the picture back where it belonged. “We’re just so damn cute, Michael!”

Michael opened his mouth to retaliate but found his mouth dry when a young voice shouted, “Michael!”

Both their heads whipped around, staring through the mob of people exiting the arena.

“I-it was probably a different Michael,” he chuckled weakly, hand on Molly’s elbow to gently guide her back the way they had been going. “One of the perils of having an extremely popular name. All of a sudden, you’re hearing your name everywhere.”

Molly chewed her lip. “Yeah, I guess.” She glanced up at him and noticed how his warm brown eyes were suddenly shifting all over the place, as though he was assessing a threat. “Baby, what’s wrong? You don’t look so good.”

Michael reluctantly relinquished his gentle grip on her as his hand came up to tug on his coat collar. “M-maybe I had too much beer at the game.”

“You had one,” Molly pointed out gently, tugging them both out of the way of oncoming pedestrian traffic. “Maybe those fried oysters for lunch aren’t agreeing with you?”

“I—”

“Michael!”

Michael turned his head to look down the street and saw a young blonde girl waving at him from an open door.

“Malia?”

The girl paused to pull on her coat before racing down the sidewalk and barrelling into him, wrapping him in a huge hug. “Michael!” she squealed as he wrapped his arms around her. “I got your email that you were coming, but I never heard back when I asked whether you’d be able to swing by!”

Michael chuckled awkwardly, risking a glance over at a bewildered Molly before focusing on the teenager in front of him. It had been five years since he had seen her, and it was insane to see how much she had grown.

“Wow, Malia, you’re so big now!”

The teenager rolled her eyes. “Yeah, that tends to happen after five years. How was your trip? Oohhh, this must be Molly! Hi, I’m Malia!” The young blond launched herself at Molly and gave her a big hug, not noticing how taken aback the older woman was.

“Uh, hi, Malia. It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too!” she squealed, smiling at them both. “I saw you two kiss on the kiss cam. So adorbs, by the way, and I thought, “OMG, what if they walk this way after the game?” And I poked by head out of the bar when I saw the crowd going by, and I was right! I just had to come and say hello!”

“Bar? Malia, you’re sixteen, what’re you doing in a bar?” Michael asked sternly, crossing his arms.

The young girl rolled her eyes. “Chill, Mr. Perry. It’s fine. It’s my mom’s bar and we live in the apartment upstairs. It’s super nice. A step up from that crappy place we used to live in. Remember how the elevator was always broken? Oh! Do you want to come in and say hi to mom? She saw you on the kiss cam too! C’mon, she’d be so excited!”

Malia grabbed Michael’s arm and started dragging him towards the dim sports bar with bright neon signs decorating the windows. Without thinking, Michael reached out and snagged Molly’s hand as he got towed along in the wild wake of the teenage girl he had once known.

Molly stood in the doorway, a bit put off by what she had just witnessed.

First, a random teenager runs out of a bar and wraps her boyfriend in a hug. Not completely out of the ordinary, given that Michael was a teacher in Pittsburgh and his early students would be teenagers now. But talking about mom? The place they lived? Insinuating that Michael knew about her home? That all just added up to nothing good.

Then, she gets tugged along by her boyfriend, who is suspiciously avoiding her gaze, into this sports bar, which she wouldn’t normally be opposed to, only to watch him gently hug another woman. A pretty, similarly aged woman who approached Michael with an air of familiarity.

“Hey Michael.”

He smiled softly. “Hey Jaime. How are you?”

Jaime. Not a name she recognized. She’d heard about a Stacy, his high school girlfriend who had cashed in his V-card. She’d heard of a Dominique, an exchange student from Paris that he had a friends with benefits relationship with during college. She’d even heard of Nicolette, the teacher’s aid he had met while he was working with Teach for America.

There had been Sandy, Trisha, Rachel, and, right before her, Jessica, the neighbour three doors down that shot daggers at her every time she saw her. A casual thing that had run its course long before Molly had even set foot in Texas, not that that made a difference to Jessica.

Michael had been extremely forthcoming about all of his relationships. Flings, one night stands, friends with benefits…but no Jaime. Why was there no mention of a Jaime?

“Molly?”

The woman in question raised her eyes and nodded with a small hum.

“It’s really nice to meet you, Molly,” Jaime smiled at her.

Molly forced herself to take a deep breath and hauled a smile onto her face. “It’s really nice to meet you too, Jaime. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Molly saw Michael’s head swing in her direction, but she didn’t dare meet his gaze.

“Oh, that’s so sweet,” Jaime smiled. “Malia’s told me quite a bit about you too. Well, at least what she got from Michael’s emails. It was really nice of him to keep in touch after he went back home to Texas. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without him.”

Molly’s cheeks ached from holding the smile on her face. “Yeah, Michael sure is one of a kind.”

Jaime nodded. “He really is something special.” She leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, “Don’t you let him go, now. I made that mistake.”

Molly leaned back and tried not to let the hurricane of emotion swirling within her come out. Jaime seemed genuinely nice. Not threatening. Her statement came across more as a word of caution than a threat. And yet, all Molly could feel was this threatening black cloud looming over the bar, its wispy tendrils reaching out to snatch Michael away from her.

“D-don’t worry,” Molly murmured, finally finding her tongue. “I won’t.”

Jaime smiled encouragingly at her. “That’s good. I can tell you make him really happy. I saw you on the Kiss Cam at the Pens game. You two seem really in love.”

Molly straightened. She knew it was true on her end. She’d been open and honest with him for months about who she was and the baggage she was carrying. Now, perhaps this situation didn’t warrant this level of suspicion. Perhaps this was just a super awkward encounter with an ex that they would laugh about later. But something inside of her told her that wasn’t the case. Maybe it was the years of experience having to know instinctively when her students were up to something, or maybe she was just born with a radar for knowing when things weren’t adding up.

For the first time since they stepped into the bar, Molly took a look over at Michael, who was staring directly into her soul with a look on his face that she couldn’t quite read. She blinked at him before turning back to Jaime, that fake smile still straining her facial muscles.

“We are. I’m so lucky.”

Jaime smiled over Molly’s shoulder as Michael strolled over to join them, hesitantly resting a hand on Molly’s shoulder.

“It was really nice catching up, Jaime, but I think we should head out. We’ve got a long drive back to Texas in the morning.”

It was Jaime’s turn to blink at him. “Oh. Okay. I understand. I just…I was hoping to get a chance to speak with you. Just…get some closure?”

Michael turned and looked beseechingly at Molly, who sighed and nodded hesitantly. “As long as we’re back at the hotel by midnight, we should be okay. We’ve got that hotel booked in Shreveport anyway, just in case the traffic is bad.”

Michael squeezed her shoulder as he leaned in and kissed her temple. “Thank you. We should just be a minute or two.” Molly nodded, casting her eyes down at the sticky linoleum floor. “Jaime, do you mind if we talk outside? You know, for some privacy?”

Jaime nodded for a second before turning to Malia. “I really shouldn’t leave her in the bar by herself.”

“I’ll stay with her,” Molly heard herself say, watching Jaime’s eyes soften with appreciation.

“Thank you. We won’t be long.”

Molly watched the door swing shut and felt her heart clench as her boyfriend disappeared down the street with his ex.

“Umm…Molly? Do you want to sit? Have a drink?” Malia piped up softly, coming to stand next to her.

Molly chuckled under her breath. “I don’t think you’re allowed to serve the kind of drink I need right now.”

Malia giggled. “Well, that’s true. But I know how to whip up a mean virgin Shirley Temple?”

Molly chuckled. No matter how she felt about this situation, the people at least seemed really nice. “That sounds amazing, Malia. Thank you.”

Malia guided her to one of the bar stools before ducking behind the bar and pouring copious amounts of grenadine into two plastic glasses.

“So, uh…forgive me if this is out of line, but…you don’t know anything about us, do you?

Molly chuckled morosely. “I honestly don’t. I’m sorry.”

“No, hey, that’s cool. I wouldn’t want to drag my new girlfriend into my old crap either, so I kinda get why Michael didn’t want to tell you. But…” the young girl stretched the word as she garnished the drinks with an orange slice and maraschino cherries. “I am super stoked to get to meet you. Michael told me all about you in his emails. I can tell he really loves you.”

Molly felt her face flush. “I really love him too. And I can tell you really care about him.”

