I’ve told you some of the highlights from the sisters separate birthday parties. This time I’ll tell you about some of our longer trips to various places.
The summer of 1982, Gladys rented a home for us in the Poconos. Mary Alice would drive us there in her pick-up truck. As usual, the two youngest, Gladys and myself, were given the floor of the cab. Mary Alice made it a bit cozy with a small table on which sat a lamp and some flowers in a vase. We grumbled, but accepted the lower class accommodations.
One evening, we decided to dress up – high heels and all – and go to dinner at a resort nearby. Upon arrival, we decided to sit at the bar and have a cocktail while we checked out the place and the menu.
It took the bartender an inordinately long time to wait on us. We didn’t know why – we were all good looking! It upset us even more so to be given drinks in plastic. We then took our drinks out on the deck and mulled over if we’d eat there or not. We decided to leave.
Unknown to us, Dorothy lingered. Upon finding the manager, she told him of the bad treatment at the bar and being served with plastic cups. She added, “We are ladies and expect to be treated as such!” The manager said, “Let’s call your sisters back in and you’ll all get a drink on the house in glasses.”
Dorothy and the manager then opened the front door and guess what he saw? Two “ladies” with heels on, crawling in the back of a pick-up truck. We did get our free drink, whether the manager considered us ladies or not.
In 1985, Pop’s twin brother, Rob, invited the sisters to Indianapolis for a visit. (This was the time when our family was care-giving for Mom. The brothers and grandkids watched over Mom while we were gone.)
Uncle Rob, in his 80s, had an intensive itinerary planned for us, from the motel room, meals, and a tour of the city by a chauffeur.
It happened to be Gladys’ birthday the next day of our arrival. We all went to bed early, but sisters don’t forget birthdays. We set the alarm, unknown to Gladys, for midnight. When it rang, we jumped on her bed and sang “Happy Birthday.” She didn’t appreciate our efforts.
Our last evening with Uncle Rob was dinner out. He presented each of us with an envelope. We all read the words, teary-eyed: “You are my twin brothers daughters, which makes you special to me. (Uncle Rob never had children of his own) In remembrance of the year you visited me in Indianapolis, I give you this 1985 uncirculated U.S. coin set. Your Uncle Rob.”
When we arrived back home, Jannetta’s son, Keith, had the celebrities picked up in a limo and driven to our cars.
In 1991, Anita chose a weekend trip to visit her daughter, Cindy, in Ohio. The sisters had the whole second floor to ourselves. We attended an Arts and Craft Festival in the groves of Medina. Cindy’s husband, Charles, learned fast what our needs were in a car. He had to stop for anxiety attacks, heat flashes, and medication. He was a good sport.
In 1992, Gladys and Anita planned an Amtrak trip to Nebraska. Anita lived there in her early marriage, where her pastor husband had a church. Mom send Gladys there, for some of her high school years, to help Anita with her growing family.
It was a 2-day trip and we spent over 25 hours on a train. We took turns sitting with each other. We didn’t have berths, but did our best to sleep in our seats.
At one station, we had to change trains. Prior to our trip, Dorothy gave each of us a name badge: Christman Sister, Carole (etc.). At this station, a woman who had been eyeing us, asked, “I see you are ‘sisters.’ I know I can trust you. Will you watch my luggage while I go to the bathroom?” We realized the lady took us for nuns and we accepted the job.
As much as we enjoyed our stay with farm people, the ride home was horrendous! There was a man visibly drunk on the train. He was a nuisance. Also, the sisters that smoked had to go to what Gladys called “the cattle car” to smoke. Again, we hardly slept. By the time we got back to Pennsylvania, we were all sick and tired of train rides!
But thanks to Gladys, in 1993, we had to take another train ride. She had written a letter of complaint to Amtrak about our last trip home from Nebraska. We had to use the $100 voucher we were given.
Dorothy and I chose this trip. I chose Burlington, Vermont, and Dorothy chose a visit to her son, Mike, Nancy, and daughter, Gracie in New Hampshire. To our surprise, the train did not take us to our destination. We had to take a bus part of the way. At the end of the bus ride, we rented a van, which took the two and a half hour drive to Dorothy’s son.
Just like the good old days, Mike and Nancy, who own a small farm, we had chores to do. Our beds were laden with work gear—bib overalls, straw hats, and red kerchiefs. A poster had our daily chores written up. And yes, just like the old days, I got the hardest and dirtiest work. I had to sling manure.
Our longest trip – 15 days – was to Hawaii in 1994. Gladys was unable to go, but she and Russ gave us a great Bon Voyage. We had leis (fresh from her garden), a delicious meal of shish-ka-bob over rice, salad, and fruit. We all slept over and Gladys took us to the airport in the morning.
In Hawaii, we were greeted by our brother, Lester, and wife, Ruth, who were renting a condo a few months. They were great hosts and quite knowledgeable about the terrain, flowers, and history of the island. Our days were filled with sightseeing, a Lua, lava fields, rodeo, volcanoes, craters, nut factory, botanical garden, antique shops and more.
Carole Christman Koch grew up in Berks County and has been published in numerous publications. She has a passion for writing and has many stories from growing up on a farm to raising children to humorous stories about her and her husband to everyday stories to season stories and more.