[at-l] Wanchor Report #2

[Bluetrail@aol.com (Bluetrail@aol.com)]

Just so you'll know how focused on the hike Jon was before he left, I'll tel=
l=20
you what happened Thursday. =A0I left work early so I could go to the Thursd=
ay=20
night FT chapter meeting WITH Jon. =A0As I turned the corner four blocks fro=
m=20
the house, there was Jon with our friend Carl in the front seat, driving in=20
the opposite direction. =A0I gestured wildly. =A0Jon smiled and waved and ke=
pt on=20
going. =A0I went home, powdered my nose, and drove the 45-minute drive to th=
e=20
meeting absolutely fuming. =A0

When I got there, Jon hadn't arrived yet. =A0When he did arrive, he came up=20=
to=20
me immediately and began apologizing. =A0He got a pretty cold shoulder.  Car=
l=20
siddled up to tell me that Jon had missed the turn to get to the meeting sit=
e=20
and didn't realize it until they were 10 minutes in the wrong direction.=20
=A0Carl also reported that about two minutes from the meeting site, Jon=20
exclaimed, "I should have turned around and gone to get Joan!" =A0I don't th=
ink=20
Jon has really been here for the last ten days. =A0I decided our time was to=
o=20
short for me to stay mad.

Friday I arrived home after work just in time to find Jon getting down off=20
the roof. =A0He did manage to get the porch gutters cleaned! =A0We were 10=20
minutes late leaving for the bus because he couldn't find his shirt. =A0His=20
departure was exactly to his strict specifications: =A0no crying, no scenes,=
 no=20
lingering. =A0I dropped him at the front of the bus station and drove away.=20
=A0(He has actually praised me for these military-like leave-takings, callin=
g=20
them "very professional.") =A0

He called today about 3:00 p.m. to say he was just getting to Atlanta. =A0He=
=20
was supposed to arrive at 11:00 a.m., but somehow he missed his bus in=20
Jacksonville. =A0I suspect there's a real story behind this, as he did NOT w=
ant=20
to say what really happened.

Got another call at 9:30. =A0He, Matt, and Meagan made it to Dahlonega where=
=20
Jan Benschop was singing. =A0(Jan is a hiking friend.) =A0Several other hike=
rs=20
were there also, and Jon reported a very pleasant evening. =A0At 9:30 they w=
ere=20
just about on their way to Springer. =A0The plan is to camp there tonight.=20=
=A0Jon=20
will shove off at first light.

On the home front, it's been a day of cleaning, shopping, and cooking.  If I=
=20
keep busy enough, I won't think about Jon.  Have managed that feat pretty=20
well today.  So far this has been the easiest departure yet.  Maybe it would=
=20
be more difficulty if Jon and I hadn't been apart so many times before, if w=
e=20
were younger, or if I hadn't planned so much for while he's gone.  Our hikin=
g=20
friend Rick Gushe did call this morning to check on me; he's seen me at the=20
extreme end of Jon's PCT hike--when I was up to my eyebrows in wanting the=20
hike to be OVER. =20

Joan
bluetrail@aol.com


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