Malia nodded as she made her way back around the bar, two glasses of pink liquid in her hand. “Yeah. He really helped me and my mom,” she replied, hopping up on the neighbouring barstool and handing over a glass. “He helped my mom and Miss Nona save my school and get me the help I needed.” At the sight of Molly’s furrowed brow, Malia laughed and continued. “My school was trash and my teacher sucked ass. Nobody gave a damn until my mom decided to take over the school and make it better. She and Michael and Miss Nona did some legal stuff and got petitions and signs made, and they had to go to the school board, but in the end, they won. They got more funding and they were able to fire the teachers who didn’t give a crap.”

Molly blinked. All the time that they had spent together, and Michael had never thought to mention that he had participated in a takeover like that? She knew that he was passionate about school reform and holding teachers accountable, but to that level? She felt like she was talking about a stranger and not the man who had slept beside her pretty much consistently since October.

“Wow…I had no idea.”

Malia nodded, toying with the straw in her glass. “And since I’m dyslexic, it really helped to have a teacher who actually wanted to help me, y’know? Michael really helped me feel confident in my reading and writing. It helped that he was over every night too, to spend time with my mom.”

Molly smiled softly despite the pang in her chest. “I can imagine. Michael definitely has a way about him. You can just tell that he wants to help and he’ll move Heaven and Earth to do so.”

Malia nodded, sipping from her glass. “At first, I thought he was just trying to be nice to me to get closer to my mom. But I realized after a while that it was actually the opposite. Just by being nice to me, my mom fell for him.”

“H—” Molly’s throat was so tight she choked, sipping on her sweet drink to hide her struggle. “How long were they together for?”

Malia shrugged. “Two years or something like that.”

Molly nodded thoughtfully, her blood racing in her ears. Two years was a long time. Long enough for some people to want more, like marriage and children. She always thought that Michael was one of those people, who would want that typical life sooner rather than later. It’s something she wanted sooner rather than later, and she had always felt like they were on the same page about that.

“…Molly?”

“Hmm?” she startled, glancing up to find Malia staring at her. “Yes, sorry. It’s been a long day,” she chuckled nervously. “Wh-what were you saying?”

Malia bit her lip. “It’s okay. It wasn’t important.”

Molly frowned. “Malia, listen…I know you don’t know me and that you might have some negative feelings about me and Michael because of his break up with your mom, but—”

“Oh my god, no!” Malia blurted, reaching out to grab Molly’s wrist. “No way, I don’t hate you or anything! I was just saying that I was really happy to see Michael looking so happy. He looked so happy on that Kiss Cam, smiling at you. I’m so glad he was able to find someone to make him happy after his mom got sick and he had to leave.”

Molly blushed, flipping her hand to squeeze the teenager’s hand in her own. “Thank you. Michael’s lucky to have you as a friend.”

Malia shrugged, a light blush painting her cheeks in the dim lighting of the bar. “I mean, we were going to be family before his mom got sick and he had to move back home.”

Molly stilled, her heart pounding so hard in her chest she was surprised that Malia couldn’t feel it thrumming in her wrist. “I…I’m sorry?”

Malia didn’t look up from where she was stirring the dregs of her Shirley Temple. “He wanted us to move with him. He had a ring and everything, had me help him pick it out so that it was my mom’s style. But then she didn’t want to leave the school and Miss Nona and uproot me from school and all my friends. So they fought. He couldn’t stay. She wouldn’t leave. And that was the end of it.” Malia frowned down at her glass.

The blood was roaring in her ears again. Malia might have been fleshing out her story, but Molly had no idea. She couldn’t hear anything. Not Malia, not the music playing in the bar, not her own heartbeat drumming in her ears, not even the tiny bell over the door as Michael and Jaime returned from their walk.

She flinched violently as a soft hand came down on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly, but to Molly, it felt like a vice.

“Hey, hey, easy, sweetheart,” Michael soothed in that voice that usually calmed her heart and made her melt. “It’s just me. We should be getting back to the hotel.”

“It was great catching up with you, Michael,” Jaime smiled, wrapping her arms around Malia’s neck. “And it was really nice meeting you, Molly.”

“Y-you too,” she murmured, her body feeling like it was slogging through a thick soup, every bone and muscle in her body reacting slower, as though the air had just gotten too thick to breathe.

“Bye, Michael!” Malia leapt up and hugged him before turning to Molly and repeating her actions. “Bye, Molly!”

“B-bye…”

Michael used a gentle hand on her shoulder to guide her back outside the bar, where the once bustling street by PGA Paints arena was now quiet.

One step, two steps, and Molly shrugged Michael’s hand off her shoulder. The heat and weight of it was unbearable, even in the chilly Pittsburgh air. The smell of his cologne was clogging her nostrils and she swore that, if he spoke, the sound of his voice would shatter her eardrums.

He seemed to understand that something was off, as he didn’t question her actions, just kept pace with her as they trekked back to the hotel in darkness.

That thick, heavy silence followed them through the lobby of the hotel, up the elevator, and into their room. It followed Molly as she entered the bathroom and completed her nighttime routine. It chased after her when she bypassed Michael as she left the bathroom and all but collapsed onto the bed, listening to the bathroom door click closed and the shower start up as she allowed her eyes to drift closed despite the tears that were pooling in them.

By the time Michael emerged from the shower, his short hair glistening in the dim lamplight of the hotel room, Molly had fallen into a deep but restless sleep atop the covers. Michael sighed sadly as he gently, tenderly, lovingly tucked his sleeping girlfriend into bed, stooping to kiss her forehead and brush a stray tear off her cheek.

Leaning over to shut off the lamp, Michael sighed. This was everything he had been afraid of, and he could only blame himself. He knew he had been keeping his old life in Pittsburgh a secret from Molly. He knew it wasn’t sustainable. He knew he should’ve come clean a long time ago, but he didn’t know that it would lead to this giant gaping wound between them, this Grand Canyon that left him reaching out for her while not knowing if he’d ever get to hold her again. Michael sighed again, gently falling back onto the firm hotel mattress and fighting the temptation to roll over and hug Molly close to his body.

As tendrils of sleep began to gently wind their way around his mind and body, Michael resolved to fix things in the morning. He wouldn’t lose her. Not like this, not ever, if he had anything to say about it.

When Molly woke early the next morning, it was like waking from a dream to find yourself in a nightmare.

She had finally fallen into a deep sleep in the wee hours of the morning, dreaming of dancing down the street in New Orleans as the jazz music poured out of a nearby bar. Their whole trip had been like a dream, all sparkles and sweetness, all soft and warm around the edges, like a favourite blanket.

That morning, at five a.m., she woke up cold. Her heart felt heavy in her chest, and her skull and the base of her neck ached with the pressure of her thoughts. She couldn’t tell if she was overreacting, underreacting, or completely taking the situation out of context.

She only knew three things for sure.

One, Michael was keeping a cordial relationship with his ex’s daughter. Not something to be mad about. Malia seemed sweet. They had also shared a tutor/student relationship, something that Molly herself was no stranger to. Overall, not a problem.

Two, Michael had fought for educational reform at his school in Pittsburgh. Slight problem. Not because of the reform, because that was something they both agreed needed to happen. No, it was a slight problem because they’d spoken about their highs and lows in teaching before, but never once had he mentioned the takeover that he had taken part in. Perhaps Renata didn’t know. Perhaps he had become disillusioned with teaching when there had been no support from the union. She was peeved that he had never shared it with her but could understand that perhaps his teaching experience in Pittsburgh hadn’t been something he wanted to share. Overall, a slight problem but not a big deal.

Three, Michael had an ex-girlfriend in Pittsburgh that he had been planning on proposing to. Giant, waving red flag. Not the ex part. That was understandable. Everyone had a past, Molly included. She couldn’t and would never get mad at someone she loved for living their life before she became a part of it. That wouldn’t be fair. What sent her heart plummeting down towards her toes was that he hadn’t trusted her to talk about that part of his life. Of course, the end of a relationship that you saw lasting the rest of your life would be traumatic. And Molly would be able to understand Michael’s hesitance to speak on the subject if he had only mentioned her. Just once. If he had mentioned Malia at all, even in passing.

