Goin' Out To Cally – Part 8, The Cock Crows Nine

The next morning we all awoke feeling surprisingly refreshed. It appeared that a comfortable bed and an abundance of food was all we needed to put the wind back into our sails.

Knowing we had a long drive ahead of us, we all quickly heeded Aunt Patsy’s wake-up call, each of us making our way into the shower and then to the breakfast table. It was there, as we devoured home cooked eggs, bacon, pancakes and omelets-to-order, that we noticed the clock on the kitchen oven. The colon splitting the hours and minutes flashed with each second and if you combined those hours and minutes the clock represented nine forty-seven a.m.

In unison we all realized we were suddenly and inexplicably three hours behind schedule.

When we pressed Aunt Patsy as to why she didn't wake us as we requested the night before, she simply smiled brightly and said, “You all looked so tired! I figured you could use the sleep.” It was a nice sentiment, but as I savored my fifth bacon strip I thought and wondered and studied Aunt Patsy closely. Was she sincere in her concern for us or, behind her disarming smile, was she exacting her own sweet revenge upon us for the overflowing leftovers still cooling in her refrigerator from the night before?

The more I studied her, the less confident I became of her evil intentions. If she was being malicious, she was a master of such a deception. In the end, her genuine affection for us and her complete hospitality permanently dislodged any such idea from my mind. She was simply being... well... Aunt Patsy!

One thing was certain, however… it was only the second day of our trip and we were very, very late. We had to get going in a hurry. After breakfast, Tim, Sunday and I repacked the Acura while Beth asked if there was a fast way back to the interstate highway.

“I have a better idea! I’ll take you there myself!” Aunt Patsy exclaimed. For better or worse, we now had an escort. As long as we were quickly greet by an on-ramp and a multi-lane thoroughfare, we didn't care how we got there.

Knowing the hours that laid before us, at this point, Dallas seemed so very far away. Each passing minute in a car traveling under 60 miles per hour was growing tortuous and putting us further behind schedule.

The sooner we reached the interstate, the better.

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Goin' Out To Cally - Part 8, (Text, Audio) The Cock Crows Nine
Goin' Out To Cally - Part 7, (Text, Audio) Is Jackass A Sign?
Goin' Out To Cally - Part 6, (Text, Audio) Leftovers
Goin' Out To Cally - Part 5, (Text, Audio) The Kiss Of Friendship
Goin' Out To Cally - Part 4, (Text, Audio) Scholastic Intimacy
Goin' Out To Cally - Part 3, (Text, Audio) Space Invaders
Goin' Out To Cally - Part 2, (Text, Audio) The Fourth Wheel
Goin' Out To Cally - Part 1, (Text, Audio) The Seed Planted