Crossing State Lines

After Roger and I got engaged, I wanted him to see my hometown.
I wanted him to see where I grew up and meet some of my extended family.
And I wanted it to be a road trip.
Cause that's my idea of fun, right? Being stuck with my fiance in a car for two days, eating crap food, and of course I wanted to drive my small car.
Roger said I wanted to show off my car.
And secretly, yes, he was right. Did I ever admit it? I don't think so. But Roger knew me well enough and sometimes I just did not have to say the words "You're right" for him to know it.

I love my car.
It's so cute and it does have a slightly bigger gas tank that Roger's car so we would get a little more milage between fill ups (like a whole fifty miles more).
I love my rationalizing.

So the plan was to leave Orlando after work, drive through the night to the South Carolina/North Carolina border about eight hours in, sleep in a hotel, and then wake up early and drive the rest of the way.
We were going to go to the Richmond area first to see my mom who could not travel back to my hometown at the time.
Then we would drive over to my hometown and stay for a few days.
And before coming home, we would see my father and go on a fishing adventure.
Great plan.
And as Roger would say "When you make plans, God laughs."

First, when we were packing the car, Roger decided he would like to take his own fishing poles.
Okay. No big deal.
But wait, we are taking the MINI.
"Do they come apart so they will fit better?"
Roger insisted "Nope. But we can fit them in between the driver and passenger seats."
"Okay." A little annoying when spending pretty much more than twenty four hours in the car but okay.

Background info:
Roger was a very healthy eater (read picky eater).
He did not eat pork or red meat and hadn't in fifteen years.
He also had a weak stomach.

So we set off.
We left after work a little later than I wanted but that was okay. No big deal.
I drove first and got us out of Florida.
Roger had never driven across state lines.
So I showed him all the cool fun facts that when entering a new state they have signs about the different traffic laws.
Roger asked if he could drive into South Carolina from Georgia so he could experience the thrill.
"Sure. I'll take a nap while you drive."
I woke up as we were about to enter into South Carolina.
Roger was estatic. Simple pleasures.

"Man, for lunch I had this weird Chinese food."
"Oh really? What was weird about it?" I inquired.
"Well, I ordered chicken but I think they gave me the wrong thing. I only ate a few bites before I realized it and then just ate some of the plain rice."
"Okay."
"Can we stop at the next rest area?"
"Sure. I could stretch my legs."
"And can you drive?"

Roger had a habit of telling me some of his bathroom issues.
I never really wanted to know this information but he told me anyway and then would state "Don't you love me?" or "Aren't you glad we are this close?"

As we get back to the car, "Man, I don't think my stomach liked that lunch."
And he continued to tell me about his bathroom experience.
Short version was that he did not feel good and his stomach was not happy that he may have eaten beef and/or pork.

So we got back on the road.
For about five minutes.
And I know it was five minutes because those green road signs that tell drivers how far to certain cities are five miles apart.
And I know that because I saw every one in the state of South Carolina.
Poor guy.

Being the nice fiancee I was, I was annoyed.
I knew he could not help it.
But I also wanted to just get to the hotel for the night.
And poor guy, he just wanted to stop where ever we were and get a hotel.
But I already made reservations.
That was the plan.
Gotta stick to the plan.
And every time we would start to see the green milage sign, I'd look at him and he would say "I don't think I need to stop at this one."
But as it was about to go out of sight, "Please stop now."
Great. Just great.
I did not want to be angry but I sorta was. Not at him. Just at our luck.

Poor poor guy.
We finally make it over the North Carolina border and to our hotel.
And at the end of the first leg of our trip, we survived and we were still engaged.
His underwear however did not. It stayed in North Carolina and moved to boxer heaven.

Oh, and those fishing poles... yeah they totally came apart. My father showed us before we drove back to Orlando.