“Hi, I’m Michael Perry and I sometimes keep in touch with my ex-girlfriend’s daughter because we formed an educational bond. Why’d we break up? I was going to propose but my mom got sick, and I had to move back home. She wouldn’t move with me, so we split…” Molly mumbled under her breath, pressing her knuckles into her eyelids. “It’s not that hard…especially after your girlfriend shares the story of her fucking abusive relationship.”

Molly sniffed and stood on creaky knees, her joints aching from being wrapped up in a ball all night.

She didn’t want to be judging Michael too harshly. She loved him and she knew from experience that he loved hard. That his breakup with Jaime must have been devastating since he had wanted to marry her. And she didn’t want to compare relationship trauma because that wasn’t fair to either of them, but hadn’t she shown that he could trust her with the big stuff? She had opened up about her past relationships months ago. She had spilled her guts all over the floor like leftover Christmas gift wrapping, and he had helped her sort through it and clean it up, sewing the wound shut with so much love and devotion that she could barely feel its ache anymore. And yet, now it felt like it was pushing against the long-healed stitches, infected with some sort of parasite that she hadn’t known to watch for.

Secrets.

She had none. She had told him all about her grandfather and her ex-boyfriend, how she had ended up in Texas and how she had gotten her house. She thought he didn’t have any either. He had, albeit reluctantly, opened up about his mother’s death. He talked about how much he struggled with being a mandatory reporter because it meant knowing how badly his students were hurting. She knew about his flings, his relationships, his loves, his losses. Everything except this relationship, this love, this loss. And that threw a giant red flag in the air that covered all the green flags, shrouded them in this bloody blanket that disguised every good thing about their relationship as a possible detonator, a potential trigger, a threat to her happiness.

“H-hey…you’re awake.”

She lifted her head and saw Michael standing in the doorway, two cups of take-out coffee in his hands and a sheepish look on his face.

Despite her body feeling like a million pounds, she stood up slowly and shuffled towards the bathroom.

“Yeah.”

Michael carefully placed one cup of coffee on the dresser. “I’ve already got all my stuff packed. I can head down and check us out while you’re in the shower, if you want. Then we can get going. And hopefully…talk on the way home?”

Molly’s eyes sunk closed.

“Look, Michael…I know we need to talk but I had a shitty night’s sleep and I don’t know if I have the emotional strength to have this conversation right now, okay?”

He flinched back slightly, unused to the biting edge of her words. “Y-yeah, okay. That’s…that’s fine. You should nap in the car. Maybe that would make you feel better. And it’ll keep you from getting car sick too. I don’t mind if you sleep, if that’s what you need.”

Molly felt tears well up in her eyes and she quickly turned away from him, heading into the bathroom. “That would be great. Thanks.”

As the door clicked shut behind her, Michael’s head hung. It truly was the worst feeling in the world to be so close to the person you love, and yet so far away.

The drive from Pittsburgh to Shreveport was markedly different from the drive they took on the way there. There was no singing along to the songs on the radio. There was no pulling over and taking pictures of random, awesome things they saw along the way. There was no handholding, no casual conversation that evolved into deep, meaningful discussions about their future together, no ‘just because’ kisses over the centre consol.

Michael focused on driving while Molly slept. While they had traded off on the way to Pittsburgh, each of them taking turns driving so the other could rest, there was no such trade off this time. The only sound in the car was Michael tapping on the steering wheel with his thumb, wondering how they had gotten to this point.

Things had been good in New Orleans, in Folly Beach, even those first few days of Pittsburgh. Hell, while they had been wandering the French Quarter, Michael had even found his eyes being drawn towards jewelry stores, his eyes scanning the glittering rings in the front window, wondering how each one would look on Molly’s finger. He knew they were only a few months into this thing between them, but he could feel it in his bones that this was it for him. And now they were barely speaking.

Sighing tiredly, Michael flipped on his turn signal and pulled into the parking lot of the hotel in Shreveport they had booked for their return drive. He took a moment to bury his face in his hands, rubbing the sadness out of his eyes like sand before reaching over and gently shaking Molly.

Despite her soft, smooth breathing, she woke immediately, no signs of sleep in her eyes.

“We’re here…” he murmured softly, staring out at the dark stretch of pavement and the warm, welcoming lights of the hotel.

She nodded back at him, crawling out of the truck and stretching once her feet hit solid ground.

Michael followed her lead, stopping at the bed of the truck to pull their suitcases out. Without a word spoken, Molly held out her hand and took hers, dropping it down to the ground with a thud as she began to roll it across the rocky pavement.

Michael watched her go, an unknown feeling building in his chest.

“Molly?” The word burst from his lips like a volcano, shattering the stillness of the night.

Her head hung as she hesitated. “Michael…”

“Is this how it’s gonna be now?” he asked with a lump in his throat. “I get that I fucked up, but the silent treatment isn’t exactly going to fix things.”

She sighed, the sound carrying through the cold night air. “I know that…but I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“Something,” he replied, desperation dripping from his voice. “Anything. Honey, you’ve gotta know that I never meant for this to hurt you. I…I didn’t even think that it would be that big of a deal. You know that I’ve dated before, that there are ex-girlfriends out there.”

She laughed humourlessly. “That’s the problem, Michael. You didn’t think. I know that there are exes. We’ve both got them. But an ex that you were going to marry? That you bought a ring for? How the hell could you not think to mention something so important?”

He flinched at the cutting edge of her words. “I told you, I didn’t think! Jaime is so far in my past that—”

“That you still keep in touch with her daughter?” Molly challenged, stepping closer to him in the dark. “You can’t tell me that you forgot all about her but managed to not forget about her child!”

“Of course, I didn’t forget about her, but I don’t see her in a romantic light! I haven’t for a long time! My mother was dying, for Christ’s sake! I shoved all thoughts of romance out of my head for a long time!”

“I know that!” she cried, her hand raising to massage her temple. “I know that you did because I did the same thing! The problem is, I shared that with you almost three months ago! You didn’t think it was a good idea to share the shitty end of your relationship then?”

“What did you want me to say, Molly?” he griped. “‘Sorry your ex was an abusive asshole that you managed to escape from when your grandfather died. I was gonna marry my ex, but she refused to uproot her life in Pittsburgh when my mom got fucking cancer. What a coincidence?’? I wanted to give you time!”

“Three months, Michael! I told you all that at Christmas! It’s March Break now! You’ve had God knows how many chances to tell me about it since! You could’ve told me instead of skulking around Pittsburgh for three days, trying to avoid your ex and her daughter!”

“Hey!” he shouted sharply. “We had a great trip, and I wasn’t trying to avoid them!”

“No? Then why didn’t you want to show me the school you worked at?” she crossed her arms tightly across her chest. “Is it because you were afraid of me running into someone who would tell me all about how the great Michael Perry helped save the school and fell in love in the process?”

“It’s because I wanted to focus on you! On us! I wanted us to have a break from being Mr. Perry and Ms. Henderson! No teacher talk, no Professional Development, just me and my beautiful girlfriend, enjoying a relaxing vacation! And it was great until now!”

“You mean it was great until all your secrets started crumbling down,” Molly muttered, grabbing her suitcase, and dragging it towards the hotel, her shoulders hunched.

“Molly! Molly, c’mon!” Michael grabbed his bag from the truck and chased after her, only catching up once she was standing at the front desk.

“Hi there, we have a reservation. Name is Michael Perry,” Michael panted at the tired looking clerk behind the desk.

He tapped at the computer for a moment before nodding. “Single bed, one night?”

“Yeah, that’s—”

“That’s us, but would it be possible to get an additional room for the night?” Molly piped up, pointedly ignoring Michael’s searching eyes.

The man huffed and tapped at the keyboard again. “For an additional $450, I can put you in adjoining rooms.”

Molly huffed. “Never mind then.”

The man looked at her, then glanced over at Michael’s set jaw and tense eyes. “Or…” he sighed, typing something into the computer. “I can put you in a room with two twin beds. It’s only fifty dollars extra.”

“Perfect,” Molly chirped, glaring at Michael as if daring him to say something.

“Yeah, great…thanks,” he muttered, grabbing the room key out of the clerk’s hand.

“Have a good night,” the clerk called at their backs as they headed towards the elevator.

“I thought we agreed that, if anything went wrong between us, we’d be able to act like professionals,” he hissed as the doors to the elevator opened, a tired family of six exiting with their bags.

“That’s at school. We never said anything about vacations,” Molly replied simply, punching in the floor number. “But we are fighting, and I’m not about to sleep next to a man who doesn’t respect me enough to tell me about his almost-engagement.”

