31 years ago this week I moved to the Outer Banks of North
Carolina . My X
came to Charlotte and helped me
move my things to his “house” at the beach. To get to his house we had to get
to the Outer Banks which back then was all 2 way roads, then go a few miles
down Nags Head Wood Rd which was and still is a dirt road, then down the drive
way to his house which was a dirt road about a ¼ mile or so long and not that
well maintained. My poor pinto was not
accustomed to this kinda driving. After more than 8 hours on the road I got my
first glimpse of the house I was going to live in. needless to say the X had
not Filled me in on the rustic nature of his abode.
It is hard to describe what I saw when we pulled up to the
place but I will try. Looking from the
drive way the first thing I saw was a big house to the left with a breezeway
connecting the big house to a smaller house.
To the right was a small building with chickens all around it. The yard was wet from an earlier rain and
there was cow poo all over the place and ducks and chickens were eating it.
They say that what a person sees from the curb will influence all future
opinions well my opinion at that time was “oh boy”
The “house” was an L
shaped summer guest house. The living room was a screened in porch in which the
“walls” had been covered in clear plastic.
From that porch extending from 1 side was a bedroom area with 2 bedrooms
one approximately 7 foot by 10foot and the other about 8 feet by 16 and then a
little bathroom. The other part of the L
shape house had a small dining room and kitchen. My X and I were to have the 7 by 10 room. His
water bed was all ready in the room and it was literally wall to wall bed. “Oh
boy”
When I first met his land lady I saw an older woman dressed
in faded jeans with a floral top that was way too big for her, she had her
graying hair braded in the back I am telling you she looked like a female Willy
Nelson, as far as I can remember her first words to me were “how long are you
going to be staying?” and my reply was “I’m moving in” she just walked
away. It seems the X did not say
anything to her about me moving in.
Believe it or not that was the beginning of a wonderful friendship that
lasted 32 years. The land lady was Mary
and Mary was my friend. She died on the
18th of March; she would have been 82 years old tomorrow.
Thanks in no small part to Mary I have learned a lot, she
told the best stories, I have a wonderful home and I am very happy.
I love you and I miss you Mary Montfort Piron