“This has nothing to do with me not respecting you,” he groaned as the elevator let them off on their floor. “I respect the hell out of you, Molly. You know that. You know me!”

“Yeah, I thought I did,” she muttered, punching her keycard into the electronic lock and watching the lights turn green.

“You do!” he pleaded as they walked into the room, the two twin beds standing like firm sentinels against the wall. He hated the very sight of them.

“How can I know you when you hid years of your life from me?” Molly asked desperately, her hand coming to her forehead. “I didn’t know about your work at the school, standing up against the school board, your work with Malia, your near engagement to Jaime, any of it! It’s like Pittsburgh Michael is a total mystery to me!”

“I will tell you anything you want to know, Molly. All you have to do is ask!” he pleaded, leaning against the bed closest to the door.

She shook her head, and, when she spoke, her voice was choked up with tears. “I-I can’t do this right now. I’m too tired and you’re exhausted from driving all day. We need to sleep.”

“Yeah, fat chance of that,” Michael muttered, pulling the comforter off the bed.

“I’m sure you’ll survive one night,” she mumbled, copying his actions before disappearing into the bathroom with a click of the door.

Michael groaned as he sat on the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands. His body was sore from being in the car all day. His mind ached from the focus of driving for almost 17 hours. And his heart felt shredded in his chest, flattened by the weight of everything he was carrying with him. Yet, despite it all, he knew he wouldn’t get a good sleep that night. He never slept well without Molly in his arms.

Michael stared out the windshield as the familiar sights of Lockhart started to surround the truck.

The only words spoken between himself and Molly that day were thank yous. She thanked him for the coffee he had gotten her, and he thanked her when she held out her hand for the keys. Again, they hadn’t traded off driving, the six hours of driving passing as tension-filled and quiet as the day before. A little voice inside of him begged Michael to say something, anything, to salvage not only the trip, but their relationship as well. The voice grew louder and louder, nearly screaming in his ears as Molly pulled to a stop in front of her house and shut off the truck.

She cleared her throat awkwardly, turning partially towards him but not meeting his eyes. “I’ll, uh…see you tomorrow, I guess.”

She frowned as she stepped out of the truck and grabbed her suitcase, leaving the driver’s side door open for Michael. He would have to drive the truck back to his dad’s house for Mark and swap it for his own beat-up Nissan, but he felt himself stuck in the passenger’s seat. If he allowed himself to get into the driver’s seat and leave, he knew it would be over. And it couldn’t be over. Not yet.

Molly flinched as she heard the truck’s creaky door shut with a slam, tears pooling in her eyes. Things had been so wonderful, so perfectly imperfect with Michael. They got each other on a level that Molly had never experienced before. When he looked at her, it was like being stripped bare for the whole world to see, and she had never felt safer. She didn’t want to lose that, but she couldn’t bring herself to turn around and stop him from driving away. Not when there was still so much hurt and anger boiling inside her veins.

Unable to bring herself to watch him drive away, Molly kept her head bowed towards the handle to her front door, fumbling with her keys as her hand shook from the sheer pressure of holding back the tears that threatened to burst forth.

With a small sob, her trembling hand finally slid the key into place and with a click, the door swung open. Steeling herself, Molly hauled her suitcase inside and allowed the first few tears to slip through the cracks in the safety of her own home.

As she turned to close the door, a booted foot stuck in the door jam, startling her. Through the veil of her tears, she saw Michael’s face, tears pooling in his sweet brown eyes, his hand gently holding the door open.

“W-we…” his voice cracked as he sniffed, rubbing at his eyes. “We have to talk about this. I…I can’t just let this go.”

Molly sniffled as more tears fell, her heart aching twofold now that she could see the pain written so clearly across his face. “Y-yeah…okay.”

She opened the door wider and allowed him to slip in before she closed it and locked it, not sure if she was trying to make herself feel safer or if she was trying to keep him there with her, where he belonged.

-----

Michael didn’t necessarily like how far away Molly was sitting from him on the couch, but he respected it. The ghost of her tears were still swimming before him, and he hated that he was the source of her pain.

“D-do you want anything to drink?” she asked him quietly, breaking the silence that had stretched between them for what felt like hours.

He shook his head quickly. “I’m okay,” he replied in a croaky whisper. “I mean, I’m really not okay. But I don’t need a drink.”

She nodded quietly. “Me too.”

With those two simple words, and a deep, heavy sigh, she tucked her feet up underneath her and rested her head on her knees.

Michael sighed in response. “I hate this,” he admitted quietly. “I hate how far away you’re sitting. I hate that I haven’t spoken to you in almost two days. Two days, Molly. It’s the longest I’ve gone without speaking to you since we met. I hate that you’re making yourself smaller because of me, and I know that that’s mostly because of him but it’s also because I broke your trust. And I really hate how you’re literally right next to me, and I miss you. I miss you, Molly. I miss my best friend and my girlfriend. But the thing I hate most of all is how badly I screwed this up.” He sighed heavily and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and letting his head bow over. “I wish I had told you everything.”

“Why didn’t you?” she whispered.

He shrugged, “I honestly don’t know. And I know that sounds like a cop out answer, but it’s the truth. I meant to tell you. I wanted to tell you. But then you told me about your grandfather and all I wanted to do was comfort you. Then came the worst social worker in the world, and I didn’t want to…I don’t know, detract from your pain I guess? And I’m not making excuses or blaming you. This could never and will never be your fault, Molly. But that’s how my brain rationalized it.” He held his hands open in front of him desperately.

“You know that’s not fair to me, right? I’ve worked really hard to be open and honest with you, even when I was terrified that it would drive you away. But I told you the truth. I’ve always told you the truth.”

“I know,” Michael whispered tearfully. “Maybe I didn’t tell you because the death of my relationship with Jaime is so closely tied to the death of my Mom? Maybe it’s because it’s hard to admit that I was really close to spending my life with her? I uprooted my entire life and potentially damaged my career because she wanted Adams to be better for her daughter, but she refused to even consider moving here to let me take care of my sick mother, even temporarily. Maybe I didn’t want you to think that I’m a failure? Maybe I didn’t want to weigh you down with my baggage? Molly, I honestly have no idea why I didn’t tell you. I wish I did. If I knew, I would tell you right now, I swear.”

Molly nodded her head shakily. “I-I know. It still hurts though. That you didn’t trust me.”

“No, no, baby, please don’t think that.” Michael reached out and hesitantly took her hand between his, cradling it while he marveled at the difference in size and texture in comparison to his own. “I trust you more than anyone, including my brothers and sisters.”

“You say that, but this doesn’t exactly prove it,” she mumbled. “You didn’t even tell me about your mom until Gabriella brought it up on Thanksgiving. Do you know how much that hurts?”

“I didn’t tell you because of how much it hurts! Every time I think about that time in my life – Jaime, Malia, my mom – it hurts so bad that I can barely breathe!” he cried. “I didn’t want that pain, that darkness, to affect the best thing in my life. I wanted – no, needed – a fresh start. I needed clean, fresh air to fill my lungs with, but I didn’t know where to find it, and then Renata introduced me to you, and I swear to God, Molly, I tried so hard to just be your friend. You’re so sweet and kind and caring and funny and passionate, and so, so beautiful. You made it easier to breathe. Just being around you helped me come to terms with all if it in a way that made so much sense, five years later. And I meant to tell you all of it, but I just…couldn’t.”

Michael took a deep breath, playing with her fingers, still caged between his. “Then…you found out about my mom. And it didn’t hurt as much as I anticipated. It felt so freeing to share that with you, to be able to talk about her with someone outside of my family, someone who got it, someone who…someone who loved me. So, I started trying to build up the nerve to tell you about Jaime and Malia, but then you told me about him and I lost my nerve. I don’t know why, and I’m definitely not trying to pin this on you. Maybe I didn’t want to upset you, maybe I didn’t want to mar a good thing with a bad memory, maybe—”

“Maybe you’re still not completely over her?” Molly added in a soft, sad voice.

“Oh god, baby, no…” Michael pressed her hand to his lips. “I lost feelings for Jaime a long time ago.”

“But you were going to marry her.”

“I…I was going to ask. I was toying with the notion of asking her. I don’t know. We’d been going out for so long, and we’d fought the school board, I thought we were invincible. But in hindsight, those events covered up a lot of red flags. I asked her about marriage, and she was very noncommittal about it. I asked her about potentially adopting Malia, and she said no. That’s her right as her mother, but she kept introducing me as Malia’s former teacher, and that rubbed me the wrong way. She also didn’t want more kids, which I did. Again, her right, but I really wanted to be a dad and she would barely let me be a stepdad. But I thought I loved her enough to look past all those things. But moving here to take care of my mom, even temporarily…she wouldn’t even consider it. And that was the end. And seeing her again the other day only confirmed it. I haven’t loved Jaime in a very long time. I am so in love with you, Molly, that I can barely stand it. And knowing that I’ve hurt you…I don’t think I can ever forgive myself. But that won’t stop me from begging for your forgiveness because you are the best thing to ever happen to me.”

Molly sniffled. “I wish you had told me all this earlier. I wish you hadn’t kept it from me.”

“I know. I know, I know, I know…” he whispered, gripping her hand tightly in his dual grip and pressing the skin of her hand to his lips.

Molly took that moment to look at him. To really look at him.

And frankly, he looked terrible. As terrible as she felt, which was saying a lot. He looked like he hadn’t slept at all in at least two days and, come to think of it, Molly wasn’t sure he had. He had been out getting coffee when she woke up on their departure day from Pittsburgh, and he had already been dressed and showered in Shreveport.

“Michael, when was the last time you slept?” she asked gently.

“Before the hockey game,” he whimpered, pressing her hand to his forehead. “I can’t sleep without you anymore. At least, not when we’re fighting. I hate fighting with you, and I know it’s my own fault, which made the sleep situation even worse. I kept thinking back to every opportunity I had to tell you and regret not being honest with you. If I could go back and kick my own ass, I would. I swear. Molly, I…I’m so sorry that my actions hurt you. I’m sorry that I made a deliberate choice that has you rethinking us. I am so sorry that I hurt you. I’m supposed to be the person you can trust…and I broke that trust. I am so sorry that I hurt you, baby. So, so sorry.”

“I…I can’t say that it’s okay. Part of me wants to, but I can’t.”

“I don’t expect you to,” Michael interjected quickly. “I wouldn’t ever expect you to just rug sweep this. I know I hurt you too much for that.”

“But I…I do forgive you. It’s going to take me a while to forget and look at you the same way…” Molly watched as Michael visibly wilted in front of her. “I’m sorry, Michael. I just need time, okay? Time to heal from this. Time to see you as the man I know you are.” The downcast look in his eyes made it hard for her to get the words out. “I’m just asking for a…a pause. Nothing permanent. Because as much as it hurts, I do love you.” She smiled softly as he perked up. “It hurts because I love you and because I know you never meant to hurt me.”

“Never,” he whispered. “I would rather walk on shattered glass than hurt you, Molly.”

“I know,” she squeezed his hand with a whisper. “I just need some time and space, okay?”

He nodded slowly and stood, their joined hands stuck like glue as the space between them grew until, finally, her hand fell back into her lap with a dull thud.

“I’ll give you as much time as you need,” he whispered in a choked voice that sent a pang to Molly’s chest. “But I’m not going to stop proving to you how much I love you, okay? Can you give me that, please? I’ll give you as much time as you need of us just being friends, but I can’t go back to being strangers. I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

Molly nodded tearfully, the thought of not having him in her life at all making it difficult to breathe. “Okay. But…only at school, okay? We’re friends at school, and then we get space apart at the end of the day and on the weekends.”

Michael nodded eagerly, willing to accept any deal she was willing to make with him. “Okay. Yeah, that’s good.” He stepped closer and ducked his head, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead as he breathed her in, his eyes squeezed shut. “I’m so sorry. I love you, Molly.”

His strong, steady footsteps belied the quivering feeling he had inside of him as he stepped away and left her house. He knew it wasn’t the end. She had only asked for space and time. After what he had put her through, she deserved that much. And so much more. So he would give it to her. Everything she needed in a friend. He’d go back to being the strong, steady companion she had met back in August. The difference was, back then he had worked hard to only be her friend. Now, all pretenses were off. He knew he loved her and that she loved him. So, now, he would prove to her just how worthy he was of her affections.

Tags list: @budcooper, @aellynera, @mattmurdocksscars, @beenthroughalot, @itspdameronthings

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draycu · 11 months

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So I recently took an amazing trip by car driving ALL the way from Houston, Texas out to Pittsburgh to spend this year’s Anthrocon with friends! There’s a LOT I have to share about the time on the road getting here and I will probably have a lot to still share going forward.

Why did I drive all this way? Who the heck even am I? I’m Draycu, and this is my first post ever on Tumblr, (I’m pretty dang sure at least) halito!! I’m moving here from Twitter after all the, ~stuff~, going on lately. To answer that first question, I wanted to grow and learn what it’s like to take a road trip in 2023 across the USA. There’s been a lot of changes I’ve gone through in the past, five years now? Change in career, changes to my family, and changes to my own body and sense of self.

I really want to share my experiences as best I can, show folks what it’s like doing something wild like packing your car and leaving for a journey of more than a thousand miles across so many different states and geographical regions! Hehe, I get a bit nerdy when it comes to travel too, and seeing the Appalachien Mountains was truly a magical experience to me. I’ve been a gal who’s lived her entire life in a place that’s mostly flat and lacks a lot of trees around the major cities. Seeing the steep roads and views in Pittsburgh has been INCREDIBLE and BREATHTAKING!!

Texas is also burning up a lot; my mom let me know the ac stopped working shortly after I left home. I’m glad I’m staying safe, and my friends have been really wonderful letting me enjoy the AC weekend!

So, I figure I’ll post stuff here, blog about my journey back home and exploration of the east coast back through the Appalachiens and down to the gulf coast of Mexico. (I miss the ocean and beach front a LOT)

Y’all can ask me stuff, I don’t mind! I’m not sure how many folks might come across my tumblr, but halito, (hello in choctaw language) and yakoke (thank you) for taking a look!

Here’s some more photos from my time at AC, it was WILD! (The guy covered by a poncho and armadillos is one of the awesome folks letting me have a place to stay while visiting Pittsburgh! His name is Kassc, lol)

#road trip #blog post #travel #anthrocon #pittsburgh pennsylvania

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nwbeerguide · 1 year

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The Boston Beer Company announces the addition of "Slingers Signature Cocktails" to their growing portfolio of options.

image courtesy Boston Beer Company

Press Release

BOSTON … The Boston Beer Company, makers of Samuel Adams, Truly Hard Seltzer, Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard and Dogfish Head, announces the launch of Slingers Signature Cocktails, a malt-based lineup of full-flavor, 8.0% ABV cocktail-style drinks in the convenience of a 24oz can.

From The Boston Beer Company, makers of Samuel Adams, Truly Hard Seltzer, Twisted Tea, Dogfish Head and Angry Orchard, Slingers Signature Cocktails is a malt-based lineup of full-flavor, 8.0% ABV cocktail-style drinks in the convenience of a 24oz can.

Debuting in three recognizable flavors, Bahama Mama, Peach Screwdriver and Pineapple Punch, Slingers is hitting shelves this month in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and select areas of New Hampshire. With a superior taste, pricing that won't break the bank and convenient single-serve formatting, Slingers was carefully crafted to capitalize on the triple-digit growth of the ready-to-drink (RTD) category and the growth of higher-ABV offerings.

"With its strong points of difference, relatable brand ethos and malt-based recipe, we really feel like we've got a winner in Slingers," said Andrea Desaulniers, manager of innovation at Boston Beer. "And the brand's physical attributes – a convenient, single-serve package with a higher-than-average ABV and eye-catching graphics – make it especially suited for the convenience store class-of-trade. So, we're doubling down and stacking our chips there!"

The Slingers Signature Cocktails brand is all about instant gratification. Combining ease, 8.0% ABV and a great "bang-for-your-buck," Slingers offers drinkers a quick, easy and affordable way to escape life's monotony and feel like a winner, even if only for a moment.

Desaulniers adds, "Cracking open a can of Slingers instantly transports you to good times. Whether that's a neighbor's backyard bash, a beach-side bartender slingin' drinks, or somewhere in between – no judgement, here!"

The Boston Beer Company aspires to be the world's most innovative, consumer-oriented beverage company. Its two-fold innovation strategy includes thoughtful expansion of existing product lines to meet consumer needs, as well as purposeful development of new brands that capitalize on current and future industry trends. While some new products are launched nationally, others will be released in a limited number of test markets to iterate and learn before expanding distribution.

"Our two-tiered approach to innovation allows us to be both 'big and small'," said Robert Vail, head of innovation at Boston Beer. "Regional test-and-learns like Slingers enable us to jump on trends quickly while also giving us the space to gather direct consumer feedback and hone the brand before expanding. It's the best of both worlds."

For more about The Boston Beer Company and Slingers Signature Cocktails, visit www.bostonbeer.com and www.drinkslingers.com, respectively.

…

SLINGERS SIGNATURE COCKTAILS:

From The Boston Beer Company, makers of Samuel Adams, Truly Hard Seltzer, Twisted Tea, Angry Orchard and Dogfish Head, Slingers Signature Cocktails is a malt-based lineup of delicious, cocktail-style drinks in the convenience of a 24oz can. A relatable brand offering superior taste and 8.0% ABV, with convenience at its core, Slingers Signature Cocktails is the winning choice with three fun and recognizable flavors – Bahama Mama, Peach Screwdriver and Pineapple Punch. For more, visit www.drinkslingers.com or follow Slingers Signature Cocktails on Facebook and Instagram. We Sling. You Drink!

from Northwest Beer Guide - News - The Northwest Beer Guide https://bit.ly/3A4Uzan

#Craft Beer #Beer #News

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crosby-interesting · 2 years

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What’s to love about Pittsburgh?? Another boring ass blue collar working class city .. nothing tourist wise .. these girls want the Miami lifestyle ( sun & beach) .. the majority of their brains can’t handle the idea of working a 9 to 5, let alone visit museums & read 😂😂😂

The poor things are so bored that their only joy is a weekly fucking costume parties

#hockey gossip #pens wags #wags #nhl

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singeratlarge · 2 years

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO AL JARDINE + SATURDAY MATINEE MUSIC VIDEO: “(I Wanna Be-In) Pennsylvania”—https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0814KzrWNJ8 ...One summer day in 1981, I was flying from San Francisco to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to visit family and friends. While changing planes in Pittsburgh, imagine my surprise to see The Beach Boys entourage (minus Carl Wilson, who wasn’t on that tour) waiting at the gate, headed to Harrisburg for a run-off gig. I conversed with Brian Wilson, Bruce Johnston, Al Jardine, Mike Love, and Dennis Wilson. During the flight, they let me pick their brains about songs, studio craft, songwriting, etc.—my opener was to talk about “Celebrate the News.” Al was very interested in the landscape as we looked out the windows. It occurred to me to compare Appalachia to Big Sur (where Al famously lives) but my mind drifted…

Years later, back in California, I was demo’ing on the keyboard, thinking I was homesick for my native PA. Out of nowhere the line “I Wanna Be-in Pennsylvania” flew into my head, modeled after tribute songs to American places made by The Beach Boys. The final take was expertly mixed by Rusty Richards (Julie Miller, Brian Wilson) and features guest vocals by Mike Roe (The 77s). Meanwhile, Happy Birthday Al, and thank you for your years of bringing harmony to the world.

youtube

#Beach Boys #Al Jardine #Brian Wilson #johnny j blair #singer songwriter #music #singer at large #san francisco #pop rock #pennsylvania #Youtube

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flaremberts · 3 months

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Once Upon A Time...

The year was 1976 and a new family was moving in the neighborhood. They had 4 kids, so you knew it would be interesting to say the least. Over those years, Danny and Eric have been friends from that day on. Weddings, trips, kids, and everything in between. Amy and Becky have joined the friendship almost just as long as the "significant others".

This weekend was Eric's first trip to visit since we left Pittsburgh and it was worth the wait...lol! Although he got strep somewhere on the way, we were able to work around it with clinics and meds. We didn't miss a beat with all the other fun for sure.

We were able to go bar hoping at some of our favorite beach spots and fit in an afternoon at the beach. All said, we had a fabulous visit spending time catching up and making new memories!

They are some of our oldest and most dear friends and we love them, but we love the times we get to spend with them just as much and cherish their friendship so much since moving away from each other. It was great that they came to visit and we can't wait for the next time already!

(Made with InstaDan)

#florida life #instadan #friends forever #beach day

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terriekeimi · 5 days

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Five Finger Death shirt

Five Finger Death Punch Kansas State Wildcats Shirt

If an hypotetical third invasion would have followed the same pattern of the previous two, the Mongol would lose again. Logistically, having a Five Finger Death Punch Kansas State Wildcats Shirt based army crossing the sea is a nightmare, and this force the Mongol to follow a predictable route to land at the Hakata bay, twice. And despite their strenght, they weren’t able to make any significant victory in Kyushu, but suffered several defeats. So even by a tactical point of view, when the Mongols didn’t have an obvious numerical advantage, they lost all of their battles, like at Akasaka, Torikaigata or Mikuriya. The role of the kamikaze has been overblown by the defeated mongols and by the japanese clergy; in the first invasion, there is no mention in japanese sources of any storm, and in the second one, it was a final blow to an already defeated army.

Five Finger Death Punch Pittsburgh Steelers Shirt

The less said about Chinese maps and map-making the better History is also distorted in that the Chinese like to keep very quiet about the subjugation of Five Finger Death Punch Pittsburgh Steelers Shirt their country for about two hundred years by the Mongols in the 12th century CE; nor indeed about their coming under the Manchu Empire from the middle of the 17th century. So far as available history suggests, it is seen that it was the visits and the presence of Jesuit priests overland through Central Asia in the 15th century that led to a tentative start to map-making in China. But the standard of their map-making first came to public knowledge during the Simla Conference in 1914, when the Chinese Ambassador, Ivan Chen, was hard pressed to produce any map that could be used during the negotiations with his Tibetan counter-part, Lobsang Satra, and the British diplomat, Sir Henry Macmahon. This became more apparent during the India-China diplomatic exchanges in 1960–61 when the Indian side was able to produce maps of the border having a scale of 4 miles to an inch (thanks to work of the Survey of India since the mid 19th century) where the best that the Chinese could produce were some maps of a scale of one inch for sixteen miles.

Five Finger Death Punch Chicago Bears Shirt

Yes South Jersey is affiliated with Philadelphia the Five Finger Death Punch Chicago Bears Shirt the north is with New York. Just get an Eagles fan and a Giants fan in the same room to see how strong those affiliations are. But South Jersey doesn’t find it’s identity in it’s big-city affiliation the way the north does. South Jersey is largely rural, with a focus on agriculture over industry, with countless acres of cranberry bogs, sod farms and other crops. The towns are smaller, the people friendlier, the pace is slower and the living is easier. The South Jersey shore is where you’ll find the Victorian treasure that is Cape May, the world class beaches and boardwalks of Wildwood, Long Beach Island and others, the nightlife of Atlantic City, and getaway towns like Stone Harbor. South Jersey still has it’s own rodeo – the historic Cowtown Rodeo in Pilesgrove. South Jersey boasts the ecological treasure that is the Pine Barrens (home of the infamous Jersey Devil), as well as the New Jersey State Aquarium. I could go on, but I don’t want to brag too much – we’re not that kind of people. In the north, New Jersey is what people go through to get to the NYC, and where they go when they can’t afford to stay there. For them, New Jersey is like a consolation prize – you can’t be in the main room, but you can watch from outside. For people in the south, Philly is the getaway – a great place to visit, for sure, but not where they want to stay. And it’s where Philadelphians go when they need a break from city life, a place to relax, unwind, and rediscover an easier way of life.

Five Finger Death Punch Carolina Panthers Shirt

Yes South Jersey is affiliated with Philadelphia the Five Finger Death Punch Carolina Panthers Shirt the north is with New York. Just get an Eagles fan and a Giants fan in the same room to see how strong those affiliations are. But South Jersey doesn’t find it’s identity in it’s big-city affiliation the way the north does. South Jersey is largely rural, with a focus on agriculture over industry, with countless acres of cranberry bogs, sod farms and other crops. The towns are smaller, the people friendlier, the pace is slower and the living is easier. The South Jersey shore is where you’ll find the Victorian treasure that is Cape May, the world class beaches and boardwalks of Wildwood, Long Beach Island and others, the nightlife of Atlantic City, and getaway towns like Stone Harbor. South Jersey still has it’s own rodeo – the historic Cowtown Rodeo in Pilesgrove. South Jersey boasts the ecological treasure that is the Pine Barrens (home of the infamous Jersey Devil), as well as the New Jersey State Aquarium. I could go on, but I don’t want to brag too much – we’re not that kind of people. In the north, New Jersey is what people go through to get to the NYC, and where they go when they can’t afford to stay there. For them, New Jersey is like a consolation prize – you can’t be in the main room, but you can watch from outside. For people in the south, Philly is the getaway – a great place to visit, for sure, but not where they want to stay. And it’s where Philadelphians go when they need a break from city life, a place to relax, unwind, and rediscover an easier way of life.

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travelproguide · 11 days

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Things To Do In Wv In August

Find It All At The State Fair Of West Virginia NEW Trailer, 5 RZR’s, West Virginia BOUND! Hatfield & McCoy Trails HERE WE COME! Every August, the town of Fairlea turns into a bustling fun time. It all starts when a traveling midway packs an empty field with nearly 50 adrenaline-packed attractions . Ferris wheels and tilt-a-whirls not really your thing? Thats ok the State Fair of West Virginia is so much more. Daily, free entertainment includes a champion lumberjack show and the only traveling wolf pack in the world . This year, Alabama, Third Day, Three Doors Down, Easton Corbin, and other national talents will pack the grandstand. If you go:The fair runs from Aug. 12 through Aug. 21. Keep in mind you may need to set aside a full day to try out all the delicious food stands . Coopers Rock State Forest Don Bilski / Shutterstock Founded in 1936 this astonishing park boasts some of the most glorious sights in all of West Virginia. Serenely situated amid the aptly named town of Almost Heaven, Coopers Rock State Forest is a favorite of locals. Some of the parks many stunning features include canyon overlooks, historical areas, and more than 50 miles of hiking and biking trails. Other natural features include sandstone cliffs and epic boulders for rock climbing, terrain suitable for cross country skiing, and more. In addition to these land features, theres also a central lake that visitors love to use for fishing, swimming, rafting, and other water sports. Other outdoor adventures at Coopers Rock State Forest include golfing, hunting, and geocaching. While visiting the park, visitors love to enjoy alfresco meals in the lovely picnic pavilions. Finally, if you prefer to stay in the park for an extended period, there are camping accommodations as well as convenient pre-set canvas tent sites. Address: 61 County Line Dr, Bruceton Mills, WV 26525, United States Appalachian National Scenic Trail This famous American trail is a rite of passage for outdoor enthusiasts, so if youre planning a trip to West Virginia be sure to bookmark time to check it out. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail consists of more than 2,000 miles of footpath. The trail is scenic, serene, pastoral, and altogether amazing. Built by private citizens and opened in 1937, the trail has been a national attraction since. Notably, the trail runs through 14 US states, beginning in Georgia , passing through West Virginia, and ending in Maine. Although the WV leg of the trail is short, it is the most popular. Along the WV leg of the trail, hikers pass through Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, the campus of Storer College, and other historic landmarks. Significantly, the WV portion of the trail is considered its halfway point, and its also where youll find the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, a popular resting point. Address: Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, United States Don’t Miss: Top 10 Things To Do In Mystic Ct Huntington Museum Of Art The very best of art and nature collide in glorious harmony at the Huntington Museum of Art. Housed in a complex spanning 52-acres, the Huntington Museum of Art is the largest museum between the cities of Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Richmond. Even more impressive than its sheer size is the museums magnificent collection of fine art and the groundbreaking exhibitions that earned it its national accreditation. Browse the marvelous collections that call the Huntington Museum home, then head out to explore the various hiking trails that weave around the museums hillside property. If you want to further enjoy the nature that the museum offers, be sure to stop by the Steelman Butterfly Garden as well as the C. Fred Edwards Conservatory. 2033 McCoy Road, Huntington, West Virginia 25701, Phone: 304-529-2701 Where can you get away, beaches near me, luxury tourism, resorts & family weekend hotels to visit around me with kids, outdoor activities, things to do near me, weekend getaways, dinner near me, entertainment, places to go, hiking trails near me: From Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale, Austin, From Pittsburgh, East Coast Honeymoon, From Santa Barbara, Birmingham, From Denver Grave Creek Burial Mounds One of the free things to do in West Virginia, and one of its secret places, is also one of the most intriguing, a glimpse into a culture that thrived here 2,000 years ago. Grave Creek Archaeological Complex, near Wheeling, centers on the largest known burial mounds of the Adena people, built about 250-150 BC. These mounds, as high as 62 feet and nearly 250 feet at the base, required moving more than 60,000 tons of earth, creating the largest conical type structure of any of the mound-building cultures. The Delf Norona Museum on the site displays some of the nearly 450,000 artifacts found in the multi-level burial site and elsewhere in the area. The exhibits illuminate the lives of these prehistoric people and the construction of the mounds. Address: 801 Jefferson Avenue, Moundsville, West Virginia Recommended Reading: Things To Do Healdsburg Events From August 8 To The Weekend Of August 13 She Drives Me Crazy, June 17 – September 17 2022Musical at 34 West Theater Company. More details Music on the Green, Fridays, May 27 – September 2 2022Free evening outdoor concert at the Village Green at Freshfields Village. More details John Hiatt & The Goners featuring Sonny Landreth, August 9 2022Concert at the Charleston Music Hall. More details Daryl Hall and the Daryls House Band with Todd Rundgren, August 11 2022Concert at the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center. More details The Full Monty, August 12-28 2022Musical at the Queen Street Playhouse. More details Charleston Farmers Market, Saturdays 8am-1pmWeekly farmers market in historic Marion Square. More details Queen Flash: A Tribute to Queen, August 13 2022Tribute concert at the Charleston Music Hall. More details Charleston Sprint Triathlon Series, August 14 2022Triathlon races at James Island County Park, with 600 yard freshwater swim, 12 mile cycle and 5K run. More details Weird Al Yankovic, August 14 2022Concert at the Gaillard Center. More details Michael Bublé: Higher Tour 2022, August 14 2022Concert at the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center. More details Best Things To Do In West Virginia West Virginia is located in the incomparable Appalachian Mountains and this is where adventure lovers get to walk on the wild side along the legendary Appalachian Trail. Civil War history buffs revel in hamlets like Harpers Ferry and one of four Carnegie Halls in the world beckons visitors to Lewisburg’s cultural scene. Here are the best things to do in West Virginia. Certain attractions may be temporarily closed or require advance reservations. Some restaurants are currently offering pickup only. Hours/availability may have changed. Recommended Reading: Cleveland Ohio Attractions For Families Events From August 1 To The Weekend Of August 6 She Drives Me Crazy, June 17 – September 17 2022Musical at 34 West Theater Company. More details Steely Dan: The Absolutely Normal Tour, August 4 2022Concert at the North Charleston Coliseum & Performing Arts Center. More details ArtWalk, August 5 2022Monthly first Friday art walks in downtown Charleston galleries. More details Reggae Nights Summer Concert, August 5 2022Outdoor evening concert series at James Island County Park. More details Music on the Green, Fridays, May 27 – September 2 2022Free evening outdoor concert at the Village Green at Freshfields Village. More details Charleston Farmers Market, Saturdays 8am-1pmWeekly farmers market in historic Marion Square. More details Urban Guitarist Terence Young Presents Guitar Stories, August 6 2022Concert at the Charleston Music Hall. More details WWE Saturday Nights Main Event, August 6 2022Wrestling show at the North Charleston Coliseum and Performing Arts Center. More details Best Time Of Year To Visit West Virginia Get Paid To Move To West Virginia Even though this state is considered to be a year-round destination, the best time to visit West Virginia is in May and June, and also from . The pleasantness of late spring provides a world of blooming wildflowers for hikers to enjoy. If you are a music fan, come get wild at the Mountain Music Festival in . Early fall brings beautiful foliage to West Virginia, making this the ideal time to explore the Hatfield-McCoy Trails by ATV or on foot. If you are an extreme sports enthusiast, you wont want to miss Bridge Day in . While the cold stretch from late November to April can be harsh, you might be too busy to notice amid ample opportunities for winter sports, and the many holiday-light installations staged all around the state. are hot and humid, but that just makes them better for tourism, due to all the water-based activities and festivals that are available for your choosing. You May Like: Things To Do With Kids In Cleveland Ohio Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters And Visitor Center The visitors center for the Appalachian Trail in Harpers Ferry is considered the theoretical midway point of the trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. Each year, more than three million visitors hike the Appalachian Trail, which crosses fourteen states and encompasses over 2,100 miles of hiking trails. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy Headquarters is perhaps the most famous landmark along the way and features a 10-foot 3D map of the East Coast. Visitors will also enjoy browsing through informative exhibits, a collection of over 25,000 photographs, which have been accumulating since 1979, and a popular gift shop. 799 Washington Street, Harpers Ferry, WV, Phone: 304-535-6331 “Best Things to Do in West Virginia for Locals & Tourists – Restaurants, Hotels” Back to Top or Beautiful places near me, what to do, restaurants for breakfast, travel guide, nearest beach What to do near my location downtown at night in fall, winter, spring, spa near me, summer, places to go, wedding venues near me, beach, wedding venues, open parks, hotels near me, burger, nature park, nice restaurants near me: Spa, MD, Cabin Getaways, Small Town Weekend, Charlotte, Fort Worth, New Orleans, Raleigh, Spokane, NYC, NE, Saratoga Springs, Richmond, From Charleston, MT, VA, Sedona Berkeley Springs West Virginia Summer at the Springs Package 7 Days a Week2 Nights lodging, wine and cheese upon arrival & 2 gourmet breakfasts for two at Highlawn Inn.$100 Spa Gift Certificate at Atasia Spa.Rates from $378.00 to $544.00 depending upon room selection. Taxes and gratuities not included.Please make all Package reservations through Highlawn Inn 304-258-5700 or 888-290-4163Not valid with any other specials, packages, holidays or gift certificates.Reservations subject to Highlawn Inns regular reservation policies.Visit us at Yoga Every Sat 9am with Hiroko Rubin in Berkeley Springs State Park Every Fri, Sat, Movies 5pm & 8pm. Sun Movies 4pm & 7pm. Star Theatre. Farmers Market Every Sunday 10am-2pm Fairfax Green. . By the Delectable Mountains Quilt Guild hangs til Sept 19 @ Ice House. Join Morgan Community Concert Band for a free concert. Cacapon State Park Gazebo. Christopher Mellon @ Coolfont Resort. To purchase tickets and for more information: August 6 5:30pm Concert in the Berkeley Springs State Park. The Nighthawks Blues & Roots Rock You can call their music blues, soul, roots musicor, as Sonny Boy Williamson said: You can call it your Mama if you want to. With a sound that spans all genres while still somehow sounding like a Chicago blues band is so many respects, the Nighthawks have remained one of the top-rated bands in the U.S. and beyond. Sponsored by Morgans Art Council. 304-258-2300 Recommended Reading: Kid Friendly Things To Do In Cleveland Things To Do This Weekend: Aug 5 Click here to stay informed and subscribe to the Mountain States Trusted News Source. Click #isupportlocal for more information on supporting our local journalists. Tickets are still available for the James Taylor concert at the Charleston Coliseum Friday. The weekend is looming. Here are a few events you may want to check out: Fun Things To Do In West Virginia: Snowshoe Mountain Snowshoe Mountain represents the best of West Virginian winter. Adventure, relaxation, exquisite dining, lodging, and kid and teen activities, they have it all. Thrill-seekers can sign up for adrenaline-fueled mountain tours on snowmobiles or RZRs, among other high action activities. Guests looking to relax can spend a day at the spa experiencing a wide array of treatments, take a calming candle-lit yoga class, and marvel at winter wonderland views on a scenic lift ride. Activity hot spots like Coca Cola Tube Park, inflatable bouncy houses, and Split Rock indoor heated swimming areas are just a few of the resort’s family-friendly activities. 10 Snowshoe Drive, Snowshoe, WV, Phone: 877-441-4386 You are reading “25 Best Things to Do in West Virginia” Back to Top or More romantic weekend getaways, more places of interest in, wedding venues near me, time zone, what to do Romantic resorts, dog friendly cabin, boutique inn, B& B, hostel, photos, maps, discounts, conference, couples retreat, shows, good food near me, things to do with kids near me, weather, airport, vegetarian, seafood, breakfast near me, indoor, outlet mall: WA, AL, College towns, MI, AL, MI Also Check: Things To Do In And Around Syracuse Ny West Virginia Mine Wars Museum West Virginia Mine Wars Museum Home to a slice of unsettling American History, the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum preserves artifacts surrounding one of the largest civil uprisings since The Civil War, the Mine Wars. Essentially, the Mine Wars were turf wars between unionized miners and coal mines. The purpose of the museum is to uphold the voices of those involved, those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and the triumphant. Inside the museum is the countrys largest collection of Mine Wars memorabilia. Visitors are given guided tours of things like life in coal camps, local coal strikes, and coal miners tools and lifestyles. Notably, through these artifacts, the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum celebrates a frightening yet triumphant time in American history. Once youve completed this interesting tour, be sure to check out the museums gift shop which sells apparel and nifty souvenirs. Finally, if youre traveling with history buffs, theyll certainly enjoy this interesting West Virginia attraction. Address: 401 Mate St, Matewan, WV 25678, United States Prabhupadas Palace Of Gold This magnificent church is one of the most beautiful in the country. Named for a famous and revered Hindu scholar and teacher, Prabhupadas Palace of Gold was erected in the early 1970s as a place for him to write, worship, and preach. Built of marble, precious metals, teak, and other lavish materials, the palace was a labor of devotees love for Srila Prabhupada. During guided tours of the palace, visitors are treated to the decadently gilded interior and captivating and glimmering exterior as well as the history of its patron. Included in your tour of the palace is a look at the award-winning Rose Garden whose bright colors and aromatic flowers draw you to its center. Astoundingly, the garden is home to more than 3,000 bushes and 150 varieties of roses. The spectacular and vibrant colors of the roses offset the shimmer and gleam of the palace in the background. This highly recommended attraction should be on the top of your list. Address: 3759 McCrearys Ridge Rd, Moundsville, WV 26041, United States Recommended Reading: Free Things To Do In Baytown Tx Activities Near Me: State Capitol The State Capitol in Charleston, West Virginia, was designed by world-renowned architect Cass Gilbert. This impressive national monument features the highest state capitol dome in the nation as well as several elegant interior details such as a grand crystal chandelier and marble walls, which add to its majestic look. The Capitol faces the river and has a commanding statue of Abraham Lincoln in one corner of the front lawn. Guests are encouraged to take a grounds map from the welcome center for self-guided tours or sign up for a free hour-long guided tour of the Capitol complex and its impeccably manicured grounds. 1900 Kanawha Boulevard East, Charleston, WV, Phone: 304-558-2000 You are reading “What is There to Do with Kids in West Virginia” Back to Top or More tourism, attractions for couples, food, things to see near me today Top things to see near me, beaches, cruises, parks near me, underrated tourist attractions downtown, travel blog, attractions, places near me right now, things to do near me, vacations, resorts near me, family weekend breaks, mountains, open now, tonight, breakfast near me, affordable rental, kids activities near me, campgrounds near me: OK, Small Town, AL, MI, FL, From Nashville, ND Things To Do In West Virginia: Cass Scenic Railroad State Park West Virginia Visits – Spookables in Bluefield, WV Visitors will feel as though they’ve been transported back in history to an era of steam locomotives when visiting Cass, home to Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. This meticulously preserved mountain town features charming company houses repurposed into tourist accommodations, restored buildings housing the museum and company store, and the train depot. During its glory days, the 1901 Cass Scenic Railroad was used in the logging industry, hauling logs from Canada to a lumber mill in Cass. The same steam-driven Shay trains from that period now transport tourists instead of logs. Visitors hopping aboard this excursion will be enthralled by the unparalleled views. 242 Main Street, Cass, WV, Phone: 304-456-4300 You are reading “Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in West Virginia” Back to Top or More must do for couples, what to do near me, places to visit this weekend Where can I go for top-rated things to see near me, fun things to do today, hotels near me, with toddler, social distancing, places near me, list of, stuff to do near me, rentals, beach and last minute resort ideas for couples, places to hike near me: Southwest, New England, TN, KS, NY, From Houston, From Palm Springs, From Chattanooga, From Detroit, NJ Also Check: What To Do In Baytown Read the full article

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